The Department of International Relations and Diplomacy
Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria
2-Day Virtual International Conference
Theme
COVID-19 Pandemic and the Future of International Relations
Date: 15 - 16 July 2020
Time: 2pm West Central Africa
At the outbreak of the new coronavirus disease in late December 2019 (COVID-19), the world entered into 2020 in utter dread of a borderless ferocious “invisible enemy.” The international crisis triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic sparked, first, a wave of conspiracy theories, then followed by an avalanche of predictions about new world order. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted and still impacting, international politics in much-conflated ways, ranging from the battered global economy, disruptive social interaction, overstretched healthcare system, suspicious relations between states, and so on. While state actors would want to follow a perspective (s) that they think safeguards their existential survival, it is apparent that no state is self-sufficient to single-handedly fight the aggressive nature of the virus. The best option would be a return to a world order of mutual understanding and cooperation through multilateral organizations. But how ready are state actors in a threatening and uncertain international milieu? Renowned scholars, diplomats, and international relations experts have been invited to interrogate various issues relating to the theme of the Conference.
Keynote Speaker: Professor Philip Cotton - Vice-Chancellor, University of Rwanda
Opening Address: Professor Smaranda Olarinde, Vice Chancellor, Afe Babalola University, Nigeria
OTHER SPEAKERS
- Ambassador (Prof.) George Obiozor – Former Ambassador of Nigeria to the United States, Israel and Cyprus
Topic: COVID-19 Pandemic and U.S-Africa Relations: Challenges and Prospects
- Prof Okechukwu Ukaga - Professor of Sustainable Development and the Executive Director of Northeast Minnesota Sustainable Development Partnership, University of Minnesota, United States
Topic: COVID-19 Pandemic and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals 1 and 2 in Africa
- Prof. Nuhu Yaqub – Former Vice-Chancellor, University of Abuja and also the Former Vice-Chancellor, Sokoto State University
Topic: COVID-19 Pandemic, Africa’s Debt and Development Partners
- Ambassador (Dr.) Humphrey Orjiakor – Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the United Nations Office and other International Organisations at Geneva (2011-2015) and Former Ambassador of Nigeria to Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein
Topic: COVID-19 and the future of International Economic Relations
- Colonel (Dr.) Wilson Ijide – Retired Colonel of the Nigerian Army and Lecturer at the Department of Psychology & Institute for Peace and Strategic Studies, University of Ibadan
Topic: “COVID-19 Pandemic and the Conspiracy Theories: Part of Great Powers Hegemonic Rivalry?”
- Ambassador Abdul Bin Rimdpa –Former Nigeria Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany
Topic: COVID-19 Pandemic and Nigeria’s Diaspora Policy: Challenges and Options
- Professor Rabiu Magaji – Professor of NeuroScience/Neurophysiology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria
Topic: COVID-19 Pandemic, WHO and the Great Powers Race for Vaccine: Africa’s Dilemma
- Mr. Owei Lakemfa - Journalist, Columnist Vanguard Newspapers and Human Rights/Labour Union Activist
Topic: COVID-19 Pandemic and the Struggle Against Racial Inequality/Xenophobia
- Prof. Elizabeth Ojo - Head of Department, Nursing Sciences, Afe Babalola University, Nigeria
Topic: COVID-19 Pandemic and Africa’s Health Infrastructure
- Prof. Samuel Igbatayo – Professor of Economics, Afe Babalola University, Nigeria
Topic: COVID-19 Pandemic and the Challenges Facing African Continental Free Trade Agreement
- Dr. Jamiu Oluwatoki - Former, Head of Department History and International Studies, Lagos State University
Topic: COVID-19 Pandemic and Issues surrounding Migration
Join via Zoom
Meeting ID: 934 9344 5408
Password: 074905
