CALL FOR POSITION PAPERS
The 9th Annual Young Graduates and Scholars Conference (AYGS)
2015
The African Union (AU) – Debate and Public Speaking Contest
As part of the conference a Model African Union (AU) Debate Challenge will be held where
the debating and public speaking skills of young graduates and scholars will be evaluated. The
challenge will take the form of a simulation of An African Union summit where the countries’
representatives will need to provide their view on the GENESIS OF THE NEW BRICS BANK.
The debate/public speaking contest will be adjudicated inter alia on the basis of substance;
delivery; authenticity and convincing interpretation of the country’s position. This clearly
requires extensive research into this complex topic, as well as into how the country has
responded (or is likely to respond) considering the banks’ viability and dynamics. Relevant
national and international organisations based in South Africa will be requested to deliver
keynote addresses at the Conference and will also be asked to adjudicate the Model AU Debate
Challenge.
The 2015 Debate Challenge will be contested around the theme: GENESIS OF THE NEW
BRICS BANK: WHAT’S IN IT FOR AFRICA?
The Model AU Debate Challenge will have each member country, represented by a post-graduate
student from one of the partnering universities, provide a seven-minute oral overview of the
country’s position and response (or likely response) to the challenges that will be discussed. This
needs to be backed by a thoroughly researched position paper – no more than three A4 pages
of double-spaced text (font-size 12 New Roman) – which articulates the country’s position.
Students are invited to submit a 500 word brief, highlighting one AU member country of their
choice which they wish to represent, illuminating their key points of arguments for or against the
Bank.
The following format is recommended:

Background to the topic

Your country’s position
www.hsrc.ac.za

Possible solutions
After all the country overviews have been presented, the adjudicating panel will pose three
questions to each country, requiring an immediate answer which is to take no more than three
minutes.
The countries (by region) that have been chosen for this Model AU Debate Challenge are the
following:
Southern Africa: South Africa, Namibia, Angola, Botswana
East Africa: Kenya, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Mauritius
Central Africa: Uganda, DRC, Burundi, Congo Brazzaville
West Africa: Nigeria, Mali, Ghana, Cote Divore
North Africa: Egypt, Libya, Algeria, Morocco
Item
Deadline Date
Submission
Abstracts
of
28 September 2014
Notification
Accepted
Abstracts
of
10 October 2014
Submission of Full
Position Papers
Submit to:
Contact
Keneilwe Hlahane
Email: aygs@hsrc.ac.za
Tell: +27 12 316 9709/ 012 316
9710 (Direct)
08 December 2014
For any further information or enquiries about the Model UN Debate Challenge please contact the
following persons:
Mr Shingirirai Mutanga (Africa Institute of South Africa, Human Sciences Research Council)
Office telephone: 012 316 9770
Mobile phone: 082 538 5269
E-mail: smutanga@hsrc.ac.za
Ms Ithuteng Nkhereanye (Africa Institute of South Africa, Human Sciences Research Council)
Office telephone: 012 316 9763
Mobile: 072 460 7524
www.hsrc.ac.za
Email: aygs@hsrc.ac.za
www.hsrc.ac.za