Megatrends Afrika
@megatrends-afrika.de
Research and policy advice on the effects of megatrends in Africa. We are a joint project by Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP), German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS) and Kiel Institute for the World Economy (Kiel Institute).
The Hormuz crisis is increasing economic pressure across #NorthAfrica while accelerating the region's emergence as a strategic hub. @idos-research.bsky.social's Annabelle Houdret and Mark Furness explain why North Africa is becoming important for energy, trade and logistics. 📖 More: t1p.de/69kky
Between Shock and Opportunity: Hormuz and Deepening North Africa–Europe Relations
With the world’s attention fixed on the Strait of Hormuz, developments in North Africa have made fewer headlines in Europe. The crises in the...
megatrends-afrika.de
Bei seiner Afrikareise trifft Außenminister Wadephul heute den Präsidenten der ECOWAS-Kommission. @franziskaehlert.bsky.social & @denistull.eurosky.social sprechen im SWP-Podcast über Herausforderungen in Westafrika & darüber, wie Europa sich positionieren sollte🎙️🎧 www.swp-berlin.org/publikation/...
Megatrends Afrika: ECOWAS und AES zwischen Konfrontation und Kooperation
Anfang 2025 traten Mali, Burkina Faso und Niger aus der ECOWAS aus und gründeten die Allianz der Sahel-Staaten AES. Seitdem hat sich die...
swp-berlin.org
🌍 Critical #minerals are reshaping relations between #Africa and #Europe. As African countries seek greater #valueaddition and Europe looks to build resilient #supplychains, new industrial partnerships are becoming possible, explains Jonathan Kaupenjohann ▶️ www.megatrends-afrika.de/en/publicati...
Critical Minerals Will Reshape European-African Relations
Critical raw materials are shaping the global geoeconomic landscape. For European industry, access to these materials is essential to maintain...
megatrends-afrika.de
Bundesaußenminister Johann #Wadephul reist derzeit nach #Mauretanien, #Nigeria und #Südafrika. Im Fokus stehen Fragen der regionalen Sicherheit, Migration, wirtschaftlichen Zusammenarbeit sowie der Energie- und Klimapolitik. Dazu haben wir zehn Analysen von #MegatrendsAfrika zusammengestellt 🧵
Xenophobe Gewalt in #Südafrika erreicht ein neues Ausmaß, mitunter weil Gruppen wie "March and March" soziale Not zur Mobilisierung nutzen. Wer steckt genau hinter der Bewegung? @fraumuellerbln.bsky.social analysiert politische Interessen, die Rolle Jacob Zumas und sozialer Medien ▶️ t1p.de/niln5
Anti-Migrationsproteste in Südafrika: Wahlkampf auf dem Rücken der Schwächsten
In Südafrika verschärft sich landesweit xenophobe Gewalt. Melanie Müller analysiert, wer hinter den Protesten steht, wie soziale Not...
t1p.de
#Europe has a visibility problem in #Tunisia. European-funded bridges, dams and water #infrastructure often go unnoticed, while Chinese-backed projects receive widespread public recognition. Read Isabelle Werenfels' take on why that is and how to change it: www.megatrends-afrika.de/en/publicati...
Europe’s Visibility Dilemma in Tunisia
In Tunisia, European-funded projects frequently remain under the radar, whereas Chinese initiatives are highly visible and welcomed. Isabelle...
megatrends-afrika.de
🎧 New Podcast Alert 🎧 Hört rein, wenn @franziskaehlert.bsky.social und @denistull.eurosky.social regionale Zusammenarbeit und diplomatische Bestrebungen zwischen #ECOWAS und #AES Staaten vor dem Hintergrund der aktuellen sicherheitspolitischen Herausforderungen im #Sahel diskutieren.
Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP)@swp-berlin.org · 3w agoSeit Mali, Burkina Faso & Niger die ECOWAS verlassen und die Allianz der Sahelstaaten gegründet haben, hat sich die Sicherheitslage extrem verschärft. Im SWP-Podcast diskutieren Franziska Ehlert-Gorlow & Denis Tull über Chancen & Herausforderungen in der Region:🎙️🎧 www.swp-berlin.org/publikation/...
📄 Trump in Africa Can US deal-making deliver peace in the #GreatLakes region? @karolineeickhoff.bsky.social examines the #WashingtonAccords and questions whether the #DRC and #Rwanda are closer to achieving peace. Read her analysis, here: www.megatrends-afrika.de/en/publicati...
Trump in Africa: Brokering Peace Between Congo and Rwanda?
