Sanders' Blog Bits: October - December 2023

Sanders' Blog Bits (entries are in ascending order):

November-December 2023:

 --Dr. Sanders attended the Foreign Policy Magazine's session on "Takeaways from the Biden-Xi Meeting” on the sidelines of the November 17, 2023, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in California. Analysis underscores the U.S. and China mended some fences such as on return to US-China military communications, some cooperation on AI, help on reducing phentenol precursors, and respecting each other as competitors. 

#Biden #Xi #BidenXi #APECSummit2023 #CEOFEEEDS #AmbSanders

 --Amb Sanders attended DC's World Trade Center event hosted by African Ambassadors to the United States for the new Presidential African Diaspora Advisory Council. #PresidentialCouncil #AfricaDiaspora

 --Ambassador Sanders, as former U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, joined hundreds of esteemed guests, including former Director of Nigeria's Bank of Industry attending the wedding of WNBA star & ESPN Anchor Chiney Ogwumike.

#NBA #WNBA #ESPN #ChineyOgwumike #Nigeria #NigeriaBankofIndustry

 --As Director of Smarter Grid International (SGI), a solar energy company in Nigeria, Dr. Sanders will attend the UN Global Compact sessions on COP28. #SGI, #ClimateChange #SolarEnergy #CEOFEEEDS #AmbSanders

 --As part of COP28, Dr. Sanders was invited to the Foreign Policy Magazine's forum on COP28 issues such as solutions for a warming planet, which had a focus on the powerful impact of collaborative efforts across various levels of governance and civil society. #COP28 #ClimateChange

 -- Amb. Sanders attended the Corporate Council of Africa's (CCA) 30th Anniversary Celebrations, which focused on highlighting the various key leaders who both created, developed and grew the organization to what it is today - one of the leading entities building and maintaining US-Africa business ties and relations. #CCA #USAfrica #CorporateCouncilofAfrica

 --As a member of the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) Amb. Sanders attended CFR's China session featuring Ambassador Nicholas Burns, who discussed the evolving U.S.-China relationship, the strategic opportunities and challenges it presents, and the narrative on power and cooperation in the 21st century. #CFR #CouncilofForeignRelations #USChina #NicholasBurns

October 2023:

 -- Amb. Sanders, in her advisory role with RFG Foundation which focuses, assists, provides internships, and scholarship to the next generation of students studying international affairs and global issues, will participate in key programming and help lead key development events for the 2023 RFG Fellows being held at the Nigerian Embassy under the auspices of Nigeria's first female Ambassador to the U.S., Her Excellency Ambassador (Mrs.) Uzoma Emenike. The focus on education and providing leadership to the next generation is a key pillar of importance for both Ambassador Emenike and Ambassador Sanders. #Education #Leadership #Nigeria #AmbassadorEmenike #AmbSanders #NigerianEmbassy 

-- Dr. Sanders' invited to participate in Foreign Policy Magazine’s "Her Power" event that brought together leading women in foreign policy, business, government, academia and the private sector to discuss issues revolving evolving careers, and leadership in all sectors of the workforce. #FPMagazine, #CEOFEEEDS #AmbSanders #Leadership #Workforce

 -- Dr. Sanders is featured in the 2023 Bentley-Gallup Business in Society Report, quantifying Americans’ attitudes toward businesses and the impact they have on personal lives and society more generally. In the report, 63% of Americans said businesses have an extremely or somewhat positive impact on people’s lives, up from 55% in 2022. Americans still draw a clear distinction between big and small businesses, with small businesses (85%) seen as twice as likely to have a positive effect on people’s lives than big businesses (42%). Sanders' comments are on page 27 of the full data report - The Bentley-Gallup Business in Society Report, can be accessed here:

 http://www.gallup.com/analytics/512066/bentley-business-in-society.aspx 

#Gallup #BentleyUniversity #WorkAttitudes #SmallLargeBusinesses #CEOFEEEDS #AmbSanders 

 -- Dr. Sanders was invited to the 2023 Fall Sessions of the IMF held in Morocco, participating virtually. Key sessions attended by Dr. Sanders were on global financial & GDP growth pictures, creating a more even playing field for non-Western economies, women entrepreneurs, financing for startups, sustainable development issues, an Africa brief, etc. #2023IMFMeetings #StateofGlobalEconomicGrowth #WomenEntrepreneurs

September 2023:

-- Amb. Sanders attended key global & Africa events as part of UN week:

As a UNGlobal Compact member, her focus was on climate change, biodiversity and climate-smart small businesses and innovation.

