PROFESSOR IBRAHIM J. WANI

 Professor Wani is the acting Dean and Chair, Department of Civil-Military Relations at the Africa Center for Strategic Studies.  In addition to his overall responsibility as the chief academic adviser, Professor Wani also serves as policy and program advisor to the Center and handles the civil-military relations portfolio.  Professor Wani’s diverse professional background includes over ten years as a researcher and Professor of law and substantial experience in international development, institution building and education and training. Upon completing his graduate legal studies at the University of Virginia, Professor Wani joined the faculty at the University of Missouri School of Law where he taught for fourteen years, from 1983 to 1996. He was also a professor of law at the University of Virginia School of Law. He taught a wide range of courses in international law and international trade and international business. He was recognized for excellence in teaching and, among several professional awards, he was visiting research scholar at the Swiss Institute of Comparative Law in Lausanne, Switzerland, and a Jennings Randolph Fellow at the United States Institute of Peace.  From academia Professor Wani joined the World Bank where he was involved in designing and implementing institutional development programs in Africa. While on the World Bank staff, he served as the Legal Counsel and Principal Program Officer at the African Capacity Building Foundation in Harare, Zimbabwe. In addition to his responsibilities as the chief legal officer, he managed a broad portfolio of programs to support the establishment of private policy research institutions and government policy analysis units, and the development of graduate programs in several Universities in the region. Professor Wani joined the Africa Center from the International Human Rights Law Group in Washington, D.C. where he was the Director of the Africa Program. In his capacity as the Africa Program Director, Professor Wani designed educational and training programs for civil society leaders across Africa on human rights, democracy and rule of law.  He received the LL.B. degree from Makerere University in Uganda, and the LL.M. and SJD degrees from the University of Virginia School of Law. He also holds a Post-Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice.  He is a member of the District of Columbia Bar and an advocate of the High Court of Uganda.