Viral Diplomacy

12/17/20 • 41 min

How does multilateral diplomacy transform during a global pandemic? In our season finale, Judd Devermont is joined by Alex Rondos (European Union), Sanusha Naidu (Institute for Global Dialogue), and Susan Page (University of Michigan) to discuss relationship building in a pre- and post-pandemic world. Guests also examine key developments in the conflict in Ethiopia's Tigray region, and expectations for the incoming Chair of the African Union, DRC's President Felix Tshisekedi. See you in the New Year for Into Africa's third season.

Background Reading:

The Battle of Mekelle and Its Implications for Ethiopia - Judd Devermont
Rediscovering America: Why African Leader Tours Benefit U.S. Foreign Policy - Judd Devermont and Catherine Chiang

Background Reading:

The Battle of Mekelle and Its Implications for Ethiopia - Judd Devermont
Rediscovering America: Why African Leader Tours Benefit U.S. Foreign Policy - Judd Devermont and Catherine Chiang

Previous Episode

Exploring the Digital Currency Frontier

Covid-19 has accelerated the adoption of digital currency and mobile money platforms in Africa. How can innovations in FinTech lower the barriers to vital remittance flows? Judd Devermont is joined by Yomi Kazeem (Quartz Africa), Alexis Akwagyiram (Reuters), and Deepali Fernandes (IOM) to discuss the tug-of-war between innovation and regulation, high-tech solutions to expanding internet access across the continent, and the Trump Administration's opposition to the first African and first female Director-General of the WTO.

Background Readings:

The Trump White House is the last obstacle to a first African leader of the WTO – Yomi Kazeem
The WTO DG Race: What Happens Now? – William Alan Reinsch
Google is working on delivering super-fast internet in Africa with experimental light beams – Yomi Kazeem
The Train is Leaving the Station: The Future of Digital Currency in Sub-Saharan Africa – Judd Devermont & Topaz Mukulu
Regulators in Africa's big economies are scrambling to get on top of a spike in cryptocurrency trade – Yomi Kazeem
How Bitcoin met the real world in Africa – Alexis Akwagyiram

Next Episode

Season Three Preview

Welcome to the third season of the Into Africa podcast. As always, Judd Devermont has an exciting lineup of high-profile guests from around the world joining in to unpack African politics and policy and dig deeper into new topics. There's a lot to look forward to this year: Chinese tech in Africa, vaccine diplomacy, conflict minerals, and the reparation of African artifacts. We also plan to host webinar shows with U.S. universities and African think tanks. See you next week for our special anniversary episode featuring Kenyan afro-pop band, Sauti Sol!