The 113th ASC Seminar will feature a talk by Mr. MOUVY Dodzivi Eva Kekeli, Chargé d'Affaires, Head of Mission, Embassy of the Republic of Togo on "Togo, Mediator and Gateway of West Africa" The seminar will be held in a hybrid format, allowing participation via Zoom as well. Please be sure to register in advance. Title: "Togo, Mediator and Gateway of West Africa" Abstract: This presentation provides a comprehensive and detailed overview of Togo, exploring how this narrow, 600-kilometer-long West African nation leverages its strategic geographical positioning and historical neutrality to act as both a highly efficient economic gateway and a pivotal diplomatic mediator. Despite its relatively modest geographical size, Togo punches significantly above its weight on the African continent. A central focus of the presentation is Togo's exceptional logistical infrastructure, which capitalizes on its strategic location along the Gulf of Guinea. The Port of Lomé serves as the cornerstone of this strategy; as West Africa's only natural deep-water port, it presently handles over 30.6 million tonnes of cargo annually. It ranks as the region's premier container transit point and functions as an indispensable economic lifeline for landlocked Sahelian nations like Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. Furthermore, the Gnassingbé Eyadéma International Airport reinforces this connectivity by acting as a major aviation hub for ASKY Airlines, accommodating over 1.5 million passengers yearly. Economically, Togo demonstrates a resilient growth rate of approximately 5.3 percent and is actively transitioning from a transit-based economy to an industrialized model through initiatives like the Adétikopé Industrial Platform. This structural transformation is heavily supported by a dynamic population of 8.8 million people and substantial human capital investments driven by public institutions such as the University of Lomé and the University of Kara. Politically, the country maintains security and stability, having shifted to a parliamentary system in May 2024 to establish a new model of institutional governance. Beyond trade, the presentation thoroughly emphasizes Togo's robust soft power strategy as the highly respected "Swiss of Africa". Rooted in a strict policy of non-interference, Lomé has historically brokered significant peace agreements, including the 1999 Lomé Peace Accord for Sierra Leone. Today, President Faure Gnassingbé effectively continues this celebrated legacy of quiet diplomacy. In the volatile Sahel region, Togo has kept dialogue and maritime ports open for transition governments, most notably securing the 2023 release of 46 Ivorian soldiers detained in Mali. Furthermore, Togo actively mediates the complex conflict between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda by championing a strategic "Framework of Coherence". This framework gracefully aligns overlapping regional peace initiatives, such as the Luanda and Nairobi processes, to ensure unified diplomatic action. Ultimately, Togo's national success is securely built upon a dual-pillar strategy balancing cutting-edge physical logistics with impartial diplomacy. By seamlessly connecting both goods and people across borders, Togo definitively proves itself to be an indispensable anchor for continental peace, economic resilience, and sustained regional integration. Keywords: Logistics Hub, Deep-Water Port of Lomé, Regional Mediator, Strategic Neutrality, West Africa Gateway, Transshipment, ECOWAS, Adétikopé Industrial Platform (PIA), Sahel Stability, Great Lakes ◆Speaker: Mr. D. E. Kekeli MOUVY, Chargé d'Affaires, Head of Mission, Embassy of the Republic of Togo Bio-note: Dodzivi Eva Kekeli Mouvy is a Togolese diplomat with over fifteen years of experience in international relations, public administration, and diplomatic protocol. After serving at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he worked at the Prime Minister's Office as Chief of Protocol from 2014 to 2020, coordinating high-level state ceremonies. Since 2020, he has been posted to Japan. Currently serving as Chargé d'Affaires a.i., he heads the Embassy of the Republic of Togo, overseeing bilateral relations with Japan and outreach across the Asia-Pacific. His responsibilities encompass political and economic diplomacy, investment promotion, and multilateral engagement. Alongside his diplomatic duties, he is pursuing a Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) at the International University of Leadership in Florida. His research focuses on how multilateral partnership platforms generate concrete development outcomes for Africa, aiming to strengthen strategic diplomacy that links international cooperation with national priorities. ◆Date：Wednesday, May 27th, 2026/ 5:40p.m.