Abdul Karim Bangura is Putative Dean and Senior Mentor of the CODESRIA College of Mentors Institute. He is Researcher-in-Residence of Abrahamic Connections and Islamic Peace at American University’s Center for Global Peace and Director of The African Institution, both in Washington DC. He has 5 PhDs in the following topics: development economics, political science, linguistics, computer science, and mathematics. Bangura is the innovator of more than a dozen theories and research methodologies and the recipient of more than 50 prestigious scholarly and service awards. He is the current president of the African Studies and Research Forum and has served as President and, later, United Nations Ambassador of the Association of Third World Studies. Bangura is Special Envoy of the African Union Peace and Security Council.