The Young World Podcast

Ownership Over Aid: Reimagining the HIV Response across the Young World

We were closer than ever to ending HIV as a public health threat before significant global funding reductions shifted the landscape. With major donors scaling back, the Young World faces a defining choice: allow decades of progress to erodeor forge a new, sustainable path forward. In this episode, Lamek Nyabuga is joined by Kerry Mangold, Principal in Health at Genesis Analytics, to discuss how African nations are responding to this transition. They explore the vital shift from donor dependency to genuine country ownership, where nations lead their own health strategies and manage their own data. From the rollout of long-acting preventatives to the essential role of community-led monitoring, this conversation highlights the resilience required to ensure the 2030 goal remains attainable through efficiency and local leadership.

The Case for a United Africa: Why African Integration is the Only Path Forward

As global trade shifts toward nationalism and protectionism, Africa is pursuing a historic counter-narrative through the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AFCFTA). In this episode, Professor David Luke explains why integration is not just an option but the continent's only genuine pathway to sustainable development. From the necessity of economic scale to the challenges of guided trade and fragmented regulations, this conversation explores how a unified market can transform 54 individual economies into a global powerhouse.

Portable Protection: Why Social Safety Nets Must Go Beyond National Borders

Migration is often discussed in terms of statistics and politics, but at its heart, it is about people moving to survive. Whether driven by climate change, conflict, or the search for work, millions of people across Africa are on the move. In this conversation, Ellie Chesshire and Dr. Jason explore why our current social safety nets are failing these vulnerable groups because they stop at national borders. They discuss the concept of "portable" social protection, insurance and support that follows a person wherever they go, and why we must replace divisive rhetoric with evidence-based policies that treat migration as a tool for shared development rather than a crisis to be managed.

Navigating the Storm: How to Make Smart Policy in a Volatile World

Welcome back to the Young World Podcast! In the third episode of our new season, host Emma Green sits down with Lael Bethlehem and Vuyo Guma to discuss the art of smart and resilient policymaking in an increasingly volatile world. As geopolitical shifts, climate uncertainty, and rapid technological change disrupt the status quo, governments in the Young World must find ways to move beyond traditional, slow-moving bureaucracies to achieve impact. The episode explores real-world examples of reform, specifically looking at the success of South Africa’s Operation Vulindlela, a flagship delivery unit designed to unlock growth and cross-government collaboration. We explore the complexities of the South African visa system, uncovering how even well-intended laws can be undermined by implementation hurdles. From Regulatory Impact Assessments (RIA) to establishing high-bandwidth organisations, our guests explain why getting policy right requires a blend of technical rigour and adaptability. "Policy is an instrument of change... the question is, can policy be used in a real-world manner that actually shifts the needle?"

The Real-Time Revolution: How Instant Payments are Changing African Lives

Welcome back to the Young World Podcast! In this episode, host Monica Fluke is joined by Tochukwu Egesi (Head of Payments & Digital Financial Services at Genesis Analytics) and William Uko (Head of Strategy and Research at NIBSS) to discuss the future of Africa as a real-time economy. For too long, moving money across Africa has been slow, expensive, and heavily reliant on cash, a system that often leaves the most vulnerable behind. But a quiet revolution is happening. Our guests unpack the rise of Instant Payment Systems (IPS) and explain how this technology is moving beyond simple convenience to build a "real-time economy." From gig workers receiving instant wages to smallholder farmers securing immediate payment for their harvests, we explore how real-time data and funds are becoming the new engine for continental development.