CSIS | Center for Strategic and International Studies
Fearless music activists. Savvy tech entrepreneurs. Social disrupters. Into Africa shatters the narratives that dominate U.S. perceptions of Africa. Host Mvemba...
Yinka Adegoke, editor of Semafor Africa, joined Into Africa to discuss the rapidly changing media landscape across the continent. While African media has a long history, dating back to the pre-independence era, it has traditionally been focused on national issues rather than Pan-African topics. As a result, many Africans rely on foreign news sources to stay informed about neighboring countries, reinforcing external narratives that often shape perceptions of the continent through a foreign lens.
The rise of social media and Pan-African media outlets has increased global awareness of the reality on the continent. Beyond the media, Africa's global narrative is being reshaped through its pop culture, technology, and business sectors. This conversation highlights the transformative forces driving Africa’s evolving story, offering a fresh perspective on its growing influence on the world stage.
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DeepSeek’s AI is cheap. Is this a game-changer for African startups?
Catherine Nzuki is joined by Dr. Chinasa T. Okolo, a fellow in the Center for Technology Innovation in the Governance Studies program at Brookings and a recent computer science Ph.D. graduate from Cornell University.
Dr. Okolo provides an overview of Africa’s AI industry (1:54); DeepSeek and what it means for AI startups (6:40); common misconceptions about AI development (7:54); how to make AI safer for the global majority (14:22); the AI safety landscape in Africa (16:52); developing benchmarks to measure AI safety in Africa (19:05); why reforming existing data governance is a pathway to AI regulation (21:50); ethical approaches to developing language models (25:00); the exploitation of workers that train and label AI models (27:00); and leveraging available language models to build African language models (35:00).
Dr. Okolo’s AI safety initiative: A new writing series: Re-envisioning AI safety through global majority perspectives.
February 19 event on AI Safety at Brookings: Globalizing Perspectives on AI Safety
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Power, Politics, and Peace in Somalia
Somalia has undergone significant transformations, evolving through three republics. The current federal system, which was established in 2000 through the Djibouti settlement, is based on a parliamentary model, democratic system, clan power-sharing, and regional autonomy. However, recent moves by President Mohamud’s administration to shift toward a more centralized presidential system have sparked controversy. His government’s attempts to consolidate power have alienated opposition groups and key federal member states. While the country has made slow but steady progress, governance disputes and persistent security threats continue to challenge its path to stability. Military victory against Islamist insurgents remain out of reach, making the involvement of an external third party essential to negotiating a peace settlement.
Mvemba is joined by Dr. Afyare Elmi, political scientist and research professor at the City University of Mogadishu, to explore the causes of Somalia’s ongoing security challenges, political landscape, and governance struggles.
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The fallout of the U.S. aid freeze in Washington, Abuja, and beyond
Catherine Nzuki is joined by Andrew Friedman, Senior Fellow with the CSIS Human Rights Initiative. They discuss the scale of USAID’s work around the world, the immediate impacts of this aid freeze, and USAID's shaky future.
Samuel Itodo, Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, joins the Afropolitan to unpack how his organization and others around Africa are impacted by the U.S. aid freeze. They also discuss the aid dependency debate that this freeze has spurred, and why this disruption is giving people hope that perhaps this time, Africa can address its aid dependency for good.
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AFRICOM at 17: Shaping U.S.-Africa Relations
On any given day, there are 2,500-3,000 United States Army personnel in Africa undertaking a variety of engagements with their African counterparts.
The U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) was established in October 2007, making it just over 17 years old—close to the age of majority. AFRICOM undertakes security exercises, civil affairs initiatives, and key leader engagements, among other activities. AFRICOM represents the third ‘D’—Defense—of U.S. foreign policy pillars, with defense and security being the most visible pillar across the continent. This has made AFRICOM the primary face of U.S. engagement for many African governments. This approach or reality has its advantages and drawbacks.
Niger is perhaps the most telling case. The massive U.S. military presence in the country reflected the prominent role that defense and security objectives play in U.S.-Africa relations. The expulsion of U.S. forces from Niger in 2024 due to a disagreement over a military coup d’état diminished U.S. standing in the Sahel. Despite these challenges, AFRICOM plays an important role in ensuring the viability of the Global Fragility Act in the littoral states and Mozambique. AFRICOM's dual role as a security actor and partner in development creates both opportunities and tensions in U.S. engagement with African states.
Joining Into Africa is Brigadier General Rose Lopez Keravuori, Director of Intelligence (J2) at U.S. Africa Command. Brigadier General Keravuori will discuss AFRICOM's accomplishments, the challenges it has faced, and its evolving role in U.S.-Africa relations.
This event is made possible by the generous support of Open Society Foundations.
Fearless music activists. Savvy tech entrepreneurs. Social disrupters. Into Africa shatters the narratives that dominate U.S. perceptions of Africa. Host Mvemba Phezo Dizolele, Africa program director and senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington D.C., sits down with policymakers, journalists, academics and other trailblazers in African affairs to shine a spotlight on the faces spearheading cultural, political, and economic change on the continent.
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