#2 - Dipo Fayolin

#2 - Dipo Fayolin

Author: Brussels Institute for Geopolitics April 10, 2025 Duration: 44:14

Welcome to the second edition of Handing Over the Mic !


In this episode, hosts Christine Mhundwa and Elisa Díaz Gras are joined by Dipo Faloyin, author of Africa Is Not A Country. Dipo’s insightful writing has been featured in The Guardian, The New York Times, Esquire, and more. As a journalist and commentator, he explores the complexities of identity, geopolitics, and Africa’s evolving relationship with the rest of the world.


Christine, a seasoned journalist and host of Deutsche Welle’s daily Africa news show, brings her deep expertise in political reporting, having covered key developments across southern Africa. Elisa, with over 20 years of experience in diplomacy and international affairs, is the Head of the Global South Programme at BIG.


“People can obviously see a lot of the political instabilities across Europe and the real fights for identity and for what the future of the European project is. . . . That has probably contributed a lot to young Africans looking more internally to focus on their communities”.


In this conversation, Dipo reflects on how, for some African countries, the search for economic and security benefits has led them increasingly to consider alternatives to traditional European partnerships. Notably, Russia, before the war in Ukraine, had positioned itself as a partner offering security and economic support without the political entanglements that many African nations associate with Europe. Dipo touches on how this approach, alongside the rising influence of China, has been seen by some as an opportunity.


Production and Distribution

Episodes will be available on major platforms, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and also featured on the homepages of BIG and our partner the European Cultural Foundation.



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


There's a particular conversation about Europe that often happens within its own borders, filled with familiar debates and internal critiques. Handing over the Mic, from the Brussels Institute for Geopolitics, deliberately steps away from that echo chamber. Instead, hosts Elisa Diaz Gras, Margaux Cassan, and Christine Mhundwa create a space where the microphone is passed to influential thinkers, artists, diplomats, and political voices from the Global South. The core question is simple yet profoundly revealing: how is Europe seen from the outside? This podcast explores the narratives, historical legacies, and contemporary perceptions that shape these external viewpoints, moving beyond a simple analysis of policy to understand the deeper cultural and philosophical impressions. Each episode is a dialogue that challenges assumptions, examining not just Europe's present political role but also the stories told about its past and the possibilities imagined for its future. By centering these often-overlooked perspectives, the series constructs a more complex, global portrait of a continent in constant negotiation with the world it has engaged with for centuries. You'll hear nuanced conversations that weave together strands of society, culture, and science, all through a geopolitical lens that prioritizes listening over telling. This is a necessary series for anyone interested in the true weight of Europe's place in the world, as reflected in the eyes of those observing it from other shores.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 9

Handing over the Mic
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