Rabat, May 15, 2025 – CAFRAD hosted a major Pan-African Diplomatic Conference at its headquarters in Rabat on the theme: “Developing the diplomacy of influence to Build an Africa with a Dynamic Force on the International Stage.” Organized for the Group of African Ambassadors in Morocco (GAAM), the conference brought together ambassadors, diplomats, academics, experts, and representatives of regional and international institutions to collectively reflect on reshaping African diplomatic leadership.

The official opening, chaired by Her Excellency Professor Amal El Fallah SEGHROUCHNI, Minister Delegate to the Head of Government in charge of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform in Morocco, and Chair of CAFRAD’s Board, emphasized the urgency of an African response to a world increasingly defined by the VUCA+Paradox (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous + Paradoxical), in which traditional diplomacy shows its limits. The discussions that followed stressed the need for a structured approach based on influence diplomacy to confront modern challenges: the fragmentation of power, information warfare, the questioning of multilateralism, and the rise of disruptive technologies.

Diplomacy of influence: A Strategic Role for a Renewed Africa

In his address, Dr. Coffi Dieudonné ASSOUVI, Director General of CAFRAD, highlighted the core pillars of a renewed African diplomacy. At the heart of this transformation we can find: soft power, smart power, public diplomacy, strategic communication, and the acquisition of so-called soft skills (leadership, emotional intelligence, negotiation, etc.). He emphasized the importance of creating an environment conducive to upskilling African diplomats, enabling them to better defend the continent’s interests internationally while upholding principles of good governance.

Case studies presented during the conference showcased effective influence strategies implemented by various global powers, offering models from which Africa can draw inspiration—while developing an approach tailored to its own cultural, economic, and geopolitical specificities.

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Rethinking Pan-African Diplomacy

Professor Mohamed HARAKAT proposed an intellectual refoundation of Pan-African diplomacy. According to him, Africa must free itself from Western paradigms in order to forge an autonomous, inclusive, and integrated diplomacy. He advocated for a holistic approach grounded in culture, education, dignity, and the inclusion of new actors: youth, universities, businesses, and NGOs. Africa, he insisted, must build its own version of soft power, by mobilizing its cultural, spiritual, and human heritage.

Interactive discussions and participant interventions helped identify several key priority areas:

• Adapting diplomatic missions to the digital era, without neglecting traditional structures
• Including women in diplomatic spheres
• Codifying African knowledge systems to preserve and transmit intellectual heritage
• Analyzing economic jurisprudence to strengthen legal security
• Recognizing the role of territorial governance as a lever of soft power and regional cohesion

CAFRAD’s Role as a Catalyst for Diplomatic Transformation

The closing ceremony, chaired by Dr. ASSOUVI, reaffirmed CAFRAD’s commitment as a strategic actor in the development of a modern, ethical, and influential African diplomacy. He urged the ambassadors present to serve as active ambassadors of this Pan-African vision in their respective countries and to help disseminate the values of cooperation, excellence, and shared sovereignty.

The 2025 Pan-African Diplomatic Conference marks a turning point in the quest for an African diplomacy capable of responding to global challenges. It calls for a shift in mindset, capacity-building, and a re-centering on African values as the foundation for an influence-driven strategy. Through this initiative, CAFRAD outlines a vision of an Africa that no longer merely adapts to the global order, but actively helps shape it.