The Africa Dialogues

In this episode I spoke with Artem Adrianov, researcher on Arab affairs, consultant to business on the region, as well as expert at the Institute for International Studies at MGIMO University and project manager at the Primakov Center for International Cooperation. Artem was the host of the hit Russian-language podcast “The Oriental Express” for the Primakov Center, is the author of the telegram channel “All is well in Dubai”, has authored articles for Forbes, Vedomosti and other top media outlets. He is also regularly featured in both Russian and international media. Artem and I focused on the rising power of Gulf countries in Africa, what they are doing right and wrong, how their strategies enhance African development needs and why they are able to position themselves as key mediators for conflicts on the continent. Timecodes: 4:09 Why the Gulf countries are interested in Africa today, their strategic goals 10:38 Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries' best practices in the region 18:12 The geographic and influence breakdown amongst GCC countries in Africa. 21:21 The “friendly regime” dilemma in providing support to African countries 24:52 How big is the African security issue for Gulf states? 26:55 Qatar's credibility as a mediator in conflict in Africa and beyond 29:56 Artem's vision for how Africa-Gulf relations will evolve over the short to medium term future

During this episode I spoke with Gustavo de Carvalho, Senior Researcher in the African Governance and Diplomacy Programme at the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA). Gustavo has over 15 years of experience supporting policy development, capacity building, and research processes in Africa, particularly in multilateralism and the relationship between African actors and external partners. Gustavo has worked with various international organisations, universities, and think tanks, including the United Nations in Guinea-Bissau, the University of Johannesburg, the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), the African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD), and Global Witness. Gustavo holds a bachelor's degree in International Relations from the University of Brasilia and a Master's degree in African Studies from the University of Oxford. During our conversation, we discussed the African expansion of BRICS, which countries made the cut and why and how the changes play into the general group dynamic. We also touched upon the economic opportunities opened up by BRICS, the possibility of trading in national currencies and why the group is on an upward trajectory. Timecodes: 3:00 Gustavo's BRICS journey and areas of academic interest 5:02 The significance of the 2023 BRICS Summit in South Africa 9:48 The African expansion of BRICS: why Ethiopia and Egypt? 14:35 How South Africa lobbies for Africa. Other potential African BRICS candidates. 21:25 Is BRICS a group, club or organisation? 25:33 The African perception of BRICS 34:37 The key traits and ideas of the core BRICS members 47:21 What does joining BRICS give to the general public in Africa? 53:03 Is South Africa ready to share its stage/presence on the global arena? 57:33 What Gustavo feels when he thinks about the future of Africa

During this episode I spoke with Brian Mugabi, member of the Ugandan delegation at the 2023 Russia-Africa Summit, Assistant Lecturer at the Department of Theory and History of International Relations at RUDN University and PHD candidate. Having both been at the event, Brian and I exchanged opinions and impressions from the event, ran over the key takeaways and compared the 2019 and 2023 formats. We also discussed how many heads of state came to the summit and whether or not that matters, why African countries are tired of being caught in political crossfire, which of Russia’s offerings appeal to Africans most and what Russia’s alternative security architecture solution for the continent looks like. Timecodes: 3:55 The meaning of numbers. How many heads of state came to the summit and whether or not that matters. 8:40 Why your enemy should not be my enemy. Why Africa needs the right to chose its own partnerships. 10:14 The key expectations from the event, the Ugandan point of view 13:54 Russia’s alternative solution in terms of security architecture for Africa 16:08 What has been the role of major powers in Africa’s historical development course? 19:45 Africa can both cooperate with the West and have effective cooperation with Russia 20:30 Whether the Soviet legacy matters for the younger generation of Africans. The importance of knowing your national history and how you got to where you are today. 24:14 How the new emerging powers are providing an alternative sovereignty-focused model for Africa 31:13 Is free Russian grain for African enough to stabilise global prices and avoid a food-security meltdown? 33:57 The 2019 Summit VS 2023 Summit 39:53 Why most Africans and Russians learn about each other via Western media. The Summit as a space for unhindered dialogue. 43:15 More youth representation at the event 44:12 What Brian would like to see happen in the run-up to the next summit 47:19 Brian’s vision for the future of Russia-Africa and Russia-Uganda relations.

During this episode I spoke with Riverson Oppong, Commercial Manager in charge of Economic Modelling, Risk Management, and Policy Planning (ERP) at the Ghana National Gas Company, Adjunct Lecturer at Ghana Communication Technology University, Visiting Lecturer at the University of Cape Coast and GIMPA, as well as Chairperson of the Ghana Section of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE).Riverson holds a Ph.D. in Economics, with particular focus on International Oil and Gas Management. In addition, he serves as an advisor to African governments in building more resilient energy strategies, currently playing dynamic roles in Ghana's Energy Sector Recovery Program and Energy Transition Technical Committee. Riverson and I discussed the 3 key factors to cure energy poverty in Africa, why the AfCFTA and AU are not living up to their potential, how to ensure FDI serves local interests and why additional value chains can help Africans free themselves from the Dutch-disease curse. Timecodes: 4:35 Fighting energy poverty in Africa and beyond by ensuring availability, affordability and accessibility 18:25 Why AfCFTA and AU progress is stalling 28:50 The importance of creating raw material value chains for Africa's economy 35:48 The cure to energy poverty: experimenting with new technologies, expanding the grid and using multiple energy sources 44:24 How to ensure foreign investors are creating value for Africans 49:29 The natural instinct of any human being is to go home: the causes behind Africa's massive brain drain 53:39 Riverson's vision for the future of Africa

