Lagos Business School is hosting the inaugural edition of the Africa-China Conference, organised by Yale University in collaboration with leading business schools in China and on the African continent, which commenced today.
The 2-day conference titled “Africa-China Relations: Balance, Growth and a Sustainable future” aims to integrate African, Chinese and global perspectives on Africa-China relations by bringing together thought leaders in academia, government, business and society.
Participants at the conference received warm welcome messagess from Prof. Ian Shapiro, Professor of Political Science at Yale University; Dr Olayinka David-West, Academic Director at Lagos Business School; Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, former Nigerian Minister of External Affairs and UN Under-Secretary General and Prof. Li Anshan, Director of the Centre for African Studies at Peking University.
In her welcome message, Dr David-West expressed her delight in LBS hosting the conference as the conference objectives align with the mission of the School. “The objective of this conference which is to mobilise novel ideas, arguments and solutions to promote balance, sustainability and growth in Africa-China, aligns with the mission of the school – to foster intellectual contributions that will have a significant impact on the knowledge and practice of management in Africa” she said.
Dr David-West wished all participants fruitful deliberations at the conference. “It is my hope the different perspectives – African, Chinese and global – discussed today and tomorrow, will achieve the intended objectives and contribute to the actualisation of the MDGs for Africa”
Two Faculty members, Henrietta Onwugbezie and Ogechi Adeola, would also be presenting papers at the conference titled ‘The Role of Diaspora Communities in the Utilisation and Transmission of Indigenious Knowledge’ and “Sustainability of Chinese Railway Projects in Africa: A Study in Progress’ respectively.
The next such conference in the series will be in Beijing later this year.
