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.
1
Africa at a Crossroads: The 2025 African Union ...
Dr. Solomon Dersso, adjunct professor at the University of Cape Town and founding director of Amani Africa, joins to analyze the AU’s evolving role, the implications of the 2025 Summit, and the challenges facing the organization in maintaining unity and effectiveness.
38 min
2
The think tank making impact evaluation skills ...
Catherine Nzuki is joined by Dr. Constantine Manda, the co-founder and inaugural Director of the IE Lab at ESRF; and Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of California, Irvine. They discuss what impact evaluation is, why it’s important for every Tanzanian to be introduced to impact evaluation methods, and how the IE Lab tailors its training for policymakers and local authorities.
28 min
3
Finding Paths to Sustainable Development in Africa
Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli, CEO and President of the ONE Campaign, discusses how the organization leverages public, private, and non-profit partnerships to create opportunities of sustainable development on the continent.
45 min
4
The new Alliance of Sahel States and the future...
Catherine Nzuki is joined by Beverly Ochieng, Senior Analyst for Francophone Africa at Control Risks, and a Senior Associate with the CSIS Africa Program, to unpack the forming of the Alliance of Sahel States and more.
48 min
5
Africa’s Narrative Revolution
Yinka Adegoke, editor of Semafor Africa, joined Into Africa to discuss the rapidly changing media landscape across the continent.
35 min
6
DeepSeek’s AI is cheap. Is this a game-changer ...
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.
41 min
7
Power, Politics, and Peace in Somalia
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.
34 min
8
The fallout of the U.S. aid freeze in Washingto...
Catherine Nzuki is joined by Andrew Friedman, Senior Fellow with the CSIS Human Rights Initiative, and Samuel Itodo, Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, to discuss the impacts of the U.S. aid freeze and the future of foreign aid in Africa and the world.
44 min
9
AFRICOM at 17: Shaping U.S.-Africa Relations
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.
75 min
10
The festivities and frustrations of ‘detty Dece...
Catherine Nzuki is joined by Oluwatomisin Amokeoja, a journalist with Forbes Africa, to give an overview of ‘detty December’ in Lagos.
30 min
11
The Reporter’s Note: Observations on U.S. Afric...
Mvemba and Julian Pecquet, United States correspondent for the Africa Report, examine the complexities of U.S.-Africa relations amid pressing geopolitical challenges and a transition to a new U.S. administration.
37 min
12
Decoding demographics with Dr. Jennifer D. Sciubba
Catherine Nzuki is joined by Dr. Jennifer D. Sciubba, President and CEO of the Population Reference Bureau and one of the foremost experts in the field of political demography.
31 min
13
Africa’s bid for two permanent UNSC seats (with...
This holiday season, we’re dreaming of a just and representative global order. Catherine Nzuki is joined by Ambassador Martin Kimani, PhD, the Executive Director of New York University’s Center on International Cooperation. He was previously the Permanent Representative of Kenya to the United Nations (UN).
59 min
14
The Fight Against HIV and Gender-Based Violence
Mvemba is joined by Dr. Uche Ralph-Opara, Chief Health Officer at Project HOPE, to discuss the progress made and the hurdles that remain in achieving epidemic control. Their conversation highlights innovative approaches to addressing gender inequality and empowering vulnerable populations.
26 min
15
Africa spends more on servicing debt than on he...
Tim Jones (Policy Director at Debt Justice UK) walks us through the causes of Africa's debt crisis, its impact, and how it can be fixed.
40 min
16
A behind-the-scenes tour of Afrobarometer, Afri...
Catherine Nzuki is joined by Joseph Asunka, PhD, CEO of Afrobarometer, the leading source of public attitude data in Africa.
38 min
17
Internal Challenges: Ghana’s Security Landscape
Paul Nana Kwabena Aborampah Mensah, program manager in charge of security sector governance at the Ghana Center for Democratic Development, joins Mvemba less than a month before Ghana’s election.
49 min
18
Trump has won a second term. What does his vict...
Catherine Nzuki is joined by Mvemba Phezo Dizolele (CSIS Africa Director and Senior Fellow) and Cameron Hudson (Africa Program Senior Fellow) for a discussion on what President-Elect Donald Trump's second term would mean for the U.S. approach to Africa, and how African capitals may be strategizing for his second term.
33 min
19
Rwanda's Strained Relations with Neighbours
Retired General James Kabarebe, Rwanda's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, offers an inside perspective on the security challenges Rwanda faces with its neighbors.
64 min
20
The boomers in Mali getting their news from TikTok
Catherine Nzuki is joined by Doussouba Konaté, to unpack the story of boomers in Mali consuming news on TikTok.
36 min
21
Introducing The Afropolitan Podcast
The future of cosmopolitanism is increasingly African. The Afropolitan delves into the stories, trends, and challenges shaping today’s realities and defining the decades ahead.
1 min
22
Youth Voices: The New Wave of Kenyan Activism
Mvemba is joined by Kenyan youth leaders to discuss the ongoing dissatisfaction of Kenyan youth.
42 min
23
Botswana Beyond Diamonds
Mvemba discusses Botswana's political landscape and development with Kagiso Molatlhwa, Executive Director of the Botswana Council of Non-Governmental Organizations (BOCONGO). Molatlhwa emphasizes the need for economic diversification, improved service delivery, and a more inclusive constitution.
46 min
24
Security and Governance in Nigeria
Kemi Okenyondo, the Founder/Executive Director of the Rule of Law and Empowerment Initiative also known as Partners West Africa Nigeria, joins to discuss accountability for Nigeria's military and police and security issues in the country.
44 min
25
Fostering Transformative Leadership: The Mandel...
In this episode of Into Africa, Mvemba is joined by three distinguished MWF alumni who share their experiences and insights from the fellowship, as well as their professional journeys.
35 min