As a senior advisor for the Concordia Global Issues Summit, Amb. Sanders attended summit sessions with Presidents of Turkey, Paraguay, Ecquador & Montenegro, and leading international business leaders from the US and across the globe.

#UNGlobalCompact #Concordia #AmbSanders #CEOFEEEDS #ClimateChange #SMEs

-- Dr. Sanders attended the following Foreign Policy (FP) Magazine UNGA 78 events focused on several of FEEEDS key areas:  FP Energy Forum, FP Tech Forum, and Live Taping of Global Reboot

#FP #Energy #Tech #GlobalIssues #CEOFEEEDS #AmbSanders

 -- As part of the Sub-Saharan Africa Business & Investment Summit UN Program, Ambassador Sanders led 3 sessions at the Nigerian Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York, focusing on energy issues and innovation (new projects around solar energy), climate change, US-Africa trade issues and how to further advance these efforts, Internet access issues, and importance of ensuring more value addition for Africa project, and strengthening inter-Africa trade. #AfricaTrade #AfricaInternet #climatechange #Nigeria #InvestinAfrica

 A FEEEDS Series BlogBit

Blog Bits: Early September - Late August 2023

September 2023

-- Amb. Sanders attended key global & Africa events as part of 2023 UN Week:

As a UNGlobal Compact member, her focus was on climate change, biodiversity and climate-smart small businesses and innovation.

As a senior advisor for the Concordia Global Issues Summit, Amb. Sanders attended summit sessions with Presidents of Turkey, Paraguay, Ecquador & Montenegro, and leading international business leaders from the US and across the globe. #UNGlobalCompact #Concordia #AmbSanders #CEOFEEEDS #ClimateChange #SMEs

-- Dr. Sanders attended the following Foreign Policy (FP) Magazine UNGA 78 events focused on several of FEEEDS key areas:  FP Energy Forum, FP Tech Forum, and Live Taping of Global Reboot. #FP #Energy #Tech #GlobalIssues #CEOFEEEDS #AmbSanders

-- As part of the Sub-Saharan Africa Business & Investment Summit UN Program, Ambassador Sanders led 3 sessions at the Nigerian Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York focused on energy issues and innovation (new projects around solar energy), climate change, US-Africa trade issues and how to further advance these efforts, Internet access issues, and importance of ensuring more value addition for Africa project, and strengthening inter-Africa trade. #AfricaTrade, #AfricaInternet, #climatechange, #Nigeria, #InvestinAfrica

August 2023

-- Sanders attended key West Africa policy brief and discussion on the growing number of coups in the region, with prestigious Africa Policy Group under the auspices of George Washington University

-- Under FE3DS, LLC, CEO-Sanders, as Chairwoman of USTR's Trade Advisory Council on Africa (aka TACA) participatged in briefing, discussion, and timing of the upcoming US-Africa AGOA Ministerial, which will take place in Johnanessburg, South Africa in November 2023

 

Blog-bits : Part One for Second Half of 2023: FEEEDS-Gallup 10th Anniversary Policy Forum - Keynoter USUN Amb. Linda Thomas-Greenfield

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July 2023

-- 2023 was the tenth year of the FEEEDS-Gallup Policy Forum. An annual event held for policy-focused organizations, agencies, academics, think tanks, diplomats, and individuals and was the brain-child of then Gallup's World Poll Managing Partner (now-CEO) Jon Clifton, and FEEEDS CEO Ambassador Robin Sanders. The 10-media partner has been Allafrica.com. Below follows Africa.com press release on the 10th anniversary event, and key highlights for the 2023 event, whose keynote speaker was United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Linda Thomas Greenfield. The scene setter for the event was done by Gallup's Chairman of the Board, Jim Clifton, and Ambassador Sanders.

