2026 International Speaker Series

Africa Rising: Investment, Innovation, and a Continent Redefining its Own Story

Thursday, April 30, 2026 | 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm | Virtual

About the Event

Africa is becoming an increasingly important arena in global geopolitics, with its nations navigating growing competition among major powers while confronting their own political, economic, and security challenges. As the United States recalibrates its role on the continent and China expands its influence through investment and diplomacy, African governments are making consequential decisions about their partnerships, priorities, and place in the international order.

At the same time, democratic backsliding, conflict, and governance challenges are shaping the region’s trajectory even as many African leaders and institutions push for greater regional cooperation and global influence.

This session examines the evolving balance of power in Africa, the strategic competition shaping the continent, and how African nations are asserting agency in determining their own futures.

Speakers

Jon Temin

Visiting Fellow, SNF Angora Institute, Johns Hopkins University

Moderated by

Edward McMahon

Adjunct Associate Professor, Political Science, University of Vermont; Former Foreign Service Officer