Join the Royal African Society and Edinburgh University for a wide-ranging look at the Prospects and Forecasts for Africa in 2023. An expert panel will examine the political, economic, climatic, and cultural outlook for Africa in the year ahead, at SOAS, London (24 January) and Edinburgh University (25 January).

1. Will the outcomes of COP27 help Africa manage the impact of climate change?
2. How will Africa be affected by the global economic slowdown? Can it sustain its own growth, and how will Africans respond to the rising cost of living?
3. What will happen in the Nigerian elections? There and elsewhere, can new political forces effectively challenge established elites? What are the prospects for peace in the Sahel and Horn of Africa?
4. What is next for Africa’s filmmakers, musicians, artists, and writers? How will the continent’s abundant creativity continue to influence the world?

The debate will be moderated by Patrick Smith, Editor of African Confidential.

SPEAKERS:

• Razia Khan – Head of Research for Africa and Middle East, Standard Chartered Bank
• Murithi Mutiga – Program Director Africa, International Crisis Group
• Amaku Anku – Practice Head Africa, Euroasia Group
• Maudo Jallow – Economic Development Consultant

This will be a hybrid event and registration is mandatory.

MODERATOR:

Patrick Smith, Editor of Africa Confidential

Patrick Smith is Editorial Director of Africa Confidential, the premier news and analysis service on economic, political and security in Africa, owned by London-based Asempa Ltd. He was a founding editor of the Paris-based The Africa Report, owned by Jeune Afrique Media Group. In 2021 he co-organised a conference with the International Crisis Group and the Royal African Society on Demography, Climate Change and Security in Africa. He has edited and contributed to two volumes on politics and economics in Africa and is working on book of “geo-history” –– the enduring power of trade and warfare in shaping the international system. After a stint at the UN, he worked as a producer on television documentaries on conflict and resources in Africa. Patrick’s short story “The Situation” was published in “Accra Noir”, a collection of short stories about Ghana (Akashic Books, New York, 2020).

SPEAKERS:

Razia Khan, Head of Research, Africa and Middle East, Standard Chartered Bank

Razia is Head of Research, Africa, and Middle East, with over two decades of experience covering emerging and frontier markets. She is a well-known commentator on the region and provides regular updates to central banks, finance ministries, institutional investors, and corporates in the region. She currently serves as a Trustee of the Royal Africa Society and Save the Children UK and has been appointed to serve on the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC) established by the presidency of the Republic of South Africa. She has previously served on the WEF’s Global Future Council on Migration and the Global Agenda Council on ‘Poverty and Economic Development’. She was named one of the ‘100 most influential Africans’ in 2015 by New African magazine, and one of ‘100 Africa economics leaders’ by Institut Choiseul (2017). Razia holds BSc and MSc (Econ) degrees from the London School of Economics.

Murithi Mutiga, Programme Director of Crisis Group based in Nairobi

Murithi Mutiga is Africa Program Director at the International Crisis Group. He leads teams working to shape policies aimed at resolving, mitigating, and preventing conflict across the continent. Murithi previously led Crisis Group’s Horn of Africa project. His research subjects included the dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and the transitions in Ethiopia, Sudan, and Somalia. He previously covered East Africa for The Guardian (UK) and before that served as a Contributing Op-Ed Writer to the International New York Times. Murithi was also an editor and columnist with the Sunday Nation, Kenya’s biggest newspaper. He holds an MSc in Comparative Politics from the London School of Economics.

Amaka Anuka, Practice Head, Africa, Euroasia Group

As head of the firm’s Africa practice, Amaka helps clients understand the interaction of politics, policy, and markets across sub-Saharan Africa. She is a member of the firm’s Global Macro practice, where she focuses on comparative global politics. Amaka is an adjunct professor at Georgetown’s Walsh School of Foreign Service, and she teaches a graduate course on political risk analysis. She is also a term member at the Council on Foreign Relations. Amaka often appears on major TV networks and is frequently quoted in the world’s leading newspapers. Prior to Eurasia Group, Amaka worked with various organizations across sub-Saharan Africa. She also practiced law in the international arbitration and litigation group of global law firm Shearman & Sterling, LLP, where she represented multinational corporations in multimillion-dollar, cross-border disputes. She grew up in Enugu, Nigeria, and speaks Igbo and French. Amaka holds a bachelor’s degree from the School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University and a Doctor of Law degree from Harvard Law School.

Maudo Jallow, Economic Development Consultant

Maudo is an economic development consultant that focuses on advising governments in Africa and Middle East in the areas of investment, governance, and trade. He sits on the board of the AFCFTA Youth Forum and is a commentator for BBC Africa. Maudo has worked for the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (TBI) and the United Nations – providing advice on how nations in Middle East and Africa can attract investment, create special economic zones, and accelerate industrialisation. He has written several pieces on these topics for publications such as the Africa Report, OECD, and Future Africa Forum. In the last few years, Maudo has worked as an embedded advisor at the Office of the President in both The Gambia and Ghana – most notably as a member of the Presidential COVID-19 Response Coordinator’s team. He was tasked with tasks that included producing briefings for the consumption of the President of Ghana and his Cabinet.Maudo holds a bachelor’s degree in International Business with French, from the European Business School in London and a master’s degree in African Development from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Register to attend in-person or online here:

Illustration By: Henry Wong