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11. What does war in Iran mean for Europe and its partners?
38:29||Ep. 11Five weeks after the United States and Israel began their unilateral bombardment of Iran – with Israel also resuming aerial attacks on Lebanon – the conflict is already reshaping Europe’s external environment. Iran’s blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for around 20% of global oil flows, is driving up energy prices and tightening fertilizer markets worldwide.In this episode of Europolis: The Global Europe Podcast, host Chloé Teevan speaks with ECDPM colleagues Sophie Desmidt, Alfonso Medinilla and Koen Dekeyser about what the war reveals for Europe’s security, energy and food systems, and its partnerships with countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
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9. Can Japan teach Europe how to balance AI development with democratic values?
32:08||Ep. 9In this episode of Europolis, Chloe Teevan and Gautam Kamat are joined by Hiroki Habuka, one of Japan's leading AI policy experts, to discuss Japan’s unique, agile approach to AI regulation and how it offers a modular alternative to the EU’s prescriptive model.
8. Is Ubuntu the secret to unlocking African tech sovereignty?
40:14||Ep. 8In this episode of Europolis, digital rights advocate and social entrepreneur Gbenga Sesan joins ECDPM's Sabine Muscat to explore the intersection of digital sovereignty, innovation, and human dignity. He argues that for Africa to truly thrive, it must transition from relying on aid to attracting investment, and that innovation cannot happen without respecting the rights of citizens.
7. The case for global solidarity
20:06||Ep. 7ECDPM director San Bilal speaks to Simon O'Connell, CEO of SNV, the Dutch development agency, as the organisation celebrates its 60th anniversary. The discussion explores how development actors can navigate a "race to the bottom" in aid financing and how reframing the narrative around solidarity isn't just old-fashioned idealism but a pragmatic necessity for a stable world.
6. The AU-EU summit: Why the EU and Africa need each other in a fragmented world
42:31||Ep. 6In this episode of Europolis: the Global Europe podcast, Sophie Desmidt interviews Gustavo de Carvalho, senior researcher at SAIIA, on whether Europe and Africa can move beyond old donor-recipient dynamics to become the "adults in the room": stabilising forces that champion multilateralism as others step back.The conversation dives into how the partnership is shifting from aid to investment, the test for the EU’s Global Gateway, and why a true partnership means discussing global security, not just African conflicts.
5. AI in Africa: How are Africans using AI to accelerate development?
35:53||Ep. 5Chloe Teevan talks to Melody Musoni to explore how African innovators, researchers, and policymakers are shaping an AI ecosystem that responds to local realities. It highlights a shift from being consumers of technology to producers of homegrown solutions that are already transforming sectors like agriculture, health, and education.The discussion tackles the two sides of the AI debate in Africa: the pessimists, who worry about risks like data bias and the push from Big Tech for profit , and the optimists, who see a chance to tackle long-standing challenges. A central theme is that African countries are determined not to be left behind in the Fourth Industrial Revolution as they were in the past.