During this episode I spoke to Zongxu Xie, researcher on African climate and water issues and joint PhD candidate at Tsinghua University and Oxford. Zongxu is actively involved in youth Belt and Road initiatives in Africa, took part in landmark Chinese infrastructure projects on the continent such as the Isimba Hydropower Station in Uganda, and makes regular visits to Africa, both for field research, as well as in the role of intermediary between Chinese and African youth and NGOs. His main areas of focus include climate change, hydrology and international relations. Zongxu and I spoke about why and what China is building in Africa, how local universities are supporting Chinese and African business ventures, ways to make social impact when running projects on the continent and why the Chinese and African stories have more in common than you'd think. Timecodes: 3:17 The Belt and Road Initiative in Africa 4:10 China's role at the primary infrastructure giant 5:21 There's always space for partnership amongst great powers on the continent 7:39 Why hydropower is key to Africa's energy security 8:43 Building the Isimba Hydrostation in Uganda 10:34 Key hurdles in Africa's leap for energy security 14:56 Business incubators for Chinese and African ventures 16:31 About the project BRI Trip and BRI Talk 19:38 Zongxu's area of research 20:20 Field trips to Africa 21:42 China-Uganda relations 23:44 Zongxu's vision for the future of China-Africa relations This episode was recorded under the MGIMO University development programme “Priority 2030”

During this episode I spoke to Daria Labutina, journalist covering Russia’s big “Return to Africa” and member of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s journalist pool, author of the Telegram channel “Africa for Dummies”. Daria has been covering all things Africa for federal news agencies, having interviewed the prime-minister of the Central African Republic, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mali, as well as ambassadors to Russia from other countries of the region. She has also interviewed Russian ambassadors to Angola and the Central African Republic. Perhaps most importantly, she joined and covered the visits of Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov to Africa in 2022 and 2023. During the episode, Daria and I spoke about how Russia is building its PR strategy in Africa, how the high-level Africa visits went, why many Africans still speak Russian and whether or not the soviet legacy on the continent still matters. Timecodes: 2:53 Why everyone is talking about Africa 3:54 The year 2022 changed everything 5:46 Self perception and historical relations 7:26 Going to Africa with Foreign Minister Lavrov 11:28 Does the Soviet legacy in Africa still matter? 13:44 Interest in Africa VS actual financial opportunities 16:11 Russia’s PR strategy in Africa 19:06 Moving from growing influence to increasing trade 21:26 Why Russia needed to work with Africa from scratch 25:46 Russian chocolate on African markets This episode was recorded under the MGIMO University development programme “Priority 2030”

During this episode I spoke to Mwiya Musokotwane, Co-Managing Partner, Co-Founder and CEO of Thebe Investment Management, a Zambian private investment firm building the new satellite town Nkwashi, one of Africa’s largest real estate development projects. Mwiya was acknowledged as one of Africa’s brightest leaders in the 2018 Forbes Africa 30 Under 30 list, co-created the Zambia Technology Sector Working Group and is helping pioneer his country’s status as a local innovation and tech hub, an initiative backed by Etherum Founder Vitalik Buterin. During out chat, Mwiya and I discussed why Africa’s story for the next decade is going to be one of urbanisation, where Zambia’s best and brightest are today, why potential for impact is higher in Africa and how the continent’s future will be determined by self-sufficiency and what Africa can do for itself. Timecodes: 3:22 What you need to know about Zambia’s economy today 9:48 Becoming Africa’s next tech and innovation destination: social stability, tax incentives and simplified immigration status 17:21 Where are Zambia’s best and brightest right now? 22:21 There’s still a lot to be built. Why potential for impact is higher in Africa. 25:19 Why Africa’s story today is going to be one of urbanisation 29:31 Why the AfCFTA won’t work without sufficient infrastructure and tech businesses are under hyped 34:48 About local business etiquette: “I’ve never been to a Zambian meeting where people say no” 37:39 No space for pity and no charity case: why Africa’s future will depend on what it can do for itself