～7:10p.m.（JST） 8:40a.m.～10:10a.m.（GMT)◆Venue：Hybrid・Onsite Room 103（1F Research and lecture bldg.,TUFS Fuchu Campus）＆ Online（ZoomMeeting）・Access：https://www.tufs.ac.jp/abouttufs/contactus/access.html◆Language：English (No taranslate)◆Addmission fee：FREEPlease pre-register in advence from here. Or Use QR Code.※ The Zoom link will be sent after you pre-registerd. Registration deadline: Noon May 27th, 2026 (WED) ◆Jointly organized by African Studies Center - TUFS and Kanto Branch of Japan Association for African Studies

111th_ASCセミナー英語版.pdf The 111th ASC Seminar will feature a talk by Dr. Rafael VERBUYST on "The many meanings of 'indigenous': lessons from South Africa" The seminar will be held in a hybrid format, allowing participation via Zoom as well. Please be sure to register in advance. If you are nearby, we warmly encourage you to register in advance and join us. Please note that this seminar will start earlier than the usual ASC seminar time (from 4:00 PM). ◾️Date&Time: March 5, 2026 (Thu) 4:00p.m. - 5:30p.m. (JST) / 7:00a.m.～8:30a.m.（GMT) Title: "The many meanings of 'indigenous': lessons from South Africa" ◆Speaker: Dr. Rafael VERBUYST Bio-note: Rafael Verbuyst is a historian and anthropologist. He is a Junior Postdoctoral Researcher at Ghent University's History Department and a Senior Research Affiliate at the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Johannesburg. His research focuses on post-apartheid South Africa, settler colonialism, indigeneity, and ethnographic methodology. Abstract: The concept 'indigenous' is notoriously ambiguous, especially in Africa. Drawing on ethnographic research in South Africa, I argue that this ambiguity stems from a divide between 'indigenous' and 'non-indigenous' that revolves around three problematic axes: pristineness vs. modernity; prior occupants vs. latecomers; inclusion vs. exclusion. These oppositions have long histories and remain commonplace. They are upheld for a variety of reasons and by a diverse set of actors, including by those who identify as indigenous. I suggest an alternative analytical framing of 'indigenous' that is not rooted in identity, belonging, or even history. Building on scholarship advocating for a relational understanding of indigeneity, I argue that 'indigenous' should be understood as a contemporary form of marginalization within a specifically settler-colonial constellation. Settler colonialism is the type of structural oppression that ensues when settlers establish permanent settlements beyond their metropole, as happened in South Africa. A settler-colonial lens is not without pitfalls, but it allows us to better appraise the grievances of indigenous activists and nuance the implications for people who arguably do not fit that category. As such, I posit that my framework can reduce the temperature in what are often highly contentious and unproductive debates. Keywords: indigenous people, settler colonialism, Khoisan, South Africa, ethnicity ◆Venue：Hybrid ・Onsite Room102（1F Research and lecture bldg.,TUFS Fuchu Campus）＆ Online（ZoomMeeting）・Access：https://www.tufs.ac.jp/abouttufs/contactus/access.html ◆Language：English ◆Addmission fee：FREE Please pre-register in advence from here. Or Use QR Code. The Zoom link will be sent after you pre-registerd. Registration deadline: Noon March 5th, 2026 (Thu) ◆Jointly organized by African Studies Center - TUFS and Kanto Branch of Japan Association for African Studies

