Former U.S. Ambassador to Speak on Africa’s Promise, Problems at New College

As the U.S. ambassador to Zimbabwe, James D. McGee had a front-row seat to a historic 2008 election and political transition in the African nation. He had previously served as ambassador to three other African countries, Swaziland, Madagascar and the Comoros.
Few people know the continent as well as McGee, and he will discuss “The Problems, Promise and Potential of Sub-Saharan Africa” in a New Topics New College lecture on March 21.
McGee will use South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria as the anchors for outlining the issues facing southern and central Africa, and how the countries’ leadership is addressing the challenge and advancing democratic processes across the continent. He also will provide his observations on U.S. interests in the region and how our government is working on the bi-lateral and multi-lateral fronts.
McGee had recently begun his Zimbabwe appointment when the country’s 2008 election gave a majority in parliament to the party of reform candidate Morgan Tsvangirai. The next year, the country’s longtime president Robert Mugabe implemented a power-sharing agreement with Tsvangirai, now the prime minister.
While ambassador, McGee led efforts to document human rights violations and political violence, despite threats and attacks against him in the state-run news service. A Los Angeles Times article called him the “not-so-diplomatic ambassador.” He retired in 2009.
The talk is at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, March 21, in the Mildred Sainer Pavilion on the Caples Campus of New College, 5313 Bay Shore Road (just south of the Ringling Museum). Admission is free for New College students, faculty and staff. Tickets for the public are $15 and can be reserved online at donate.ncf.edu/events or by calling 487-4888.