The Africa Program

Trade Not Aid Is the Wrong Debate for Africa

Africa is often framed through the lens of aid, but in an era of global competition over critical minerals, infrastructure, and markets, the debate over “trade not aid” misses a larger point. In this episode of The Africa Program Podcast, Mvemba Phezo Dizolele speaks with Daniele Nyirandutiye, partner at Desmos Capital Partners and former USAID mission director in Uganda, about how development assistance has helped build the regulatory systems, capital markets, and business environments that make trade possible. She argues that commercial diplomacy alone cannot succeed without the technical foundation that development provides. The conversation explores U.S. competitiveness, small and medium enterprises, fintech innovation, and why investors should look beyond headline sectors to find opportunity across Africa. A timely discussion on trade, development, and the long-term strategy needed to unlock Africa’s economic potential.

When Sanctions Replace Strategy in U.S. Africa Policy

Sanctions have become a default instrument of foreign policy. From Sudan and Zimbabwe to Russia, Cuba, and Iran, they are often the first response to crisis. But do sanctions actually change behavior, or do they simply signal that something has been done? In this episode of The Africa Program Podcast, Mvemba Phezo Dizolele speaks with Brad Brooks-Rubin, partner at Arc Torus and former senior advisor in the U.S. State Department’s Office of Sanctions Coordination, to unpack how modern sanctions regimes work and why they so often fall short of their stated goals. Brooks-Rubin traces the evolution of sanctions from broad countrywide embargoes to targeted measures aimed at individuals, companies, and financial networks. He argues that sanctions are not behavior-change tools but behavior-disruption tools, designed to create leverage for diplomacy. Without a clear policy objective and the political will to target enablers, sanctions risk becoming a substitute for strategy. The conversation explores case studies from Zimbabwe, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Syria, Iran, and Cuba, examining the role of financial systems, conflict minerals, outside enablers, and global power politics. It also addresses a persistent question: when sanctions are lifted, why do economies often fail to rebound? A candid and wide-ranging discussion on leverage, diplomacy, political will, and the limits of economic pressure in Africa and beyond.

What’s Blinking on Africa’s Dashboard in a New Global Era

Africa is at the center of global competition, but also at a pivotal moment in its own transformation. In this episode of The Africa Program Podcast, Mvemba Phezo Dizolele is joined by Fonteh Akum, Executive Director of the Institute for Security Studies, to examine the major trends shaping Africa’s future as the world enters a new year. Drawing on a continent-wide perspective, Akum outlines what is “blinking on the dashboard”: Africa’s youthful demographics, rapid technological adoption, growing private sector ambition, and intensifying global interest in the continent’s resources, markets, and votes at the United Nations. He explains why opportunity and risk are deeply intertwined, and why conflict, climate change, displacement, and development can no longer be treated as separate challenges. The conversation explores the gap between youthful aspirations and economic realities, the structural barriers facing small and medium enterprises, the political economy of infrastructure and energy, and the urgent need for accountable governance. Akum also reflects on African agency in resolving conflicts, negotiating global partnerships, and leveraging critical minerals for industrialization rather than extraction. A wide-ranging and timely discussion on where Africa stands today—and what it will take to turn long-standing potential into durable progress.

Journalism, Identity, and the Politics of Africa Coverage

Covering Africa is never just about reporting events—it is about history, context, power, and perspective. In this episode of The Africa Program Podcast, Mvemba Phezo Dizolele speaks with award-winning journalist and author Michela Wrong, whose reporting and books have shaped global understanding of Africa for more than three decades. Wrong reflects on her path into Africa reporting, from Reuters postings in West and Central Africa to witnessing the aftermath of the Rwandan genocide and documenting the legacies of leaders like Mobutu Sese Seko. She discusses the responsibilities and risks of writing about authoritarian regimes, corruption, and political violence, including the backlash she has faced following her reporting on Rwanda. The conversation explores who gets to tell Africa’s stories, the dangers of parachute journalism, the evolution of African and Western media coverage, and why rigor, curiosity, and accountability matter more than the identity of the storyteller. A candid discussion on journalism, power, and the enduring struggle over Africa’s narrative.

Why Military Coups Still Resonate Across Africa with Judd Devermont

Coups have shaped African politics since independence, and they are once again at the center of the continent’s political debate. In this episode of The Africa Program Podcast, Mvemba Phezo Dizolele is joined by Judd Devermont, former senior director for African affairs at the U.S. National Security Council, to examine why coups continue to resonate with African publics and why they so often fail to deliver lasting change. Drawing on decades of history, from Mobutu and Rawlings to today’s juntas in the Sahel, Devermont explains why many coups are initially popular, how military rulers frame themselves as corrective forces, and why most end up reproducing the very governance failures they claim to overthrow. The conversation explores the role of conflict, populism, generational divides within the military, and the evolving response of the United States and the international community. A sobering and timely discussion on democracy, security, and whether Africa can finally escape the long shadow of coup politics.