The extraction of natural resources leads to high growth rates in many African countries. At the same time many people in the region have to cope with the negative effects of resource extraction, among them rising corruption, violent conflicts and environmental damage.

Which external powers engage in the resource-rich countries in Africa with what kind of agenda? How are the concrete effects felt in different countries? Are there any positive examples of gains from resource extraction that benefit the entire society?

Douglas Yates, Professor at the American Graduate School in Paris, and Christian von Haldenwang, Senior Researcher at the German Development Institute / Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE), discussed these and further topics with the audience. Both researchers possess in-depth knowledge on resource extraction and its contentious effects. The event was chaired by Zeljko Crncic from DIE’s Training Department. He has profoundly studied the extraction of resources in Latin America in recent years.

The Public Lecture is part of a lecture series from the Managing Global Governance (MGG) context.

The MGG Academy, conducted for the 13th consecutive time this year, is aimed at highly qualified young professionals from rising powers. It comprises among other elements the two-month Global Governance School (GGS) at the DIE, training units for soft skills development as well as a two-week seminar at the Federal Foreign Office in Berlin. MGG is implemented on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).