My name is Claudel Simo, I come from Cameroon, more precisely from the city of Douala, where I grew up. I am a final year student enrolled in the Master in International Law at the Graduate Institute of Geneva, with a focus on international economic law. Being part of this study programme has been an unrivalled experience for me.
At the end of my Bachelor in Law at the University of Buea, in Cameroon, my goal was to do a postgraduate programme, which would open the doors to the world of international relations, and to work in an organisation in Geneva. While looking for the university that would make this dream come true, I discovered the Graduate Institute of Geneva, which I immediately fell in love with, not only because of the incomparable content offered in its master's degree in international law, but also and above all, because of the strategic positioning of the Institute within international Geneva. Furthermore, this school that I have the honour to call “my home”, has produced illustrious world leaders such as Kofi Annan.
As an African leader in the making, I have been nourishing within myself, for several years now, the ambition to work for the development of Africa, in particular to improve the living conditions of African populations. It was therefore logical for me, upon my arrival at the Institute, to join the “Afrique Students Association” (ASA), in order to put myself at the service of my fellow brothers.
I then have the immense honour to have been serving, since one year now, as the Co-Director of this very beautiful association, and alongside wonderful people. As part of our activities, my board and I have organised a plethora of events, and have made several fruitful synergies. But the biggest of our projects is the Summit on Africa, which will take place on 7 June, 2024, with the theme “On the Way to the Africa We Want”.
The Summit on Africa in Geneva is a large-scale discussion, organised annually by African students of The Geneva Graduate Institute. This year's edition will focus on Agenda 2063 of the African Union, and will aim to evaluate the projects proposed within it, the evolution of their implementation, and the relevance of these, in relation to current challenges on the continent. The summit will consist of three panels, on the following themes: economy, education and peace & security, which will be addressed by eminent experts. The discussions will be interactive, and a roadmap will be established, based on the input received from the discussion.