(L-r seated) DSU's Dr. Akwasi Osei, associate dean of the College of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences, Dr. Eddy Maloka, CEO OF APRM, and Ezrah Aharone, DSU adjunct associate professor of history and political science, sign the partnership document in the African country of Chad, while an identified woman assists them. — *In this photo:* (L-r seated) DSU’s Dr. Akwasi Osei, associate dean of the College of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences, Dr. Eddy Maloka, CEO OF APRM, and Ezrah Aharone, DSU adjunct associate professor of history and political science, sign the partnership document in the African country of Chad, while an identified woman assists them.

On Campus

DSU enters partnership with African Peer Review Mechanism

Wednesday, August 8, 2018

Delaware State University recently signed an accord to become a “Strategic Partner” to the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) to academically assist in 21st-century African development.

The APRM was founded in 2002 as a specialized agency of the African Union (AU) to conduct reviews and reports on the governance and socioeconomic performance of African nations, with the aim to establish best practices and policies to foster political stability and sustainable development.

According to the AU, African-Americans are recognized among “Diaspora Africans of Africa’s Sixth Region.” The AU encourages Sixth Region members to contribute their expertise toward the goal of greater stability among African nations.

During a five-day APRM conference that began on June 23 in N’djamena, Chad, the formal agreement outlining this historic alliance was signed by Dr. Eddy Maloka, CEO of APRM, Dr. Akwasi Osei, associate dean of the DSU College of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences and Mr. Ezrah Aharone, DSU adjunct associate professor, who was authorized to sign on behalf of Kool-Baker Global, a third member of the partnership.

Kool-Baker Global is a renewable energy company founded by music icon Robert “Kool” Bell of Kool & The Gang and baseball legend Dusty Baker. Kool-Baker Global will serve as development partners to bring microgrid innovations to Africa.

This MOU will expand DSU’s involvement in international cooperation; among others, DSU will provide intellectual capital and student interns to assist the APRM. “This unique collaboration will not only place DSU as a leading academic institution for students and scholars to immediately participate in African affairs on multiple levels, it will also help produce necessary progress of mutual benefits far into the future,” said Mr. Aharone, who Dr. Osei notes is the driving force in the development of the partnership.

DSU is distinguished as the only diasporan educational institution in the U.S. to be a “Strategic Partner of APRM.” DSU and APRM are now looking to identify other HBCUs and Diaspora enterprises to strengthen this academic-economic-governmental model for African development.

The conference culminated with a ceremony where Chad President Idriss Déby Itno officially received and endorsed the APRM’s Country Review Report of Chad’s evaluation status.