Senior researcher with SAIIA’s African Governance and Diplomacy Programme, Gustavo de Carvalho, joined Osavul’s latest Spotlight Africa webinar to discuss the changing landscape of African diplomacy.
He noted that African governments are increasingly engaging a diverse range of partners across trade, investment and security – moving beyond binary choices between major powers. Referencing President Cyril Ramaphosa’s remarks at the Tokyo International Conference on African Development, Gustavo highlighted the growing emphasis on investment, trade, and growth over traditional aid, signaling a broader policy shift.
At the same time, Africa’s information environment is becoming more fragmented with multiple actors competing for influence. For European partners, this presents an opportunity to refresh the narrative by listening first, offering practical tools, and co-creating genuinely mutual outcomes. For African governments, setting clear priorities will be key to turning choice into tangible results.
