Rev. Dr. Clement Mweyang Aapengnuo

Rev. Dr. Clement Mweyang Aapengnuo is the co-founder of 72 Africa, serving as its President and head of African Operations. He holds a PhD in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from George Mason University, Virginia, U.S.A., a Bachelors/Masters degree in Social Communications from the Pontifical Salesian University in Rome, and a Certificate in Public Administration from Ghana Institute for Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Accra, Ghana. Fr. Aapengnuo taught Catholic Peacemaking at Georgetown University, U.S.A. He is the founding Director of the Center for Conflict Transformation and Peace Studies (CECOTAPS) in Damongo, Ghana, a leading center of conflict transformation since 2000, and the focal point for 72 Africa’s operations. He was also a founding member and former board chairman of the West African Network for Peace building (WANEP)-Ghana.

In his role as Director of CECOTAPS, Rev. Aapengnuo designed and led five major conflict resolution intervention strategies for communities in conflict throughout Ghana and carried out several training sessions for Traditional chiefs, political leaders, and youth and women’s groups, ultimately educating and training hundreds of participants. He has consulted for the Catholic Bishop’s Conference, Ghana, UNDP in Ghana, WANEP-Ghana and the Regional and District Administrations in the three northern regions of Ghana on conflict analysis and resolution. He has also designed conflict sensitive interventions and projects for development agencies working in post conflict zones. Of significant note, Rev. Aapengnuo was instrumental in creating the structure and support for a legislated National Peace Council, the only such legislated entity in Africa.

His published works include co-authoring a chapter entitled “To Whom Am I Accountable” in A Handbook of International Peacebuilding: Into the Eye of A Storm, edited by John Paul Lederach and Jan Janner, Jossey-Bass Publications. His articles include: “Misinterpreting Ethnic Conflicts in Africa” in Africa Security Brief; a  publication of the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, and “Justice, Reconciliation and Peacebuilding; Seen through African Eyes” in the Africa Faith and Justice Network.

Dr. Aapengnuo’s masters thesis was on “Threat Narratives, Group Identity and Violence in Northern Ghana” and his dissertation is entitled “Power and Social Identity – The Crisis of Legitimacy of Traditional Rule in Northern Ghana and Ethnic Conflicts”.

(from- http://72africa.org/our-founders/)