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Updated 16/12/2019

29 JAN

Horn of Africa: Conflict, Power, and New Alliances

The Horn of Africa is experiencing a profound, and dangerous geopolitical restructuring. From the war in Sudan, to renewed tension between Ethiopia and Eritrea, to rising security challenges in South Sudan, and Somalia’s governance struggles alongside ripple effects from Somaliland’s bid for international recognition, the region’s internal instability and volatility is reshaping international alliances and fueling a fierce competition for influence by global actors – from the Gulf to the West – who are vying for power, maritime routes, and strategic dominance. Samira Gaid, founding director of Balqiis Insights, and Amb (ret). Donald Booth, former U.S. special envoy to Sudan and South Sudan, join Oge for a discussion that illuminates a few key dynamics shaping the geopolitics in the Horn of Africa. They unpack the different players in the arena, their motivations, and what these dynamics mean for the region, and the global community.

29 Jan

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44 min
13/03/2024

Welcome to the U.S., EU Ambassador Neliupšienė!

On this episode of Smart Women, Smart Power, host Kathleen McInnis sat down with the new Ambassador of the European Union to the United States Jovita Neliupšienė. The pair discussed the war in Ukraine, including Ukraine's membership to the EU, plus her role in Lithuania facing economic coercion from China, and much more.

13/03/2024

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33 min
17/01/2025

The Reporter’s Note: Observations on U.S. Africa Policy

As 2025 begins, Africa confronts significant challenges to its growth and development. Instability in the Sahel highlights the waning influence of ECOWAS and France’s diminished military presence, while conflicts in Eastern DRC are intensified by Rwanda and Uganda’s backing of the M23 rebel group. In Sudan, the U.S. has recognized the severity of the crisis through a genocide declaration and sanctions, but doubts linger about its long-term commitment. Meanwhile, Mozambique grapples with an insurgency in Cabo Delgado and election-related violence, further adding to the continent’s volatility. These pressing issues await the incoming Trump administration, as U.S. policy toward Africa continues to struggle with a gap between rhetoric and action. Addressing this requires a practical approach—one that engages flexibly with Africa’s diverse governments and navigates the complexities of the continent’s evolving geopolitical landscape. Such a shift is vital to effectively tackling Africa’s challenges and capitalizing on its opportunities. Mvemba and Julian Pecquet, United States correspondent for the Africa Report, examine the complexities of U.S.-Africa relations amid pressing geopolitical challenges and a transition to a new U.S. administration. The discussion underscores Africa's growing strategic importance, shaped by both its crises and opportunities.

17/01/2025

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37 min
17/04/2025

Best Of: The boomers in Mali getting their news from TikTok

The Afropolitan will be taking a brief hiatus to re-envision its next steps. Stay tuned for an exciting new chapter! In the meantime, we're sharing our very first episode from October, which focused on how older people in Mali are consuming news on TikTok, and why this symbolizes the larger trends sweeping through the Sahel. In this episode, Catherine Nzuki is joined by Doussouba Konaté, the Country Director of Accountability Lab Mali. We unpack two of these shifts in the Sahel. First, growing anti-French sentiments in the region has led to language decolonization in Mali, in which a growing number of people would rather receive their news in Bambara, one of Mali’s national languages, over French. Secondly, growing internet access has connected people across Mali and has brought more visibility to the plight of Malians living in conflict-affected areas. However, as social media usage grows, so too does online misinformation and disinformation.

17/04/2025

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37 min
23/01/2025

The festivities and frustrations of ‘detty December’

The December festive season in Nigeria, commonly referred to as ‘detty December’ have captured the world’s attention. Lagos alone brought in $71.6m in tourism revenue in December 2024, according to the Lagos State Government. How are locals faring with the influx of tourists in a tough economy? Catherine Nzuki is joined by Oluwatomisin Amokeoja, a journalist with Forbes Africa, to give an overview of ‘detty December’ in Lagos. They unpack what ‘detty December’ is (1:58); where the term originates (3:40); and how it has grown into such a big phenomenon that pulls in celebrities, tourists, and diaspora members (known colloquially as the “I Just Got Back” or IJGBs) (5:59); and what the December celebrations look like for locals (7:54). Peter Imouokhome, a development economist and consultant based in Lagos joins the podcast to unpack the economics of ‘detty December’. They discuss the causes of the ongoing economic crisis in Nigeria (10:40); its impact on locals (16:29); how the cost of living crisis has led to protests (20:00); and how Nigeria can balance the economic benefits of tourism with its unintended negative effects on locals (25:50).

