Shaun Kinnes holds an Honours Degree in International Relations from the University of the Witwatersrand, where his research focused on Private Military Corporations in Africa and their impact on the African political and economic landscape. He is currently a master’s candidate in International Relations at the University of the Witwatersrand. His research interests are private military corporations in Africa, COVID-19 and the proliferation of illicit economies and human security in an African context. Shaun is currently working under the Economic Diplomacy Programme at SAIIA.