Welcome to the second edition of Handing Over the Mic !

In this episode, hosts Christine Mhundwa and Elisa Díaz Gras are joined by Dipo Faloyin, author of Africa Is Not A Country. Dipo’s insightful writing has been featured in The Guardian, The New York Times, Esquire, and more. As a journalist and commentator, he explores the complexities of identity, geopolitics, and Africa’s evolving relationship with the rest of the world.

Christine, a seasoned journalist and host of Deutsche Welle’s daily Africa news show, brings her deep expertise in political reporting, having covered key developments across southern Africa. Elisa, with over 20 years of experience in diplomacy and international affairs, is the Head of the Global South Programme at BIG.

“People can obviously see a lot of the political instabilities across Europe and the real fights for identity and for what the future of the European project is. . . . That has probably contributed a lot to young Africans looking more internally to focus on their communities”.

In this conversation, Dipo reflects on how, for some African countries, the search for economic and security benefits has led them increasingly to consider alternatives to traditional European partnerships. Notably, Russia, before the war in Ukraine, had positioned itself as a partner offering security and economic support without the political entanglements that many African nations associate with Europe. Dipo touches on how this approach, alongside the rising influence of China, has been seen by some as an opportunity.

Production and Distribution

Episodes will be available on major platforms, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and also featured on the homepages of BIG and our partner the European Cultural Foundation.

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