ABORNE Annual Conference
Co-organized by the OECD Sahel and West Africa Club (SWAC/OECD) and the University of Florida Sahel Research Group (SRG)
“Security and Trade in African Borderlands”
September 19-20, 2022
OECD Conference Centre, 2 rue André Pascal, 75016, Paris, France, and online
Contact: aborne2020@africa.ufl.edu
The ABORNE annual meeting will take place on 19-20 September 2022 in Paris. The meeting will be open to both in-person attendees and virtual attendees whose abstract was accepted by our scientific committee last year. The conference program is available below.
If you have questions, comments, or would like to withdraw your paper, please contact us at aborne2020@africa.ufl.edu as soon as possible.
Program
Download the program (13 September 2022).
In order to facilitate your remote participation in the ABORNE Conference please read these guidelines carefully.
Important Dates
September 19-20, 2022: Meeting in Paris and online
Scientific Objective
The objective of the ABORNE annual meeting organized by the OECD Sahel and West Africa Club (SWAC/OECD) and the University of Florida Sahel Research Group (SRG) is to reconsider the complicated relationships that bind trade and security in African borderlands.
The conference will make a significant contribution to the academic and policy debates related to processes like the opening of borders to trade and their control by states and regional organizations. The conference will serve as a global forum for border scholars, policymakers at local, regional, and national levels, and other border professionals from customs and security agencies, irrespective of their disciplinary backgrounds, methodological approaches, or geographical scope.
The conference will offer a unique opportunity to explore how trade facilitation initiatives, border cities, and informal trade networks are affected by political instability at the margins of African states. Particular attention will be paid to the conceptual and empirical contributions that explore regional dynamics rather than case studies.
Topics of interest include (but are not limited to) the following:
· Historical and spatial changes in cross-border trade networks
· Regional trade facilitation initiatives
· Transport corridors, infrastructure, and mobility in border regions
· Food systems transformations and the expansion of food value chains across borders
· Impact of political insecurity on border cities and markets
· Borders, safe-havens, and violent extremist groups
· Transnational political violence and Jihadism
· Military strategies to control transnational flows
· Technologies to securitize borders
· Migration policies and border regions
· Trafficking and borders
Organizing Committee
· Dr. Olivier Walther (Chair), Department of Geography, University of Florida
· Dr. Marie Trémolières, OECD Sahel and West Africa Club, Paris
· Mr. Matthew Pflaum, Department of Geography, University of Florida
· Ms. Alison McLatchie, OECD Sahel and West Africa Club, Paris
Scientific Committee
· Professor Anthony Asiwaju, University of Lagos
· Professor Paul Nugent, University of Edinburgh
· Professor Pierre Englebert, Pomona College
· Professor Bill Miles, Northeastern University
· Dr. Hugh Lamarque, University of Edinburgh
· Dr. Wilma Nchito, University of Zambia
· Dr. Thomas Hüsken, University of Bayreuth
· Dr. Isabella Soi, University of Cagliari
· Dr. Inocent Moyo, University of Zululand
· Dr. Marie Trémolières, OECD
· Dr. Olivier Walther, University of Florida
Submission
The call for papers is now closed. All submitted abstracts were subject to peer review. Abstracts were selected on the basis of originality, relevance, and clarity of presentation. Following a review of abstracts by the scientific committee, authors were invited to present a paper. Paper submission implies that at least one of the authors will present the paper if accepted and that at least one of the authors will register.
Language
The language of the conference is English. All papers must be presented in English.
Registration
Registration is closed. Only registered participants will be included in the conference program. There are no registration fees. Participants will receive a conference bag and certificate of participation.
Please note that participants will cover their own travel and accommodation costs, except those invited by the organizers. Participants are also invited to join the ABORNE network and pay their membership fees upon arrival. Only cash will be accepted.
Hybrid format
The conference will be open to both in-person attendees and virtual attendees whose abstract has been accepted by our scientific committee. Participants unable to travel to Paris will be able to attend the annual meeting remotely.
Online presenters and panelists will receive a Zoom link prior to the meeting and will be asked to share their PowerPoint presentations with the organizers. Kindly note that participation in the annual meeting is restricted to registered in-person and virtual participants.
Is it not possible to attend the conference virtually as an observer and you must be a contributor or panelist to participate. There will be no recorded sessions available for viewing after the conference.
Visas
European Union citizens do not need a visa to stay in France. For others, depending on your nationality, the length, and the purpose of your stay in France, a visa may be required before departure. For further information, please consult the French Foreign Affairs Ministry Web site.
Covid-19
Covid-19 restrictions at the French border were eased on 12 February 2022 for fully vaccinated travelers. For further assistance, please contact Covid19@oecd.org or visit the Interior Ministry’s website.
Conference venue
The conference will take place at the OECD Conference Centre located at 2 rue André Pascal, 75016 Paris.
The venue is located within an approximately 8-minute walk from the subway (La Muette) and one hour from Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport. For more information about how to get to the OECD or services offered on the premises, please visit the OECD Conference Centre, or contact Ms. Christina Iannuzzi.
For security reasons, only registered participants are allowed to enter the OECD premises. Participants will receive their badges at the registration desk upon arrival at the Conference and must be in possession of their identification badges at all times. Please note that access to the meeting rooms will be restricted to those wearing their identification badges.
Contact
Dr. Olivier J. Walther, Chair
Department of Geography
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL 32607
United States
aborne2020@africa.ufl.edu