Last December, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda signed a peace agreement, brokered by the United States. This policy brief...
megatrends-afrika.de
🌍 The Future of African-European Relations In our second spotlight in this series David Kipp, Emma Landmesser, @heidland.bsky.social ask: How can emerging migration corridors between sub-Saharan Africa and Germany become fair and mutually beneficial? Read their spotlight, here: t1p.de/b0gra
The Untapped Potential of Labour and Education Migration from Africa to Germany
While public debate on migration in Europe focuses mainly on irregular migration, regular routes for labour and education migration from Africa...
megatrends-afrika.de
#ECOWAS at a crossroads. The planned 1,650-strong counter-terrorism unit signals a bid to redefine its role in West Africa’s security landscape. But funding, coordination, training gaps, and raise doubts about its viability, explains franziskaehlert.bsky.social. Read more: t1p.de/qcrpj
The ECOWAS Counter-Terrorism Force: New Ambitions, Old Constraints
The Economic Community of West African States’ creation of a “counter-terrorism” force reflects its determination to retain a leading role in...
megatrends-afrika.de
How much room for manoeuvre does #Trump leave #Tinubu? Facing Washington's demands and pressure by potential voters, #Nigeria has exercised what Joshua Akintayo calls bounded agency: the ability to shape the terms, timing and framing of its compliance. Read more, here: t1p.de/mpszo
Trump in Africa: Nigeria's Bounded Agency and Structural Dependence Under US Pressure
Since last October, the United States has been exerting coercive pressure on Nigeria. President Tinubu’s response is constrained by religious...
megatrends-afrika.de
🌍 How are critical raw materials reshaping European–African relations? Join our panel discussion which we will co-host with Bundesverband der Deutschen Industrie, Hanns Seidel Foundation, and the Institute for Security Studies. 📅 2 July 2026, 10:00–11:30 CET ➡️ RSVP t1p.de/t4zg1 See you there!
How do African actors, especially bureaucrats, shape Chinese-financed digital projects? What happens when political leadership changes? And what are the implications for Digital Global Gateway? 💡 A new @megatrends-afrika.de #PolicyBrief by IDOS expert Hangwei Li explores this question.
🎓 #China is now #Africa’s largest scholarship provider. Analysing LinkedIn data on 33,000 Africans educated in China, Carolin Formella and @heidland.bsky.social suggest how education mobility is used as a soft #power tool. Read the full Spotlight: t1p.de/rfl3o
African Scholars in China: Education Mobility as Soft Power?
China pledged more scholarships to African students than Western governments combined. Using LinkedIn data, we show that they study engineering...
t1p.de
Why do #energy transition ambitions fall short of delivery? Comparing 🇧🇼 #Botswana and 🇺🇬 #Uganda shows how institutional, regulatory and infrastructure gaps can undermine implementation. Read the analysis by @phemelo-tamasiga.bsky.social and Benard Musekese Wabukala here: t1p.de/uyask
The Implementation Gap and Energy Transition Pathways in Africa
Africa's energy transition will be won or lost in implementation. Botswana and Uganda show that targets matter only when matched by credible...
megatrends-afrika.de
#Zimbabwe: Mnangagwa’s 2030 power bid hits the barracks, writes Africa confidential. Behind the constitution debate is a struggle over the post-Mugabe state with presidential allies, disgruntled #generals and a fragmented opposition testing their strength. Check out G. Maringira's Policy Brief !!
Megatrends Afrika@megatrends-afrika.de · 8mo ago#Zimbabwe 🇿🇼 faces a contested succession as President #Mnangagwa seeks to extend his rule beyond 2028, opposed by military elites aligned with VP #Chiwenga. Godfrey Maringira analyses why the #military remains the decisive force, sidelining elections. Read more, here: t1p.de/lyn2q
🌍 The Future of African-European Relations In our new spotlight series we are analysing which policies can foster mutually beneficial cooperation between Africa and Europe. Read the first take by Collin Meisel on how “US Demographic Decline Could Reshape Global Power Dynamics”, here: t1p.de/8h1hu
US Demographic Decline Could Reshape the Global Balance of Power
Demographic change is becoming an increasingly important driver of global power shifts. As America's demographic advantage narrows, Africa and...
t1p.de
Wie junge Menschen in Afrika zur #Demokratie stehen, haben die Forscher*innen Christine Hackenesch und Godfred Bonnah Nkansah in einer Metastudie (lnkd.in/eD2FWp4i)) für @megatrends-afrika.de (lnkd.in/e8XsfETy) untersucht. ⤵️
📢 How do African actors shape Chinese-financed digital projects? Hangwei Li @idos-research.bsky.social analyses how the influence of #Zambian bureaucrats on #Chinese #digital projects developed across the Lungu and Hichilema administrations. Read more here: t1p.de/c7m8e
Zambian Bureaucratic Practices in Chinese-Financed Digital Projects
Zambian bureaucrats have engaged with Chinese-financed digital projects under both the Edgar Lungu and Hakainde Hichilema administrations....
megatrends-afrika.de
Conflict-related sexual violence is an invisible dimension of the #security crisis in Niger’s #Tillabéri region. While it remains underreported and underpoliticised, understanding its patterns is essential for effective civilian protection, explains @ltschoerner.bsky.social. 📃 t1p.de/ex3j0
Overlooked or Muted? Conflict- Related Sexual Violence in Niger
Conflict-related sexual violence is a neglected problem in Niger. Lisa Tschörner argues that (inter)national actors have a strategic interest...
t1p.de
We are thrilled to announce that @franziskaehlert.bsky.social is the new co-lead of Megatrends Afrika at @swp-berlin.org !
