On this episode of AfriCan Geopardy, we discussed “Impacts and Trends of IUU fishing in the South-West Indian Ocean (SWIO)” with Mr Vicente Cossa. Mr Cossa works for the World Wide Fund for Nature, focusing on processes for establishing the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Monitoring Control and Surveillance Coordination Centre, which will be based in Mozambique (SADC-MCSCC).

As the title indicates, the discussion focussed on the extent of IUU fishing and the challenges and progress made by SWIO countries (Mozambique in particular). Importantly, Mr Cossa also touched on the cyclical relationship between poverty and deprivation in the coastal areas and the advancement of insurgency in coastal Mozambique.

Listen. Reflect. Share.

In this episode of AfriCan Geopardy, we discussed “the impact of Russia’s war in Ukraine on Africa’s global ambitions/partnerships” with Liesl Louw-Vaudran, a senior researcher at the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), South Africa. She is the editor of the ISS’ monthly publication on the African Union Peace and Security

Council, the PSC Report, and project leader for Southern Africa. She is also a non-executive board member of In Transformation Initiative, a South African not-for-profit

organization focused on peacemaking.

She has published extensively, with her latest publication being Could Russia’s war in Ukraine derail Africa’s global partnerships? - ISS Africa, published in April 2022.

Reflect. Comment. Share.

Although women are generally underrepresented in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), they are present and doing amazing jobs in their roles. Women nurture the tech ecosystem in Africa, leading tech hubs and empowering young Africans.

In this episode of African Geopardy, we discuss 'the role and contribution of African women in technology' with Aïda Ndiaye. Ms Ndiaye heads META's Society and Responsibility Policy Programmes and Campaigns in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. In her role, she oversees external programmes to combat online misinformation and build an informed digital world. Her team also leads direct engagement with policymakers and regulators in EMEA to shape the future of tech regulation.

As you can see from the profile, our guest is a leading figure in a global tech company and is best placed to discuss this topic with us. Listen. Share. Engage.

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted clinical radiography educational activities, including teaching, research, and clinical placement, globally. Like most other countries across the globe, countries across the African continent were well affected by the lockdown measures introduced by governments to slow the spread of the pandemic. This episode explores some of the disruptions to clinical radiography caused by the COVID19 restrictions and offers suggestions to avert future impact. We are privileged to have an excellent guest discuss the topic with us. Dr Theophilus(Theo) Akudjedu is the programme coordinator for the MSc Medical Imaging with Management Programme and a senior lecturer in medical imaging at the Institute of Medical Imaging and Visualisation, Bournemouth University. He holds an honorary diagnostic radiographer post with the University Hospitals Dorset (England). As a clinical academic diagnostic radiographer, Theo's research interests relate mostly to clinical neuroimaging (MRI), radiography, healthcare research, and workforce development. Before his postgraduate studies, Theo worked clinically as a diagnostic radiographer in some of Ghana's busiest urban and rural hospitals.

To find out more about the topic, read the research by Dr Theo and colleagues below:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8603034/

In this episode of AfriCan Georpardy, we discuss understanding ad-hoc security initiatives in Africa with Dr Andrew Yaw Tchie.

Dr Andrew E. Yaw Tchie is a Senior Research Fellow at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI), a Visiting Professor at the University of Buckingham, a visiting Senior Fellow at King's College London and an Associate Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute. At NUPI, he focuses on stabilisation, peace operations, peacekeeping, peacebuilding and security assistance in Sub-Saharan Africa and Coordinates the training for Peace Project.

You would see from the discussion that there are many positive things about ad-hoc security initiatives on the African continent and the role they play in working for peace in situations of conflict and/or insurgency. There are equally some limitations identified by Dr Tchie, as he made recommendations on what can be done differently.

You can read a paper on the subject published by NUPI with Dr Tchie as a co-author via the link below:

https://trainingforpeace.org/publications/understanding-ad-hoc-security-initiatives-in-africa/

Thanks for listening.

Happy new year, everyone, and welcome to the first episode of Georpardy. Here, Dr Dyhia Belhabib and Dr Ifesinachi Okafor-Yarwood reflect on their personal experiences and the topics discussed by our guests in 2021. It's one of the longest episodes we've had and unedited because we want it to be authentic, and there's also the fact that we don't have the requisite editing skills :).

Thanks so much for being part of our journey, for listening, and for sticking with us. We have amazing things planned for 2022.

In this episode, we discuss China Africa relation in the context of fishmeal investment in The Gambia with Mr Mustafa Manneh. Mr Manneh is the West Africa Regional editor at China Dialogue, based in The Gambia. He is a researcher focusing on China-Africa relations and fishmeal investment.

All major fishmeal industries in the Gambia are Chinese-owned, causing devastation in the country. It contributes to overexploitation, equates to 'stealing fish from human to feed fish' and pollutes the environment driving potential tourists away.

European countries are also complicit because they enable the business of these fishmeal companies to flourish. A recent report by Greenpeace highlighted the complicity of European companies in helping this industry flourish. The report noted that major European companies contribute to the devastating consequences of the fishmeal and fish oil trade in West Africa. In particular, the report mentioned major companies in France, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Spain, Greece, and the UK. You may read the report here: https://www.greenpeace.org/static/planet4-africa-stateless/2021/05/47227297-feeding-a-monster-en-final-small.pdf.

Enjoy

In this episode, we discuss Gender and Security in Africa: the Nigerian experience with Ruth Okugbeni, the Acting Executive Director at the CLEEN Foundation www.cleen.org. 

Ruth's work focuses on improving the effectiveness of security and justice sector agencies through human rights-based approaches and improved accountability for better service delivery. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Education from the University of Ibadan, a Master of Arts Degree in Development Studies with a major in Social Policy from the Erasmus University, Rotterdam, Netherlands. She is currently pursuing doctoral studies and research in Defence and Security Studies. 

The discussion clarifies why women are underrepresented in the security sector and makes recommendations on what can be done differently. 

Key insights from the discussion are that laws that promote gender discrimination were formulated during the colonial era. Therefore, as independent states, African nations must work to repeal those laws and take advantage of women and men's contributions in the security sector.

In this episode of Georpardy, we discuss 'Nigeria's suppression of Piracy and Other Maritime Act 2019: A panacea for good maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea'. Since the law was enacted, there have been two criminal convictions, one in 2020 and the second in 2021. However, one question that begs for an answer is: can the law serve as a deterrence to criminals?

Listen to find out.

Discussing this topic with our hosts is Constance Omagbemi, a Corporate Lawyer presently with the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA). She spent the first five years of her career as a Litigation Lawyer with two leading law firms in Nigeria before joining the Legal Services Unit of NIMASA in January 2013. Her diligent efforts in the Agency and penchant for excellence earned her the Employee of the Year award in 2019.

In this episode we continue with the theme of fisheries policy or lack thereof by bringing to the fore the realisties from Ghana. The topic is discussed with Mr Kwesi Johnson, an ardent advocate for sustainable fisheries management in Ghana. He has worked in initiatives that involve local and international development organisation, academia, media, grassroots trades, farmers for fair trade, village banking saving and loan activities and fishers' groups in combating Illegal fishing and promoting self-help through savings and voluntary compliance activities. He shares the social realities of fishers in Ghana and makes recommendations on what can be done differently to improve the current situation.