AllAfrica.Com Press Release:
Gallup and FEEEDS have held the Gallup-FEEEDS Policy Forum for the last 10 years at Gallup’s Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

In special recognition of the 10th anniversary of this important platform the Policy Forum is honored to have as its 10th anniversary keynote speaker the Honorable Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations. This year’s event takes place on July 13 in Washington, DC.

The Policy Forum has chosen a pivotal and timely theme for its 10th Anniversary event “The Role of Multilateralism in Today's World,” which will also be the focus of the Ambassador’s remarks.

This year’s program is special in so many ways as the Forum always pulls in its past and present partners, along with attracting new ones.

The idea for the Policy Forum was the brainchild of Ambassador Robin Renee Sanders and Gallup CEO Jon Clifton 10 years ago as they both believe in the role and connection of policy and data. In addition, they sought to expose and provide opportunities for diverse and multicultural audiences to hear policy makers first hand, coupled with exposure to data on the global and domestic issues of the day covered by the Gallup World Poll.

CEO Clifton was previously Managing Partner of the Gallup World Poll, and Sanders served prior as U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Republic of Congo & at the National Security Council.

The event continues to focus on these goals with its yearly themes, high-level speakers, and longstanding audiences and partners. This year’s program also will include a fireside chat between Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield and Gallup Board Chairman Jim Clifton.

This year’s Forum will also be a recognition of many of those past partners – from allAfrica.com (all 10 years), the International Development Institute, U.S. Trade, US-Africa Trade, World Trade Center-Atlanta, UPAC, African Caribbean Business Center, and GB Group Global, Strategic Groups USA, to name a few, and always welcomes new faces, and new partners.

Since its inception, the event is held in July, and this special 10th session, with the Honorable Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield, will be as well.

See article here for further details: https://lnkd.in/dYueRCd

FEEEDS "Blog-Bits" for First Half 2023

Continuing in 2023 with our new adopted short format blog bullet entries (although think-pieces will still be done on ocassion), below so far is the 2023 list of key activities for Ambassador Sanders either academically (lecturer or moderator) or as part of her work under FEEEDS or FE3DS, LLC 

June 2023

-- As a visiting scholar at Temple University's new Africa Trade and Training Institute, Dr. Sanders lectured on several key US-Africa trade issues, US trade financing, and also in separare sessions on challenges to Internet access and connectivity world-wide, but especially in the Global South (TAP blog point: there needs to be a new phrase/wording for countries considered part of this grouping) with women world-wide, having he least opportunity for access, learning, and connectivity to the world-wide web. Other Sanders' key lecture points were that what gets lost by development agencies when seeking to address these issues is also the need to focus on challenges related to costs for service, and access to power sources for charging devices. 

May 2023

-- Amb. Sanders was invited to Atlantic Council Distinguished Annual Leadership Awards, its first all-female honoree slate for Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General, WTO, Hon. Avril Haines, Director of National Intelligence; Adena T. Friedman, Chair and Chief Executive Officer, Nasdaq Inc, Gen. Laura J. Richardson, Commander, US Southern Command & The Women & Girls of Iran. Also during the event, the Atlantic Council called attention to the rising role of women’s leadership in shaping a better world. #AtlanticCouncil, #CEOFEEEDS, #WomenLeadership, #WTODG, #NASDAQ, #NatlIntelDir,#USSouthCommand, #WomenGirlsofIran

 

-- As part of New America's 2-day Symposium on "Mapping the Digital Future," Dr. Sanders was invited to participate as an ICT scholar as part of the working group focused on areas of challenges and developing suggestions and plans to address "Global Internet Connectivity and Access Issues," especially for women/girls, as well as regional/country differences, country-blocking, privacy issues. As a Gallup Senior Scientist, Dr. Sanders presented key Gallup findings on global and country connectivity and access data.  (Bio note: Amb. Sanders' doctorate degree is in information systems and technology).

April 2023 

-- FEEEDS participated in the 2023 IMF/World Bank Spring Meetings in sessions on climate change, entrepreneurship, global financial challenges/global growth issue for key business sectors

-- Sanders attended Foreign Policy Magazine's Climate Change Summit on key issues and progress areas, and lack there of on the world's greatest challenge areas besides the worrying growing number of world conflicts.

