Committee Descriptions
Agriculture, Rural Development, and Sustainability
Topic: Shrinking Sahel and Conflict; Feeding Africa’s Booming Population
Chair: Kennedy Odiboh
The Committee on Economic Development, Trade, Industry is based on The Department of Infrastructure and Energy in the African Union as well as the Department for Economic Development, Trade, Industry and Mining. This committee will consist of representatives from all AU member states as well as representatives from NGOs.
Diversification of industries and economic activities, creation of common monetary policies and promotion of greater regional and global economic integration while transitioning to a sustainable use of energy and human resources are some of the challenges that our most experienced delegates will have to discuss. The Committee on Economic Development, Trade, Industry, Infrastructure and Energy will create an environment in which participants will be asked to come up with elaborated resolutions with a concrete positive impact on the African economy and development. Delegates are encouraged to condense their plans for the future of African economies to concrete, tangible plans that can be actualized in the near future. To help delegates advance holistic solutions, speakers will intervene to share their experiences in fields related to building value-creating industries and long-term development.
Level: Advanced
Education, Science, and Innovation
Topics: African Brain-Drain, Scarcity of Investments in Research and Development Across the Continent
Chair: Yvonne Agyapong
The Political Affairs, Peace and Security committee is the special committee of the Yale Model African Union. It will consist exclusively of Heads of States. The Political Affairs, Peace and Security committee is the standing decision-making organ of the AU for the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts. It is a collective security and early warning arrangement intended to facilitate timely and efficient responses to conflict and crisis situations in Africa. Most experienced Delegates will have to manage two crises and issue precise guidelines to Member States. This Committee requires participants to be highly engaged and reactive to situations that put them out of their comfort zone.
Being a leader is partly being able to react in a thoughtful way to such situations. Speakers will intervene during debates to provide their own leadership experience with dealing with crises they witnessed during their work experience.
Level: Advanced
Health and Humanitarian Affairs
Topic: Mosquito-borne Disease Outbreaks in Sub-Saharan Africa: Malaria, Yellow Fever and Dengue
Chair: Lucy Calcott
The Committee on Women, Gender, and Youth is based on The Women, Gender, Development and Youth Directorate in the African Union. This committee will consist of representatives from all AU member states as well as representatives from NGOs.
The link between empowering women and fostering inclusive prosperity has been demonstrated. Not only does a society strive more economically if women participate in the economy, it also demonstrates intrinsic value to include half of the population into the long-term endeavor of achieving development. This committee is designed to be as inclusive as possible (level: beginner to intermediate), but this does not mean that participants will not engage in intense debates about these crucial issues. As the youngest continent on the planet, Africa faces tremendous social and cultural transformations. Making sure these societal changes are accompanied by thoughtful policies to capitalize on these evolutions will be the goal of our participants. Speakers will enrich debates by adding their voices to the conference.
Level: Beginner to Intermediate
The Committee on Agriculture, Rural Development, and Sustainability matches the structure of the The Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment (advisory organ of the African Union). Delegates will represent countries and NGOs. During three days, participants will think creatively about how to overcome challenges faced by the Continent such as food security, fostering rural prosperity and dealing with the consequences of climate change. Delegates are encouraged to explore sustainability as including but extending beyond the environment (sustaining their approach to rural development, sustaining indigenous agricultural practices, etc). Designed to be as inclusive as possible ((level: beginner to intermediate), the Committee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment will also welcome speakers who have experience in food systems, sustainability, land policy and other related fields.
Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Economic Development, Trade, Industry
“Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world.” - Nelson Mandela
The Committee on Education, Science, and Innovation replicates the structure of the Education, Science, Technology and Innovation Department of the African Union. This committee will consist of representatives from all AU member states as well as representatives from NGOs.
How can policy-makers bridge the gap between rural and urban access to education? How can NGOs and governments empower the African youth to innovate and collaborate all over the Continent? How can education systems better incorporate indigeneity and indigenous knowledge into curriculums? These are some of the questions that will be discussed in the Committee on Education, Science, and Innovation. Through their participation in this committee, delegates will craft a way forward for African education systems. They will also have the chance to meet with speakers who have experience shaping ecosystems that foster the advancement of knowledge and equal opportunities.
Level: Advanced
Women, Gender, and Youth
Political Affairs, Peace and Security
Topic: Femicide and Domestic Violence; Barriers to Education for Women and Girls
Chair: Astou Nkouyate
Topics: The Western Sahara Conflict and the Quest for Self-Determination, The Mozambique Insurgency and Regional Security Implications, Countering the Threat of Al-Shabaab in Somalia and Beyond
Chair: Layla Hedroug
Topic: Continental Free Trade Area, the African Mining Vision (AMV)
Chair: Adell Ateshim
The Committee on Health and Humanitarian Affairs is based on the Department of Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development in the African Union. This committee will consist of representatives from all AU member states as well as representatives from NGOs.
Delegates participating in this committee will have to adopt a holistic approach to the issues and opportunities that the youngest continent in the world has to deal with. Improving resilience to contagious diseases and future pandemics is crucial in order to achieve inclusive prosperity and a higher quality of life. Humanitarian and health issues should not eclipse the tremendous richness of African culture and how its intrinsic value can help foster societal progress; delegates are highly encouraged to draw upon indigenous ways of healing in discussing healthcare development. Participants will not only learn about the intricacies of public health policies but will also gain an understanding of the interactions of culture, health and development. Through speakers’ interventions, delegates will be able to test the applicability of the resolutions they will propose.
Level: Intermediate