Library of Congress, Jefferson Building
“African Dilemmas of Self-Determination: Lessons from the Sudan” by Professor Francis Deng from
 Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies

On Thursday, May 11, WIP interns visited the Library of Congress where they learned about the ongoing challenges facing Africa from Dr. Francis Deng, a professor from Johns Hopkins University and a diplomat with over three decades of experience. Professor Deng examined self-determination within the framework of national unity versus partition. He explored ways in which African constitutions can better reflect indigenous cultural values as well as African institutions while creating healthier democracies. Since 1992, Dr. Deng served as special representative of the United Nations Secretary General on internally displaced persons. He entered Sudan’s diplomatic service in 1972, prior to which he worked as a human-rights officer at the U.N. and taught courses on law and anthropology at New York University. He was Sudan's ambassador to Denmark, Norway, Finland, and Sweden from 1972 to 1974 and ambassador to the United States from 1974 to 1976, ambassador to Canada from 1980 to 1983, and minister of state for foreign affairs from 1976 to 1980.

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