Originally posted:9.13.16; Updated: 10.07.16

 

GAGF Forum 2016, Asia Pacific’s first and most comprehensive strategic forum on autonomy, governance, and federalism slated on October 19-20, 2016 in Makati City is shaping up to be a powerhouse gathering of renowned global experts.

 

Over 30 resource speakers from around the world are expected to present at the forum envisioned to be a non-partisan and first of its kind international conference to track good practices, challenges and opportunities of autonomy, federalism and governance as an effective tool for conflict resolution.

 

The Philippines’ hosting of the biggest gathering of governance and legal luminaries from around the world comes at a time when the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte is mulling over the shift from the unitary form of government to a federal one. Pres. Duterte has been invited to keynote the event.

 

READ: IAG to highlight federalism in global forum       

 

Organizers say the 15 country case studies to be presented during the forum will benefit the study of effective political solutions to end the conflict in Mindanao, boosting the ongoing peace process.

 

Here are the confirmed experts, speakers, panelists and panel chairs as of October 7 (in order of appearance in the program):

1. Benedikt Seemann, Country Representative to the Philippines, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung
2. Secretary Jesus Dureza

3. MILF Chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim

4. Atty. Benedicto Bacani, IAG Executive Director

5. Dr. Markku Suksi, Professor, Åbo Akademi University, Finland

6. Prof Yash Pal Ghai, Former Chair, Constitution of Kenya Review Commission and Head, Constitution Advisory Support Unit, United Nations Development Programme, Nepal
7. Amina Rasul, President, Philippine Center for Islam and Democracy, Philippines

8. George R.M. Anderson, former President and CEO, Forum of Federations and former Deputy Minister, Natural Resources, Canada (Overview and Case of Canada)

9. Dr. Carlos Flores Juberias, Professor of Comparative Constitutional Law and Expert in Macedonian Affairs, University of Valencia Law School (Case of Spain)

10. Prof. Rekha Saxena, Professor Department of Political Science, University of Delhi, India / Honorary Vice Chairman, Centre for Multilevel Federalism, New Delhi, India (Case of India)

11. Philip Gonzales, Director, Asia and Australia, Forum on Federations (Case of Australia)

12. Dr. Gareth McGrath, Director of Parliamentary Services, Northern Ireland Assembly & Executive Director, Politics Plus

13. Anthony Regan, Fellow, State, Society & Governance in Melanesia Program (SSGM), School of International, Political & Strategic Studies, ANU College of Asia and the Pacific

14. Edward Aspinall, Fellow, Department of Political and Social Change, Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, Australian National University, Australia (Case of Aceh, Indonesia)

15. Prof. Edmund Tayao, University of Santo Tomas Political Science Dept./Local Government Development Foundation

16. Dr. Surya Dhungel, Kathmandu University School of Law

17. Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, Founder and Executive Director, Center for Policy Initiatives, Sri Lanka (Case of Sri Lanka)

18. Dr. Ashley South, Research Fellow, Centre for Ethnic Studies and Development, Chiangmai University, Thailand (Case of Myanmar)

19. Prof. Nico Steytler, Professor, Community Law Center, University of the Western Cape, South Africa

20. Lord Jack McConnell, Former First Minister of Scotland, and the UK Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Conflict Resolution Mechanisms (Case of Scotland and Northern Ireland)

21. Crisanto Cayon, Independent Consultant

22. Lotta Sylwander, Country Representative, UNICEF Philippines

23. Edtami Mansayagan, Member, UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

24. Jill Cottrell Ghai, Author & Former Lecturer, Warwick School of Law, The University of Hong Kong

25. Dr. Emma Leslie, Executive Director, Center for Peace & Conflict Studies, Cambodia

26. Dr. Eliseo R. Mercado, Jr. , Senior Policy Adviser, Institute for Autonomy & Governance 

27. Prof. Alejandro Ciencia Jr., University of the Philippines (UP) Baguio

28. Prof. Athena Lydia Casambre, UP Political Science Dept. (ret)

29. Miriam Grace Go, News Editor, Rappler

30. Lito Monico Lorenzana, Chairman, Centrist Democratic Party Philippines

31. Atty. Christian Monsod, Member, 1987 Constitutional Commission

32. Dr. Clarita Carlos, UP Political Science Dept.

33. Dr. Paul Hutchcroft, Dept. of Political and Social Change, Australian National University

34. Dr. Jose Jowel Canuday, MindaNews Contributor and Assistant Professor, Ateneo de Manila University

35. Mohagher Iqbal, Chair, MILF Implementing Panel

36. Atty. Randolph Parcasio, Former MNLF Chief Negotiator, OIC-MNLF-GPH Tripartite Review and Vice Chair of Kilos Pederal sa Pagbabago

37. Dr. Peter Koeppinger, Project Director, Partnerships for Integrity and  Job Creation

38. Dr. Eric Casiño, Center for Philippine Studies, University of Hawaii

39. Prof. Sujit Choudhry, former Dean, UC Berkeley School of Law, USA

40. Dr. Rommel Banlaoi, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director, Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence and Terrorism Research

41. Prof. Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, Former Chair, GPH Negotiating Panel

42. Dr. Francisco Lara Jr., Country Representative, International Alert

43. Sam Chittick, International Advisor for the United Nations-World Bank-Moro Islamic Liberation Front Facility for Advisory Support for Transition Capacities (FASTRAC)

44. Naoyuki Ochiai, Head and Chief Leader of JICA Cotabato Project Office

45. Prof. Rufa Cagoco-Guiam, Director, Center for Peace and Development Studies, Mindanao State University

46. Irene Santiago, Chair, GPH Implementing Panel, GPH-MILF Talks

47. Guiamel Alim, Chair, Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society

48. Augusto Miclat, Executive Director, Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID)

49. Victoria Tauli-Corpus, UN Rapporteur for Indigenous Peoples’ Rights

50. Atty. Camilo Montesa, Independent Consultant

51. Dr. Steve Rood, Country Representative to the Philippines, The Asia Foundation

52. Dr. Chetan Kumar, Senior Advisor on Peacebuilding, Office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator/United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

53. Kristian Herbolzheimer, Director for Philippines and Columbia Programs, Conciliation Resources

 

Organized by the Institute for Autonomy and Governance in partnership with Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Philippines, the GAGF Forum 2016 is an Australian aid project funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). The forum is also sponsored by the British Embassy and the ARMM Regional Government.