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
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
2
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
3
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
4
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
5
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
6
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
7
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
8
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
9
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
10
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
11
Rethinking U.S.-Africa Strategy
Former CSIS Africa Program director and Into Africa’s creator, Judd Devermont, rejoins the podcast to share his insights into the U.S.’s approach to Africa and the role of America in a multipolar world. Drawing on his experience as Special Assistant to President Biden and Senior Director for African Affairs at the National Security Council, Judd offers a deep and informed perspective on these critical issues.
38 min
12
Building Africa’s Digital Future
Fran Katsoudas, Executive VP and Chief People, Policy and Purpose Officer at Cisco, joins Mvemba to share findings from Cisco’s recently launched report “Elevating Africa's Cyber Resilience: Unveiling Regional Challenges and Charting AI Solutions.”
32 min
13
Partnerships for Peace: The Global Fragility Act
Peter Quaranto, Director of the Office of African Affairs in the Department of State Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations (CSO), joins Mvemba to share CSO’s approach to better anticipate, prevent and mitigate violent conflicts. They discuss how CSO’s mission to strengthen U.S.-Africa partnerships for a more peaceful future.
39 min
14
The Hidden Genius Project
The CEO and founder of The Hidden Genius Project, Dr. Brandon Nicholson joined Mvemba to dive into what it means to be a hidden genius and how his team curates programs that support their mission.
30 min
15
Young and Radical
Mvemba is joined by McDonald Lewanika, Southern Africa Regional Director at Accountability Lab, to discuss the importance of adapting to Africa’s fast-changing demographics by ensuring that the majority’s voices are catered for and given the appropriate platform.
39 min
16
Understanding the DRC’s Governance Structure
Fred Bauma, Senior Fellow and Executive Secretary of Ebuteli, joins Mvemba to discuss the reasons this government took so long to form, the state of governance in DRC, and the expectations of Tshisekedi’s second term in office.
31 min
17
That’s A Great Question!
Mvemba is joined by Claude Grunitzky, Founder of TRACE and friend of the pod, to discuss asking the right questions about Africa, and limitless answers.
35 min
18
Into the Africa Land Forces Summit
Mvemba, joined by Command Sergeant Major Reese Teakell of the US Army Southern European Task Force and Command Sergeant Jeremiah E. Inman of US Army Europe and Africa, discusses the highlights of partnerships between African and partner nations in security training, focusing on NCO education programs and leadership development.
22 min
19
The Twists and Turns of U.S.- Tanzania Bilatera...
Mvemba is joined by Ambassador Michael Battle, United States Ambassador to Tanzania, to discuss the history and current state of U.S.- Tanzania bilateral relations. Ambassador Battle shares his hopes of transformed US-Tanzania relations from an aid and development assistance model to a trade and investment model.
45 min
20
From a Jail Cell to the Presidential Palace
Hawa Ba, Director of Core Partners in Open Society Foundations, joins Mvemba to share her impressions from Senegal's election.
35 min
21
The State of Eight: Challenges Facing the East ...
Beverly Ochieng, CSIS Senior Associate (Non-Resident), and Pascal Kambale, Human Rights Lawyer, join Mvemba to untangle the issues and opportunities faced by the EAC.
40 min
22
Project Hope: Improving Maternal Health in Sier...
Mvemba is joined by Dr. Uche Ralph-Opara, the Chief Health Officer at Project HOPE to discuss the current situation, work, and progress made by Project Hope in improving maternal health crisis in Sierra Leone.
30 min
23
AFCON and the Power of Unity
Afolabi Adekaiyaoja, Research Analyst at CDD-West Africa, joins to discuss the remarkable achievements of AFCON 2023, its impact on Africa and beyond, and the inextricable links between sports and politics.
39 min
24
Mali: Between the Lines
Moussa Kondo, Executive Director Sahel Institute, joins Mvemba to share perspectives and insights into the political and economic landscape of Mali.
31 min
25
Breaking Up with ECOWAS
Mvemba is joined by General Saleh Bala, retired Brigadier General from the Nigerian military and CEO White Ink Consult in Abuja, Nigeria, to discuss how to understand the withdrawal of AES and where ECOWAS falls short as a regional bloc.
35 min