Fragmented or United? Africa’s Sub-Regions in a New Era

July 11, 2025

In this episode, we discuss whether Africa’s sub-regions foster unity or deepen divides, examine how they handle political crises, and consider the impact of global powers on regional dynamics. We explore what’s needed for stronger cooperation and how Africa can preserve its diversity while building a shared future.

Speakers
Bilal Mahli
International Relations Specialist
Bilal Mahli is an International Relations Specialist at the Strategic Analysis & Monitoring Unit of the Policy Center for the New South. His research focuses on Europe and the Middle East, analyzing geopolitical dynamics, policy development, and governance in these regions. Bilal holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations from the Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences in Kleve, Germany, and a master’s degree in Political Science from the University of Cologne, Germany. He has previously worked in national public institutions in Germany, contributing to policy analysis and development. ...
Sait Matty Jaw
Associate Fellow at the Center for Research and Policy Development & lecturer in Political Sciences
...

RELATED CONTENT

  • Authors
    Marianna Albuquerque
    September 23, 2026
    The author of this opinion, Marianna Albuquerque, is a 2022 alumna of the Atlantic Dialogues Emerging Leaders Program.As world leaders gather in New York for the 81st United Nations General Assembly, climate change returns to the center of multilateral diplomacy under markedly different circumstances. The debate is no longer confined to whether the world must decarbonize, but increasingly centers on how the transition will happen, who will bear its costs, who will capture ...
  • Authors
    Luladay Berhanu Mengistie
    Guillaume Gérout Suominen
    September 21, 2026
    The African Union Summit of February 2026 instructed the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Council of Ministers to negotiate a Protocol on Industrial Policy and Development. This work, handled without adequate preparation, is likely to reproduce the weaknesses it is meant to remedy. This paper is a conceptual mapping exercise, written to raise the preparatory questions before drafting begins, rather than to prescribe outcomes.It proceeds in five sections:1. It works towar ...
  • Authors
    Joana Ama Osei-Tutu
    September 12, 2026
    The author of this opinion, Joana Ama Osei-Tutu, is a 2017 alumna of the Atlantic Dialogues Emerging Leaders Program.South-South cooperation (SSC) is often presented as an alternative to the hierarchical relationships that have historically characterized international development. In principle, SSC means Global South countries learn from one another, share expertise and resources, and develop solutions grounded in their own experiences, rather than importing models designe ...
  • September 8, 2026
    La conférence de lancement du projet POMIRE Sud-Sud, tenue au Policy Center for the New South à Rabat les 11 et 12 février 2026, a constitué un moment fondateur. Pour la première fois, l'ensemble des acteurs institutionnels de cinq des six pays partenaires du projet — Côte d'Ivoire, Guinée, Mali, Maroc et Sénégal — se sont réunis pour poser les piliers d’une vision commune et identifier les priorités qui guideront les phases opérationnelles du projet. Quatre focus groupes thématique ...
  • August 14, 2026
    In this Episode, Arup Banerji discusses why local expertise—not just international advice—should be intentionally embedded in African development policy. He cites cash transfer programs a ...
  • Authors
    Meryam Amarir
    August 13, 2026
    Recent crises in the Middle East, particularly attacks targeting commercial vessels in the Red Sea and tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, have highlighted the vulnerability of the main strategic corridors of global trade. Rather than fundamentally disrupting the organization of trade flows, these crises are accelerating an ongoing transformation driven by the search for more resilient connectivity chains, the diversification of trade routes, and the development of logistics ...
  • Authors
    Meryam Amarir
    August 13, 2026
    Les crises récentes au Moyen-Orient, notamment les attaques ciblant les navires commerciaux en mer Rouge et les tensions autour du détroit d'Ormuz, ont mis en évidence la vulnérabilité des principaux corridors stratégiques du commerce mondial. Plus qu'un bouleversement de l'organisation des échanges, elles accélèrent une transformation déjà engagée, fondée sur la recherche de chaînes de connectivité plus résilientes, la diversification des itinéraires commerciaux et le développement ...