Tana Forum University Essay Competition 2016 (Win a complimentary trip to the Tana High-Level Forum in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia(

• Are you an African youth concerned about peace and security on the continent?
• Do you believe your future is, in any way, affected by current peace and security challenges on the African continent?
• Would you want your voice to be heard on this issue?
• Do you have a passion for writing?

Then you should participate in the 2016 Tana Forum Essay Competition, organised annually by the Tana Forum Secretariat, which is based at the Institute for Peace and Security Studies (IPSS). The Secretariat also convenes the Tana High-Level Forum on Security in Africa, an annual forum that brings together leadership from all sectors to work towards an African-led security agenda. The Forum’s objective is to provide both a platform and room to work towards establishing effective African-led solutions to the continent’s most pressing security challenges.

Theme: Africa in the Global Security Agenda

Africa is the arena for some of the modern world’s most intractable security challenges. 80 years ago, when powerful nations boldly breached multilateral decision-making and international law, Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia stood before the League of Nations and declared the imminent catastrophe facing the world, should the principles of common security be abandoned. Since then, Africa has not only been the testing ground of international peace and security, but its governments and institutions have been the champion and custodian of common security.

The theme of the 5th Forum, “Africa in the Global Security Agenda”, is intended to stimulate debate on why Africa’s security challenges attract substantial global attention whereas the continent’s own experience and articulation of its issues has yet to obtain commensurate global recognition, acceptance and significance. It is evident today – more so than any time in the past – that Africa needs to rally a unified and amplified voice and agency if it is to assert its own interests in international security debates and agendas.

The 2016 Essay Competition forms part of this consultative debate that is envisioned to contribute to policy building and development.

• Applicants must be an African residing in an African country;
• Applicants must be MA or PhD students in the fields of Social Sciences, Humanities,
• Political Science, or International Relations at one of the participating universities (see below).

• Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia
• Alexandria University, Egypt
• Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia
• Cairo University, Egypt
• Cheikh Anta Diop University, Senegal
• Eduardo Mondlane University, Mozambique
• Makerere University, Uganda
• Manouba University, Tunisia
• Université de Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
• Université Omar Bongo, Gabon
• University of Cape, South Africa
• University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
• University of Ghana, Ghana
• University of Lagos, Nigeria
• University of Nairobi, Kenya
• University of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
• University of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe

• The authors of the top three essays will win a complimentary trip to the Tana High-Level Forum in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia on 16-17 April 2016.
• The highest-scoring student will be invited to make an oral presentation of his/her essay to the Forum’s participants, including African heads of state and other high-level dignitaries and officials.

• Email your essay together with your full name, age, university, country of origin, and contact information (email address and telephone number) to Lettie Longwe (l.longwe@ipss-addis.org)

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the Tana Forum University Essay Competition 2016