With one-fifth of the global population under 25 residing in sub-Saharan Africa, the continent is the world’s youngest region. But unemployment rates loom large, particularly among the youth. Education, Skills, and Leadership are crucial in creating a path to success for Africa’s young people.

In this edition of The Africa Roundtable Podcast we are joined by Taha Bawa, Co-founder and CEO of Goodwall, a social enterprise which connects youth to opportunities for skilling, working and social impact. He explains why he thinks that building skills is key to empowering young people on the continent and to helping them build their future careers.

Taha Bawa shared his perspective in the fifth edition of The Africa Roundtable “The Path to Success: Education, Skills, and Leadership” in Berlin. The participants discussed what is required to achieve an optimal alignment between the skills of the workforce and the demands of the labor market – shining spotlights on future markets, digitalization and professions in the green sector.

After more than two years of the Covid-19 pandemic, the emergence of a new epidemic has surprised many people. However, the global outbreak of monkeypox was predictable and perhaps could have been avoided.

Back in 2017, Dimie Ogoina pointed out a possible outbreak of monkeypox in Nigeria and sounded the alarm. In 2019, a scientific study was published in the Lancet Infectious Diseases discussing the findings. But until the disease reached Europe and North America, little attention was paid to the steadily rising cases in Nigeria. It wasn't until recently that NPR picked up on the issue.  

In this episode, we talk with Dimie and discuss what lessons he draws from the monkeypox outbreak for improved pandemic preparedness worldwide. Dimie, a member of WHO's Monkeypox Emergency Committee, questions the double standard in the global science community and a persistent inequality in responses between North and South. Still, findings from the global South often find little regard and solutions from the global North are repeatedly not shared globally. In African countries where monkeypox is endemic, there are little to no vaccines, while European and North American countries have started systematically vaccinated at-risk groups.  

The New York Times rightly asks what the world has learned from Covid-19 if we repeat the same mistakes of ignoring and excluding valuable inputs. Diseases know no borders. Now more than ever, we would do well to shed our Western hubris, in order to be prepared for the many future challenges. 

https://globalperspectives.org/en/

Over the last two years, a public health crisis has been at the forefront of our news. However, other health emergencies continue to receive very little or no attention at all. More than one billion people globally are affected by Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), a grouping of diseases which is made up of 20 different conditions, some more known such as Dengue or Rabies, and some much less known. In most cases, these diseases occur in tropical areas and therefore often in lower and middle income countries, and they disproportionately affect women and children. NTDs rarely receive as much attention when it comes to global health policies or funding in comparison to, for example, HIV or Malaria. And the consequences of this neglect have been devastating on a health, social and economic level.

Today's episode of The Africa Roundtable explores:

• Has the COVID-19-pandemic been helpful for highlighting health challenges in the Global South? Has there been a donor fatigue when it comes to funding?
• How can the relationship between African and European nations be described when it comes to pharmaceutical research and specifically to NTDs? 
• What are the biggest challenges in researching affordable remedies? And is there a more appropriate way to deliver affordable medicine? 

Dr. Borna Nyaoke Anoke is a Kenyan physician and a senior project manager for clinical trials related to NTDs at the Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative.  Additionally, she works on COVID-19 and antibiotic research. She was named in Business Daily's Africa Top 40 Under 40 Women is a renowned public health expert and founder of the Hema Foundation, a Nairobi based NGO working on physical and mental health for marginalized groups and environmental health. She holds multiple degrees from the University of Nairobi, the University of Liverpool and the Harvard School of Medicine.

https://globalperspectives.org/en/

The G7 hold over 50% of global net wealth: Why is it in their interest to strengthen the economic recovery of Africa? How can Africa create a return on investments for G7 countries?

With 35 selected experts from business, politics and civil society, the topics of Recovery, Preparedness and Resilience in Times of Crises were discussed at The Africa Roundtable in Berlin on May 12, 2022. The overall message of the forum was to not succumb to despair in the face of multiple crises, but to use the urgency of the situation to take action. Crises can be catalysts for change and call for a reassessment of previous cooperation. Geopolitical shifts direct attention towards Africa as a strategic partner and demand the courage to take risks, to innovate, and to invest. Guests agreed that getting into action is crucial, especially now, as the G7 summit is taking place in Germany.

To address various economic, financial and health challenges in a sustainable and collaborative manner, the the G7 and Africa must work even more closely together. To assure Africa’s voice to be heard reforms of multilateral organizations are crucial as well as a possible seat for the African Union within the G20, like the one held by the European Union. 

With Dr Obiageli ‘Oby’ Ezekwesili, who was a key speaker at the The Africa Roundtable, our Co-Host Christine Mhundwa will discuss recommendations for actions: fostering economic recovery, strengthening financial inclusion and securing food basis, enabling African representation while protecting the environment and ensuring health and preparedness.

https://globalperspectives.org/en/

African heads of state are feeling reminded of the Cold War era these days, says Dr. Carlos Lopes, High Representative of the African Union and Professor at the University of Cape Town in this edition of “The Africa Roundtable”. At that time, the states were supposed to decide between the West and East blocs. But they have never benefited from this - one reason for the current political reluctance.

But they are not spared. The heavy dependency on grain from Ukraine and Russia and currently exorbitantly high fuel prices could lead to widespread uprisings and famines in some countries.

Dr Stefan Mair, Director of SWP (German Institute for International and Security Affairs) Berlin and Dr Carlos Lopes from the University of Cape Town on the political, social and societal consequences of the Russian attack on Ukraine for the states of Africa.

The talk of historical responsibility plays an important role in German and European politics. There are different perspectives on how and with what this is filled, especially between European and African capitals.

We talk to the African author Nanjala Nyabola and the director of the Goethe Institute, Prof. Dr. Carola Lentz.

Is there an alternative to humanity towards people in need? No, says book author and winner of the 2021 Nobel Prize in Literature, Abdulrazak Gurnah, in the podcast of The Africa Roundtable. Regardless of all resistance, “just keep going”. 

In an interview with Christina Mhundwa, Gurnah talks about identity, flight and new beginnings, reparations and painful differences of Europeans when dealing with refugees from Ukraine and people from the Arab world.

The topics of migration and immigration from Africa regularly cause much debate. The situation is often viewed differently within the African community than it is in Europe. Although increasing climate catastrophes are driving more and more people to flee their homes, the proportion of people migrating from Africa to Europe is just ten percent of the total migration in Europe. Nevertheless, most African countries would prefer their citizens to remain because they are urgently needed in their home nations - but increasingly also in Germany and Europe.

Interview with the Prime Minister of Senegal (ret.) Aminata Touré and Ottilia Maunganidze of the ISS Africa research institute.

Links:

https://globalperspectives.org/publications/gp-policy-paper-jobs-und-migration/

www.issafrica.org

https://www.bamf.de/SharedDocs/Anlagen/DE/Forschung/Migrationsberichte/migrationsbericht-2020.html?nn=282388

Vaccination as prevention, protection against diseases before they break out. Vaccination in Africa as a protective shield for the world. And what about health care in Africa - what does that have to do with Europe?

Talk with Dr. Noubar Afeyan is founder and CEO of Flagship Pioneering (Moderna) and Elhadj As Sy expert on humanitarian aid, Chair of the Board of the Kofi Annan Foundation. 

In the current podcast, the Sudanese entrepreneur and founder of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation takes a look at the changing world from an African perspective, which is why Europe benefits from African workers, climate injustice and political unrest in Africa.

https://globalperspectives.org/the-africa-roundtable/