During this episode I spoke to Princess Mthombeni, former advisor to the South African government, nuclear technology advocate and communication specialist. Princess is a regular at high-profile global events such as UN Climate Change Conferences, various International Atomic Energy Agency working formats, the Japan Atomic Industrial Forum Conference and International Atom Expo. She is also the founder of the NGO Africa4Nuclear.During our discussion, Princess and I spoke about South Africa’s current energy struggles, what some are calling the the make-or-break moment as the country’s leadership consider declaring a national state of disaster. We spoke about the 205 days of blackouts in 2022, root causes and Africa’s energy independence and sovereignty. Timecodes: 2:24 An overview of the current energy crisis in South Africa 4:18 Changes in the work of the state owned power utility Eskom and how they’re relevant to the crisis 5:21 What is load-shedding? 7:03 How South Africa’s situation compares to other countries of the region 9:30 Why it isn't fair to expect green energy from a continent in the midst of an energy crisis 11:44 The link between energy security and geopolitical independence 13:21 The importance of communication and information campaigns when it comes to nuclear in Africa 15:13 The past 10 years of South Africa’s nuclear journey 19:57 The root causes of Africa’s energy struggles 22:00 How to work with concern over political risks when it comes to nuclear 23:36 Ways the South African governments energy stance is changing 25:43 The perception of Russian nuclear technology in Africa 29:21 Do good relations between South Africa and Russia actually affect business decisions? 30:40 The importance of Africa having its own nuclear medicine hubs 33:05 Princy’s vision for the future of Africa

Today’s guest is Mikhail Lyapin, Founder at Patron Kenya, Managing partner at the business development consulting company Exotic.vc and Author of the telegram channel about business in Africa - @Mzungugram. During our discussion, Mikhail and I touched upon the face of modern Russian business in Africa today, why he chose East Africa as the starting point for his business, why high-level agreements don't always lead to real benefit for business working on the ground and what to know when beginning your journey doing business in Africa. Timecodes 1:55 The art of doing business in Africa 6:15 What different sub-regions and countries have to offer in terms of business opportunity 8:13 About the concept of the Kenyan hustler nation 12:49 How protocols, documents and other results of the Russia-Africa Summit presented themselves on the ground in Africa 14:20 Moving from planning to action 16:30 How the need for IT and software independence led to the success of “My Office”in Africa 17:30 The main roadblocks when trying to launch your business in Africa 19:17 Why the Russian way of doing business doesn't work in Africa 21:10 How technical restrictions and artificial conditions gave way to M-Pesa’s groundbreaking success 24:15 Why Africa is the next India and how laptops will solve the continent’s IT gap

Today’s guest is Ryan Collyer, CEO of Rosatom in Central and Southern Africa. Rosatom is a Russian energy company that specializes in nuclear energy, non-energy nuclear applications and other high-tech solutions. The company plays an important role in Africa’s energy security, has been supplying enriched uranium to the continent as well as building Egypt’s first nuclear power plant and providing educational and research support to other African countries. This all comes at critical times for the continent. Africa continues to grapple with the effects of its electricity struggles and seeks new pathways to its energy security and sovereignty. During the episode we spoke about what local governments can do to attract investment to the energy sector, why companies need a healthy risk appetite to do well on the continent and why a diversified energy mix is key to Africa’s sustainable energy development. Timecodes 2:20 Africa’s current energy situation, progress made and success stories 6:21 Public perception of nuclear energy amongst the generations 10:27 How nuclear tech can address Africa’s healthcare and agriculture challenges 13:53 How the investment appetite of Russian business towards Africa is changing 14:47 Top priorities for Russian investment to Africa 15:50 What Russian companies need to do to succeed in Africa 17:44 Why Africa can now compete with historically more stable markets 18:32 How to mitigate risk when working in Africa 20:18 Lessons learned from the El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant experience 23:01 Long and short-term expectations from how Africa will expand its nuclear opportunities 24:23 What Ryan thinks about what it means to do business in Africa today and what he expects from the future of the continent #Rosatom #EnergySecurity

This episode’s guest is Kabanda Chewe, Country Manager for Yango in Zambia. Kabanda graduated from the Saint Petersburg State University of Economics and holds a Specialist Degree in Finace & Credit. She is a certified Financial Modeling and Valuation Analyst (FMVA) and Project Management Professional (PMP), as well as a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Shaper Community. She is passionate about tech, Africa and women's issues. During the episode, we spoke about doing business in Zambia, new tech facilitating Africa’s economic leap forward, ways for governments to attract and stimulate innovation and raising the next generation of African talent. Timecodes 2:30 How Zambia’s story and economic landscape is changing 8:02 The 2021 elections’ impact on Zambia’s business climate 9:06 Why new tech can enable Africa’s leap forward and Yango’s role in providing opportunities for locals 11:21 Key takeaways from launching a new product in Africa 15:30 Logistics as the backbone of trade and how Africa can implement large-scale infrastructure projects 20:07 Difficulties in reaching consensus for new mega-projects amongst African countries 21:35 What’s holding Africa back from its full growth 25:45 Southern Africa’s offerings in terms of innovation and tech 27:50 Sentiment amongst young Africans around the continent’s development 30:30 What needs to be done to raise the next generation of African talents 35:20 Africa’s new Silicon Valleys 37:16 Kabanda’s thoughts on the future of Africa Kabanda's contact details: kabanda@yango.com