Anlässlich des Frankreich-Afrika-Gipfel in #Nairobi ein Blick darauf wie sich Frankreichs Verhältnis zum afrikanischen Kontinent unter militärischen Rückzügen, wirtschaftlichen Kontinuitäten und #Macron's stärkere Orientierung auf nicht-frankophone Staaten gewandelt hat. Mehr, hier: t1p.de/1ddl8
France’s Africa Policy under President Macron
Good Intentions, Partial Reform and the Fiasco in the Sahel
megatrends-afrika.de
Social #media isn’t just reporting on war, it is shaping it. @onorhamad.bsky.social shows how TikTok and Facebook function as battlegrounds in #Sudan's conflict and how narratives are built through selective framing, exaggeration, and political messaging. Find his analysis, here: t1p.de/3rnb5
The Weaponization of Social Media in Sudan’s War
In Sudan’s war, social media has become a central battlefield, where influencers from the diaspora shape narratives, legitimize violence, and...
t1p.de
Resource nationalism is rising across Africa, especially in the #Sahel. #Mali, #Niger, and #Burkina Faso are moving beyond reforms to retroactive taxes, licence revocations, and even takeovers of #mining operations. Read the complete analysis by @denistull.bsky.social here: t1p.de/pcblu
Affirming Economic Sovereignty: Resource Nationalism in the Sahel
Military regimes in the Sahel increasingly use resource nationalism in the mining sector. Aiming for higher state revenues, their coercive...
megatrends-afrika.de
Der #Iran-Krieg wird im #Sahel zum geopolitischen Balanceakt: Die AES-Staaten vermeiden klare Positionen, um neue Partnerschaften nicht zu gefährden. ltschoerner.bsky.social analysiert die Annäherung an #Iran, neue Kooperation mit den USA und mögliche innenpolitische Konsequenzen: t1p.de/03sj4
Der Iran-Krieg als Stresstest für die „Diversifizierung von Partnerschaften“ im Sahel
Die Sahel Staaten haben den Krieg der USA gegen Iran trotz vertiefter Beziehungen mit Teheran nicht verurteilt. Das liegt an geostrategischen...
megatrends-afrika.de
Der #Iran-Krieg wirkt bis ans Horn von #Afrika: Treibstoffknappheit und unterbrochene #Lieferketten für humanitäre Hilfe verschärfen bestehende #Krisen. Wie sich Handelsrouten verändern und warum der Einfluss der #Golfstaaten zentral bleibt, schreibt Gerrit Kurtz: t1p.de/89puu
Der Iran-Krieg als Multiplikator für Krisen und Konflikte am Horn von Afrika
Sudan, Äthiopien und Somalia sind besonders stark von den wirtschaftlichen Folgen des Iran-Kriegs betroffen, könnten aber auch von der...
megatrends-afrika.de
Der #Iran-Krieg setzt #Afrikas Wirtschaften unter Druck: Höhere Energiepreise schlagen auf #Dünger- und Lebensmittelkosten durch, während #Rücküberweisungen aus den Golfstaaten sinken. Wie sich das auf #Ernährungssicherheit auswirkt erklären @heidland.bsky.social und Anni Verhoeven👉 t1p.de/ontgh
Der Iran-Krieg als doppelter wirtschaftlicher Schock in Afrika
Der Iran-Krieg trifft Afrika wirtschaftlich: geringere Überweisungen aus den Golfstaaten und höhere Kosten für Düngemittel wirken auf Ost- und...
t1p.de
#Zimbabwe’s leader Mnangagwa eyes role as president for life, writes the Financial Times. The implications of this, incl. a violent power struggle, are outlined in our former fellow's Godfrey Maringira's @megatrends-afrika.de policy brief. www.megatrends-afrika.de/publikation/...
Coups in Mali, Burkina Faso & Niger have reshaped not just domestic politics but the Sahel’s foreign relations. With juntas cutting ties to Europe, what options remain for the EU? @denistull.bsky.social & @ltschoerner.bsky.social examine this in our new SWP study👇 www.swp-berlin.org/10.18449/202...
Europäische Sahel-Politik: Zurück auf Start
Die Staatsstreiche in Mali (2020/21), Burkina Faso (2022) und Niger (2023) haben nicht nur innenpolitische Veränderungen im Sahel mit sich...
swp-berlin.org