Into Africa

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.

Government
Non-Profit
151
We are Young
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
31 min
152
Toward a More Pragmatic U.S. Policy on China-Af...
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
37 min
153
It’s a Woman’s World
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 ambassad
33 min
154
The Beautiful Game’s Soft Power
As African national teams battle it out on the pitch in Cairo, Host Judd Devermont (CSIS Africa Program Director) is joined by Trina Bolton (U.S. State Department), Ayodeji Rotinwa (African Arguments) and Richard Downie (CSIS) to discuss the political im
32 min
155
Where’s the “Poll” in U.S. Policy?
Should polling shape U.S. policy decisions in Africa? Emmanuel Gyimah-Boadi (Afrobarometer), Christopher Fomunyoh (National Democratic Institute) and Brittany Brown (International Crisis Group) join Judd Devermont (CSIS) to discuss the role of polling in
35 min
156
There’s No One-Size-Fits-All Transition
Supporting political transitions from military to civilian rule in Africa requires consistent engagement, international coordination, and diplomatic flexibility. If mishandled, it could result in violence and a democratic reversal. This episode features
36 min
157
Updating the Coup Playbook
How do coup d'etats unfold in sub-Saharan Africa? Host Judd Devermont (CSIS Africa Program Director) sits down with experts Naunihal Singh (Naval War College), Max Siollun (Nigerian historian and author), and Alexis Arieff (Congressional Research Service
35 min
158
Podcasting Across Africa
How can podcasts about Africa help counter outdated perceptions of the continent? Podcast hosts Judd Devermont (CSIS, Into Africa), Kim Yi Dionne (University of California, Riverside; Uhafamu Africa), Rachel Beatty Reidl (Northwestern University, Uhafamu
33 min
159
Charting a New Course for African Cities
Africa’s future is urban. The continent will become 50 percent urban by 2030 and its urban population will double by 2050, yet policymakers have not revised their programmatic approach. In this recording from their 2019 Global Development Forum session,
27 min
160
The Famished Road
How do we build roads to the future? Former Liberian Minister of Public Works Gyude Moore (Center for Global Development) explains how cutting-edge technology can revolutionize Africa’s basic infrastructure challenges. Judd Devermont (CSIS), Diane McMaho
25 min
161
Collateral Trade Damage
A trade war has escalated between the U.S. and China, and African economies are caught in the crossfire. On this episode, Bill Reinsch (CSIS), Catherine Chiang (CSIS), and Julius Agbor (Vanguard University of Southern California) join Judd Devermont (CSI
24 min
162
The Art of Analysis
U.S. intelligence analysts, as well as academics and political risk consultants, struggle to anticipate and assess leadership transitions in sub-Saharan Africa. Judd Devermont (CSIS), Jeffrey Herbst (American Jewish University), Mike Noll (The George Was
29 min
163
The Gulf, East Africa, and the Great Game
Gulf states are making moves on the continent, adding another layer to Africa's increasingly crowded and complex political landscape. Zach Vertin (Brookings Doha Center), Raechel Haecker (former Deputy National Intelligence Officer for Africa), and Godfr
30 min
164
Know Your (Human) Rights
Human rights violations persist across Africa. How can the global community engage national governments to reverse this trend? Judd Devermont (CSIS) puts the question to experts Carine Kaneza Nantulya (Human Rights Watch), Amy Lehr (CSIS), and Chidi Odin
32 min
165
It Takes a Million to Hold Us Back
A new generation of African protesters are using technology and innovation to call out injustices. Judd Devermont (CSIS), Mvemba Phezo Dizolele (Johns Hopkins University), Zachariah Mampilly (Vassar College), and former Ambassador Bisa Williams (independ
20 min
166
Decoding the Continent
Big data is unlocking Africa’s complex problems. Olúseun Onígbińdé (BudgIT), Ariel Ben Yishay (AidData), and Hilary Matfess (Yale) share how data helps hold leaders to account, track foreign spending, and assess security threats. With Judd Devermont (CSI
27 min
167
Truth, Lies, and Journalism
Journalism remains a vital but dangerous profession in sub-Saharan Africa. Rodney Sieh (FrontPage Africa), Jon Temin (Freedom House) and Siobhan O’Grady (Washington Post) join Judd Devermont (CSIS) to discuss Rodney's recent book, Journalist on Trial, an
27 min
168
No Peace to Keep
What happens when peacekeepers deploy to an active conflict zone?  Judd Devermont (CSIS), Dr. Paul Williams (George Washington University), Alice Friend (CSIS) and SRSG Parfait Onanga-Anyanga (MINUSCA) examine the challenge of peacekeeping where there is
25 min
169
Whose Election Is It Anyway?
With elections heating up across the continent, Michelle Gavin (Council on Foreign Relations), John Tomaszewski (International Republican Institute), and Idayat Hassan (Centre for Democracy and Development) join Judd to talk election monitoring and the r
30 min
170
Music is the Weapon of the People
Judd sits down with renowned Afro-beats star and fearless activist, Bobi Wine, to discuss how his music is inspiring Ugandan youths to challenge state repression. Damola Durosomo (OkayAfrica) and Lauren Ploch Blanchard (Congressional Research Service) jo
37 min