23/01/2025

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30 min
26/03/2025

AI Action Plan RFI, California's AI Policy Working Group Report, and Why Programming Jobs Are Disappearing

In this episode, we discuss AI companies' responses to the White House AI Action Plan Request For Information (RFI) related to key areas like export controls and AI governance (00:51), the release of the Joint California Policy Working Group on AI Frontier Models draft report (24:45), and how AI might be affecting the computer programming job market (40:10).

26/03/2025

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48 min
20/03/2025

The think tank making impact evaluation skills accessible to every Tanzanian

We traditionally think of impact evaluation as an academic or technical skill. The Impact Evaluation (IE) Lab at the Economic and Social Research Foundation (ESRF), a think tank in Dar es Salaam, is working to change that. Catherine Nzuki is joined by Dr. Constantine Manda, the co-founder and inaugural Director of the IE Lab at ESRF, and Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of California, Irvine. The core mission of the IE Lab is to expose every Tanzanian to IE, even in its simplest form, regardless of education level. They discuss what impact evaluation is, why it’s important for every Tanzanian to be introduced to impact evaluation methods, and how the IE Lab tailors its training for policymakers and local authorities. Dr. Manda also shares the interventions done by the IE Lab to encourage Covid-19 vaccine uptake in Tanzania and healthier food habits in Dar es Salaam. Read more about the IE Lab’s research here.

20/03/2025

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28 min
03/04/2025

Accra’s housing crisis is forcing young people to delay the traditional milestones of adulthood.

Catherine Nzuki is joined by Naa Laryea, a software engineer living in Accra. She walks us through what apartment hunting is like in Accra, why some landlords ask for a year or two years’ worth of rent up front, and the causes of the housing crisis in Accra. Nelson C.J., West Africa Correspondent at OkayAfrica, joins the Afropolitan and zooms out to discuss the common drivers of the housing crunch in major West African cities. Nelson shares his findings from his recent article with OkayAfrica, examining how the National Tenants Union of Ghana is advocating for affordable housing and rent control. Lastly, as Africa’s population grows, Nelson unpacks how investing in small and mid-sized cities can help decongest cities like Accra, Dakar, and Lagos. You can read Nelson C. J.’s work on OkayAfrica and follow Nelson C.J. on X (@nelsoncj3) and Instagram (@nelsonfromnorman____).

03/04/2025

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25 min
15/05/2025

Understanding the case for the Africa Credit Rating Agency

Catherine Nzuki is joined by Dr. Daniel Cash, Associate Professor in Law at Ashton University. He specializes in the study of the international credit rating agencies. They discuss the “Big Three” credit rating agencies, why they have been accused of biases against Africa, and the impact that sovereign credit ratings have on outcomes for young people. Dr. Cash explains why the Africa Credit Rating Agency (AfCRA) is being formed and why it is important to champion this initiative.

15/05/2025

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52 min
09/01/2025

Decoding demographics with Dr. Jennifer D. Sciubba

Catherine Nzuki is joined by Dr. Jennifer D. Sciubba, President and CEO of the Population Reference Bureau and one of the foremost experts in the field of political demography. Dr. Sciubba breaks down how demographers project future populations and the drivers of population growth. They discuss the limited window to take advantage of Africa’s demographic dividend, the population decline debate in the West, and why overpopulation is a contentious term. They also discuss how politics, cultural norms, women’s empowerment, and the autonomy to not have children factor into population growth.

09/01/2025

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31 min

CSIS podcasts feature experts & scholars on a range of critical issues surrounding geopolitics, national security, defense, & international affairs topics.