Earlylands in Conversation

Christian-Geraud Neema is one of the foremost commentators on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Today we’re excited to discuss with him the DRC's always fascinating and often vexing politics. Geraud wears many hats, including serving as Africa Editor of the China-Global South Project and as a nonresident scholar in the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace’s Africa Program. A techni...

"When Putin was a student in the KGB university, he was perfect in a subject called 'verbovka.' In Russian, that means recruiting new agents. So he's perfect in manipulation of people." -Former Latvian President Valdis Zatlers President Valdis Zatlers served as Latvia’s head of state from 2007-2011, a period that coincided with the global financial crisis that hit Latvia arguably harder than any c...

In episode 12 we look at the Baltic region, which has repeatedly been in the headlines of late as it sits on the frontline of NATO’s physical and rhetorical face-off with Russia. Just a few days ago, Russian military aircraft penetrated Estonian airspace for 12 minutes, in yet another challenge to the Western defense alliance. We are extremely fortunate to have with us Oliver Moody, who is the Tim...

The headlines regarding Africa’s infrastructure needs are ever-present, whether it be the requirement to serve the continent’s rapidly growing cities or construction of export routes for Africa’s minerals. Core to all of these needs is provision of reliable baseload electricity. There are very few companies as advanced in their project pipeline and as committed to Africa’s long-term development as...

Harvard historian Danielle Leavitt's recently published "By the Second Spring" provides a harrowing look at the impact of Russia's war on the lives of seven ordinary Ukrainians. Noted scholar Lawrence Freedman says, "Leavitt uses the individual stories to showcase Ukrainian resilience and resistance...with empathy, candor, and a cautious optimism for Ukraine’s future." Join us for a fascinating di...

Judd Devermont is unquestionably one of the US’s leading policy practitioners and experts on Africa. His experience ranges from the White House (President Biden's senior Africa advisor) to the CIA (senior political analyst) and many points in between. Not only has he had a ringside seat at the making of US-Africa policy, but he's also a historian who has undertaken fascinating studies looking at h...

Join us for a fascinating discussion looking at the interplay of intelligence, covert action, and secret statecraft in the conduct of international affairs. We are joined by Professor Rory Cormac, who is unquestionably one of the leading scholars on the theory and practice of covert action both throughout history and in the contemporary world. Rory has written a number of books on the subject, inc...

Rebecca Campbell is a London-based partner at law firm White & Case, where she leads the firm’s Global Mining and Metals Industry Group. Rebecca has advised on a wide array of project development and financing deals, notable mining focused M&A transactions, and regulatory reforms in a number of global jurisdictions. She is a true substantive expert on an industry that is playing an ever mo...

Linda Kinstler is the author of the book Come to this Court and Cry , which was named a Wall Street Journal 2022 Book of the Year and won the 2023 Whiting Award for Nonfiction. In the words of The Guardian , the book is a “tremendous feat of storytelling, propelled by numerous twists and revelations, yet anchored by a deep moral seriousness.” The book traces the post-World War Two journey of Herbe...

Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis, at 38-years old, has been marked out as a name to watch in South African politics. His leadership of the “Mother City” has garnered widespread praise from both domestic and international observers. Join us for a discussion focused on the opportunities and challenges facing one of the world’s great cities, the state of opposition politics in South Africa, and a t...

Join us for a discussion with Ambassador Michelle Gavin as we discuss the impacts thus far of the Trump administration on Africa and also look at long-term trends to watch on the continent. Michelle is the Council on Foreign Relations' Ralph Bunche Senior Fellow for Africa Policy Studies. Books referenced in the podcast - "Shallow Graves" by Richard Reid - https://www.hurstpublishers.com/book/shal...

Join us for a discussion with The Kyiv Independent's Francis Farrell as we look at the brutal realities of life on Ukraine's frontlines. Links to material discussed in this episode: -- The Kyiv Independent --Francis Farrell on the Pokrovsk frontline --Francis Farrell with Air Assault medics --Yaroslav Trofimov's Our Enemies Will Vanish --Oleksandr Mykhed's The Language of War -- Artem Chekh --Myro...

Join us for a discussion with Sunday Times bestselling spy novelist and former CIA analyst David McCloskey as we discuss the craft of writing fiction in this time of global disorder.

Join us for the inaugural episode of Earlylands in Conversation. In this episode, we are joined by the Financial Times's Tom Wilson. Tom is a seasoned commentator on the global energy and mining sector and joins us to discuss "minerals for security" agreements and the interplay of mining, minerals, and geopolitics in the era of Trump 2.0. Please use this link to access the FT article referenced in...