The African Development Forum - One of KDI’s most active student platforms for policy-based discussions focusing on African Development --- June Hyun-Ju Kim (Student Affair Division, KDI School)

Barely four days after the start of the 2017 Academic year, precisely on Friday, February 10^th 2017, the KDI African Development Forum (ADF) organized its first meeting to welcome new and continuing students. The event, which took place at the famous-comfy and executive-styled Ambassador Hall had more than 40 students from over 20 different countries around the world and the Head of Department at the German Development Institute, Dr. Stephan Klingebiel in attendance. Dr. Klingebiel’s attendance at the forum was made possible by the kind support of the UNDP Seoul Policy Centre. His participation makes it the second time the UNDP Seoul Policy has facilitated an important guest speaker’s participation at KDI School’s African Development Forum. Majority of students who attended the forum were however African students and this signaled a promising and sustainable commitment to the course of African Development.

Welcoming participants to the KDIS African Development Forum, Mrs. June Kim, staff of KDI School’s Student Affairs Division in charge of various student forums on KDI School Campus expressed profound gratitude to Dr. Klingebiel for making the time to visit KDI School and participating in the ADF’s first meeting in 2017. She also acknowledged the UNDP Seoul Policy Centre’s kind support in facilitating Dr. Klingebiels visit and added that, “the African Development Forum is one of the most active forum’s on KDI School”. She hoped that the forum will continue to play an important role in encouraging policy-based discussions that will eventually add to students’ knowledge of Africa’s development experience.

Current President of the African Development Forum, Eddah Duncan then introduced students to the ADF by providing information on the aims and objectives of the forum, as well as the forum’s current executive composition. She also highlighted key past and upcoming ADF events, and acknowledged the support of the Forum’s advisor, Professor Kim Buyeol who due to other important engagements could not attend. Eddah Duncan concluded her presentation by encouraging new students to actively participate in all upcoming activities of the forum.

Special Guest Speaker, Dr. Klingebiel then followed the ADF’s introductory presentation with a presentation focusing on the Fragmentation of Aid – a topic based on a book he co-authored and recently launched titled “The Fragmentation of Aid: Concepts, Measurements and Implications for Development Cooperation”. Focal areas of his presentation provided a sense of how aid is delivered in Africa and what drives the propensity to give aid. The presentation also highlighted the political economy of aid and what aid means in terms of donor interests and implications for recipient countries. Concluding the presentation, Dr. Klingebiel expressed gratitude for the hospitality accorded him by the African Development Forum and considered the opportunity to interact with students at KDI School one of the main highlights of his visit to South Korea. He also donated two copies of the book on Fragmentation of Aid to the African Development Forum and KDI School.

The KDI African Development Forum is grateful to all students that participated in its first meeting, organized to welcome new and continuing students, and to learn about Aid Fragmentation from Dr. Stephan Klingebiel.

About the Book – Based on an idea that originated from an international academic conference organized by the German Development Institute in 2013. Has 30 authors from 10 different countries with 21 contributions. Features four main topics covering measurement of fragmentation, drivers and actors of fragmentation, consequences and impacts of fragmentation and policies to address fragmentation.

Visit the KDI library school library to access a copy of the book on “The Fragmentation of Aid: Concepts, Measurements and Implications for Development Cooperation” or the amazon website if interested in purchasing a copy. Also keep up to date with all ADF activities by liking the KDIS African Development Forum page on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/1641424916118351/