February 2023: 

-- Amb. Sanders served as election observer in Nigeria's 2023 Presidential Election, under the USAID-funded joint collaborative NDI-IRI mission. Included are some pictures from the elections (face-front  pics: asked by them to take pic with them or  permission received by them)

 

                                                  

         
                                                                                                

January 2023:

-- Amb. Sanders participated in the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center session hosting Judd Devermont, Biden Special Assistant & Senior Director for African Affairs at the NSC on the administration’s objectives and strategy for engagement with Africa in 2023. #NSC, #WhiteHouse, #USAfricaPolicy, #CEOFEEEDS, #AtlanticCouncil

Catching up on Backlog Posting:) End of 2022 Activities of Interest

Dear Blog - yes, have been away for awhile, (but not inactive:), so will be playing catchup for awhule....so hanging there. Picking up the "pen," on TAP now from end of 2022 (see LinkedIn for a more), from the long haitus from blogging. 2023 activity list to follow....  

 

December 2022:

-- Dr. Sanders attended the Atlantic Council's Africa Center high-level fireside chat on US-African engagement on the AfCFTA and the future of US-Africa trade – all linked to the Dec. 2022 US-Africa Leaders’ Summit, featuring Ambassador Katherine Tai, the 19th United States Trade Representative, and Secretary General Wamakele Mene of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). #US-AfricaTrade, #AfCFTA, #USTR, #Mene, #AmbTai, #CEOFEEEDS, #AmbRobinSanders, #AtlanticCouncil

 

-- Ambassador Sanders, as Chairwoman of the US-Africa Trade Advisory Committee (TACA) the US-Africa AGOA Ministerial in Washington DC, she represented, as an observer to the talks, the US private sector and other members of the TACA during the official talks

 

-- Amb. wrapped up 2022 by attending USG-Africa Ministerial on AGOA as Chairwoman of US-Africa Trade Advisory Committee (TACA); USEXIM's Annual Conference where her firm, #FE3DS, helped secure a renewal long-term battery project receive EXIM's Sub-Saharan Africa Deal of the Year; and Pres. Biden's US-Africa Summit & Business Forum with African Presidents.

                 

                                  

November 2022

-- Dr. Sanders was invited to attend Foreign Policy Magazine's & Population Institute event on the global impact of the world’s population surpassing 8 billion people, which is projected to take place on November 15. This people growth with the backdrop of global crises, slowdown in global economic growth, and the people impacted most - women and girls. #ForeignPolicyMagazine, #GlobalPopulation, #CEOFEEEDS, #GlobalCrises

 

-- Amb. Sanders had the pleasure to be a key speaker, as a Gallup Senior Scientist at Meridian House-USIP event highlighting global internet connectivity and internet access issues. As Gallup Senior Scientist, Dr. Sanders presented #Gallup Global Data on world, regional and Africa-specific challenges in this area, noting largest impact on Africa's women, at-risks communities around the world, and small businesses: https://lnkd.in/dQg_sf2U; #SMEs, #Gallup, #CEOFEEEDS, #Africa, #InternetAccessConnectivity 

September 2022:

— Amb. Sanders participated in Foreign Policy Magazine's UN-related event discussing insights from leading policymakers, development practitioners, on fallout from the Russia-Ukraine crisis and how multilateral institutions can identify targeted strategies to more effectively support the world’s most vulnerable. #ForeignPolicyMagazine, #UN2022, #Multilateralism, #Vulnerable, #UkraineRussia

 -- Amb Sanders participated in Foreign Policy's (FP) & Food for the Hungry's event focused on exploring measures that can help mitigate risks for fragile economies, conflict-affected countries, supply chain disruptions, geopolitical instability, inflation and climate change. Actionable recommendation: global stakeholders develop innovative plans to assist. #FoodCrisis, #GlobalConflicts, #Inflation, #SupplyChain, #ForeignPolicy  #Food4Hungry, #CEOFEEEDS, #AmbSanders, #FEEEDS

 -- Dr. Sanders attended a discussion with His Excellency President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, the President of the Federal Republic of Somalia. The elected President came into office for the 2nd time highlighting his goal of a more inclusive government & greater stability. #Somalia