AAU Champions Strategic Africa–Brazil Higher Education Partnership at Inaugural Rectors’ Forum in Brasília
June 16, 2026
Accra, Ghana – 16 June 2026
The Association of African Universities (AAU) hosted a high-level delegation from the Center for Global Africa (CGA) at its Secretariat in Accra, Ghana, on 16 June 2026. The delegation included Dr. Julius Garvey – thoracic and vascular surgeon, Pan-African advocate, and son of the legendary Marcus Garvey – accompanied by Professor Ezrah Aharone, Founder and Chairman of CGA, and Alicia Clark, Director of Global Partnerships and AWLN Diaspora Consortium-Co-Chair.
The visit provided a strategic platform for dialogue on the role of higher education in advancing continental integration, fostering Africa-Diaspora collaboration, and building the human capital necessary for Africa’s transformation agenda.
The AAU delegation was led by the Secretary-General, Professor Olusola Oyewole, and included Professor Adewale Olusegun Obadina, Project Officer for Quality Assurance and Accreditation; Dr. Felicia Nkrumah Kuagbedzi, Ag. Coordinator for ICT, Communications and Knowledge Management; Managers from the AAU TV Unit; and team members from the Partnerships and various units of the Secretariat. Their collective expertise ensured a comprehensive and forward-looking engagement that addressed key priorities across the Association’s mandate.
Strengthening Africa-Diaspora Partnerships through Higher Education
Conversations between AAU and the delegation centred on a shared vision: forging stronger linkages between African universities and the Caribbean and African heritage diaspora to advance research, innovation, leadership, and sustainable development. The discussions explored collaborative opportunities in Artificial Intelligence, youth empowerment, curriculum transformation, and the development of strategic engagement platforms designed to connect scholars, innovators, and communities across borders.
These deliberations align with the AAU’s strategic objective of promoting international cooperation and knowledge exchange as essential drivers of higher education excellence in Africa. By leveraging the expertise and resources of the global African community, the Association aims to create a higher education ecosystem that is more innovative, inclusive, and responsive to the continent’s developmental aspirations.
Higher Education as a Catalyst for AfCFTA Implementation
A central pillar of the engagement was the role of higher education institutions in supporting the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). As Africa pursues economic integration under Agenda 2063, universities and research institutions are critical to developing the skilled workforce, policy research, and innovation ecosystems required to realise the full potential of the continental market.
The AAU continues to champion the integration of AfCFTA-related curricula, research agendas, and partnerships across African higher education institutions, ensuring that universities remain central to the continent’s economic transformation.
AAU Talks: A Conversation on Pan-Africanism and Continental Unity
As part of the visit, Dr. Garvey and Professor Aharone were featured on AAU Talks, the Association’s flagship television programme. The conversation explored African unity, governance, trade, reparatory justice, and the future of Pan-Africanism – themes that resonate deeply with the AAU’s commitment to fostering a continental identity and shared purpose among African higher education institutions.
The discussion also reflected on the historic posthumous presidential pardon granted to Marcus Garvey on 19 January 2025 by former U.S. President Joe Biden. This milestone holds profound symbolic significance for the Garvey family, African Americans, and people of African descent worldwide, and serves as a reminder of the enduring relevance of Marcus Garvey’s vision in shaping contemporary Africa-Diaspora relations.
The visit of Dr. Julius Garvey and the Center for Global Africa delegation comes at a pivotal moment in Africa’s history, marked by major continental initiatives including the AfCFTA, and growing efforts to strengthen Africa-Diaspora partnerships. As Africa navigates a rapidly changing global landscape, strategic collaborations such as these are essential for harnessing the collective strengths of Africans on the continent and in the diaspora.
The AAU reaffirms its commitment to advancing these partnerships and to positioning higher education as a cornerstone of African development. The future of Africa will be shaped not only by actions within its borders, but also by the effectiveness of its engagement with the global African family in driving transformation, innovation, and unity.
About the Association of African Universities (AAU)
Established in 1967 with 34 founding member universities out of 46 universities on the African continent at the time, the AAU is the apex organization and forum for consultation, exchange of information and cooperation among institutions of higher education in Africa. With close to 500 members across the African continent, the AAU is the largest and most comprehensive organisation representing universities and higher education bodies in Africa.
The Mission of the AAU is to raise the quality of higher education in Africa and strengthen its contribution to African development. The Association is committed to promoting international cooperation, knowledge diplomacy, and strategic partnerships that advance the continent’s higher education and research agenda.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Association of African Universities (AAU) Secretariat
Accra, Ghana
Website: www.aau.org
Email: info@aau.org
