Into Africa

Season 2 of Into Africa starts next week. Host Judd Devermont unveils some of the exciting new features in store for the next season. As our audience grows, so do our ideas and this will be reflected in the new topics, high-profile guests, and dynamic formats we plan to showcase.What to expect: Special interviews with prominent African leaders, live streamed in-studio shows, off-site live recordings, and more!

With the conclusion of the first-ever Russia-Africa Summit in Sochi, how should the U.S. respond to Russia’s return to Africa? What are Putin’s goals for the region? Host Judd Devermont talks Russian engagement with Simon Allison (Mail & Guardian), Andrea Kendall-Taylor (Center for a New American Security) and Karen Monaghan (retired CIA officer). Guests also discuss the latest on CAR’s conflict and Guinea-Bissau’s pivotal upcoming presidential elections.Background reading:Russian Theater: How to Respond to Moscow’s Return to the African Stage - Commentary by Judd Devermont

What role does digital identity play in unlocking Africa’s economic potential? Host Judd Devermont sits down with Magdi Amin (Omidyar Network), Cameron Hudson (Atlantic Council) and Victoria Crandall (Young African Entrepreneur podcast) to discuss the significance of digital ID, Sudan’s battle to implement reforms and revive its economy, and Benin’s current state of affairs.

How does language shape diplomatic engagement on a continent that houses such linguistic variety? In our third episode with African Arguments, host Judd Devermont explores this question with Nanjala Nyabola (Author), Catherine Kelly (African Center for Strategic Studies), and Michele Wagner (U.S. State Department). Guests also review the Somalia-Kenya maritime border dispute and Senegalese President Macky Sall’s eyebrow-raising decision to pardon a political rival.

African creatives are using their talents to represent the region and reshape African narratives. Host Judd Devermont chats with innovators Fati Abubaker, (Independent photojournalist) and Mike Achode (Crudo Volta), as well as academic Lindsey Green-Simms (American University) about perceptions of the continent and opportunities to impact U.S. policy. Plus, guests examine the rise of xenophobic violence in South Africa and what the Pope’s visit to Africa means for the future of the Catholic Church.

Why are some political parties able to hold onto power for decades? Do they still connect with their constituents or is the playing field uneven? Host Judd Devermont, Anne Pitcher (University of Michigan), Liberata Mulamula (George Washington University) and Emily Renard (Open Society Foundations) tackle these questions and open the conversation with spotlights on Angola and Congo-Brazzaville. (Note: The CSIS Africa Program has partnered with Open Society Foundations. However, this relationship did not inform the substance of this podcast episode.)

Despite democratic gains in Africa, some of its leaders are seeking to ditch presidential term limits and extend their grip on power. In this episode of Into Africa, host Judd Devermont (CSIS), Ayisha Osori (Open Society Initiative for West Africa), Alex Noyes (RAND Corporation), and Ambassador Mark Bellamy (CSIS) review the state of term limits in Africa and why some may view their leadership as indispensable. The experts also review Nigeria’s new cabinet of ministers and the deteriorating economic conditions in Zimbabwe. (Note: The CSIS Africa Program has partnered with Open Society Foundations and has a pending project proposal with OSIWA. However, these relationships did not inform the substance of this podcast episode.)

How can the U.S. support Africa’s next generation? Judd sits down with two young African leaders, Beverley Hatcher-Mbu (Africa Policy Accelerator) and Ezbora Lubamba (Young African Leaders Initiative), as well as the Executive Director of Emerging Public Leaders, Yawa Hansen-Quao, for a conversation on how leadership programs can equip youths to tackle African challenges and opportunities. Guests also weigh in on the recent U.S. Congressional delegation visit to Ghana and renewed interests in Africa’s entertainment market.

How should the United States respond to China’s rapidly expanding footprint in Africa? Host Judd Devermont (CSIS) teams up with the co-hosts of the China in Africa Podcast, Cobus van Staden and Eric Olander, as well as Yun Sun (Stimson Center) to discuss how the U.S. government can develop a more pragmatic and effective policy to manage China’s activities in Africa. A review of President Ramaphosa’s progress in South Africa and Zambian President Lungu’s crackdown on anti-China politicians serve as episode preludes. This episode is a joint production with the China in Africa Podcast, hosted and produced by the founders of the China Africa Project, Eric Olander and Cobus van Staden. Click here to listen to the China in Africa Podcast edition of the program. Subscribe to the China in Africa podcast on Apple Podcasts. Subscribe to the China Africa Project email newsletter.

From Sudanese protest icons to top political posts in Ethiopia, Liberia, and beyond, women are rising rapidly to the helm of sub-Saharan African politics. Host Judd Devermont is joined by Riva Levinson (KRL International), Mwende Mwinzi (Kenya’s ambassadorial designate to South Korea), and Esther Tawiah (Gender Centre for Empowering Development) to dissect the challenges women face as they break into a historically male-dominated arena. The episode begins with quick takes of the Trump Administration’s “Prosper Africa” initiative and motivations behind Liberia’s June 7th protests.