LEAD Africa joined participants from around the world in Durban – Republic of South Africa for the United Nations Climate Change Conference technically referred to as COP 17/CMP7. The Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the 7th Session of the Meeting of the Parties (CMP7) to the Kyoto Protocol brought together representatives of the world’s governments, international organizations and civil society from November 28 to December 9, 2011.

LEAD Africa ran an exhibition stand throughout the event (Nov 28-Dec 9) at The African Pavilion put in place by the African Union Commission, The African Development Bank and The Republic of South Africa. Prominent among exhibition material was the Bakel film titled: ‘Where we used to fish we now grow food’ and a second in a series on ‘African Leadership on Climate Change in Africa…

LEAD Africa, LEAD International and the Shell Foundation have come together to create what they hope will be the premier leadership development programme in Africa: The LEAD Africa Fellowship Programme (LAFP)

Building on LEAD Africa‘s 15 years of experience, they will train over 500 mid career leaders each year from different sectors, cultures and countries across the continent in both leadership skills and sustainable development from 2010 to 2015.

The LEAD Africa Fellowship Programme (LAFP) has just graduated Cohort 16 Fellows after they completed their training at the Pan-African Session under the theme: Renewable energy for sustainable development. The session took place from September 4-8, 2011 in Abuja-Nigeria where Associates shared experiences on national energy sector case studies in Chad, Malawi, Nigeria and Senegal and exchanged on their LEAD Associate Projects (LAPs) at a colorful eco-solutions networking fair. Another high point of the Abuja agenda was the field visits where Associates exchanged on cross-cutting environmental, socio-economic, leadership and sustainable development issues. The Cohort 16 Fellows are now part of a global LEAD Fellows network bringing change to the world.

Upscaling training in partnership with LEAD National Associations

LEAD Francophone Africa, one of the three Regional Member Programmes in LEAD Africa has achieved a ground breaking experience by organizing a Cohort training in partnership with a LEAD National Association, the first time in the history of LEAD. This turning point event is within the framework of the LEAD Africa Fellowship Programme (LAFP) designed in 2009; piloted in two African locations in 2010 and rolled out across Africa in 2011.

The LAFP is currently training Cohort 16 Associates from Malawi, Tanzania, Nigeria, Senegal and Tchad.  Based on their LEAD National Associations, LEAD Francophone Africa selected the LEAD Tchad National Association in 2011 to upscale the LAFP.

LEAD Southern and Eastern Africa has just ended its first national training session under the LEAD Africa Fellowship Programme (LAFP) in Malawi from May 8 to 15, 2011. The Cohort 16 Associates come from Malawi and Tanzania and expressed satisfactory comments on the training’s positive impact on leadership during the session evaluation. Among the recommendations is for Associates to communicate and mix with each other so as to effectively contribute to the objectives of the programme. This can be made easy by the optimal use of the LAFP training platform.

IUCN Director General Julia MARTON- LEFEVRE (Centre) meets with LEAD Fellows in the Democratic Republic of Congo on July 7, 2011: Brigitte Mbuyi Bilonda (Right) is Director of Horticulture and Reforestation at the Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation and Tourism and Pascal Didier Muderwa Marandura (Left) is Manager at the country’s Central Bank. She was crossing the Congo River from Brazzaville where she was attending a meeting,

The LEAD Africa Coordinator/ LEAD Francophone Africa Director Masse LO led a delegation of some LEAD Africa Fellows in Dakar on February 17, 2011 to cheer the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Director General, Julia MARTON –LEFEVRE who is former LEAD International Executive Director and is still member of the Board of Directors of LEAD International. Julia MARTON –LEFEVRE was in Dakar to inaugurate the IUCN Country Office and also chair the IUCN global executive meeting.

Pr. AMADOU MAKHTAR MBOW is LFA (Senegal) Cohort 16 Mentor. He was the first African to be appointed UNESCO General Director, a post he held for fourteen years leaving landmarks and footprints …

The Cohort 16 training for LEAD FA in Senegal started with the Mentorship day on March 12 when the Associates communed with their mentor in a veritable immersion into leadership. Mentors are eminent personalities selected for each Cohort who interact with Associates and share their life experience as a model to inspire them; using best practices as a cornerstone for them to emulate and compass their skills.
LEAD Francophone Africa has understood this important stage in the training process and always organizes a leadership day that will focus on the mentor and his personal experience just before the first national training session. This will enable the Associates to meet with LEAD’s concept of leadership and refine their vision in line with what their mentor worked and lived for.