【ILCAA Forum】Lecture by Florence Muhanguzi Kyohairwe Breaking Barriers, Building Safer Campuses A Scoping Review of Sexual Violence in Higher Education in Africa and Asia.pdf The ILCAA Forum will be held on Thursday, February 19, 2026, from 15:00 to 16:30.We warmly invite all those who are interested to attend. ■ Date & Time：Thursday, February 19, 2026　15:00-16:30 (JST) ■ Venue：Room 304: AA研 Multimedia Conference Room / Online (Zoom) ■ Language：English ■ Online Participation (Advance Registration Required)：Please register in advance via the following link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/oErmIkfYQ_20xySDw8haTg ■ Program：15:00-16:30 Florence Muhanguzi Kyohairwe (ILCAA)Breaking Barriers, Building Safer Campuses:Sexual Violence in Higher Education in Africa and Asia(A Scoping Review, 2015-2026) Chair: Wakana Shiino (ILCAA) ■ Contact：ogura[at]aa.tufs.ac.jp ■ Organizer：ILCAA ■ Co-sponsored / Supported by ：African Studies Center (ASC) ■ Further Information： https://www.aa.tufs.ac.jp/events/detail/e313/

109_ASCSeminar_Eng.ver.pdfThe 109th ASC Seminar will feature a talk by Dr. Tawanda Sachikonye on "An African G20 or a G20 in Africa: A preliminary overview of South Africa's G20 Presidency" The seminar will be held in a hybrid format, allowing participation via Zoom as well. Please be sure to register in advance. Title: "An African G20 or a G20 in Africa: A preliminary overview of South Africa's G20 Presidency" Abstract: This presentation seeks to provide a perceptive and informed overview of South Africa's 2025 G20 Presidency. South Africa's leadership of the G20 marks a significant historic landmark as it is the first time an African country has chaired the G20 forum since its inception in 1999. A special emphasis will be placed on evaluating the extent to which South Africa's G20 Presidency has provided a uniquely 'African' G20. In this regard, the recent accession of the African Union (AU) as a formal member of the G20 framework is particularly noteworthy. Furthermore, South Africa's G20 marks the end of an eventful cycle of Global South G20 leadership; during which Indonesia (2022), India (2023), and Brazil (2024) have strongly advocated for greater inclusion and representation of developing countries within global economic governance and finance institutions. The presentation will also explore how South Africa has sought to advocate for the African "developmental agenda" whilst also trying to consolidate broader South-South and North-South (including enhanced Japan-South Africa partnership) multilateral cooperation within a fraught and challenging international context. Ultimately, the presentation will attempt to assess what the legacy of South Africa's G20 might be in terms of: amplifying the AU's voice within global economic governance forums; adequately addressing Africa's increasingly adverse and unsustainable debt levels; ensuring that Africa's pressing human capital needs are firmly placed on the G20's agenda going forward; challenges (including how the incoming G20 Chair, the United States, has opposed South Africa's G20 leadership); and ordinary African citizens' perception of South Africa's historic G20 Presidency. Keywords: South Africa, G20 Presidency, African, African Union, debt, human capital, global economic governance, multilateral cooperation. ◆Speaker: Dr. Tawanda Sachikonye（ Research consultant for the Southern African Liaison Office (SALO), South Africa） Bio-note: Dr Tawanda Sachikonye obtained his PhD in Political Studies at the University of Cape Town. As a foreign policy expert and international relations researcher, he has conducted research on South Africa's trade and economic diplomacy, South Africa's relations with Zimbabwe; South Africa's role within the region and continent; as well as South Africa's engagements at the United Nations Security Council. Moreover, he has thirteen years' experience dealing with civil society engagements pertaining to South African foreign policy advocacy. ◆Date：Wednesday, December 17th, 2025/ 5:40p.m.～7:10p.m.（JST） 8:40a.m.～10:10a.m.（GMT)◆Venue：Hybrid・Onsite Room103（1F Research and lecture bldg.,TUFS Fuchu Campus）＆ Online（ZoomMeeting）・Access：https://www.tufs.ac.jp/abouttufs/contactus/access.html◆Language：English◆Addmission fee：FREEPlease pre-register in advence from here. Or Use QR Code.The Zoom link will be sent after you pre-registerd. Registration deadline: Noon December 17th, 2025 (Wed) ◆Jointly organized by African Studies Center - TUFS and Kanto Branch of Japan Association for African Studies