Africa and the World in 2026: Power, Diplomatic Futures and the UN Security Council Question | Ep 13

Описание: Africa in a Fragmenting World: Diplomacy, Multilateral Reform, and Agenda 2063 | EP. 13 | The Solomon Atah Podcast

In this episode of The Solomon Atah Podcast, we are joined by Dr Phakamisa Siyothula, a diplomat, international relations scholar, and practitioner, for a rigorous examination of Africa’s strategic position in a rapidly shifting global order.

This conversation situates Africa within the emerging geopolitical landscape of 2026 and beyond, where multilateral institutions are under strain, global consensus is fragile, and questions of representation, legitimacy, and power are increasingly contested. Rather than treating diplomacy as abstract statecraft, the episode examines how African institutions, policy frameworks, and diplomatic strategies are responding to global uncertainty.

Dr Siyothula offers grounded insight into the African Peer Review Mechanism, African Union flagship programmes, and the evolving role of the AU Peace Fund as instruments of governance, accountability, and continental self determination. The discussion explores Africa’s long standing push for permanent representation on the United Nations Security Council, unpacking the diplomatic negotiations, political constraints, and consensus building challenges involved.

The episode also engages critically with Agenda 2063, examining its ambitions, implementation gaps, and diplomatic significance as a continental blueprint for sovereignty, development, and global influence. Throughout the conversation, diplomacy emerges not merely as negotiation, but as an infrastructure of power shaping Africa’s future in global governance.

This episode is essential listening for scholars of international relations, diplomacy, African studies, political science, development policy, and global governance, as well as practitioners working within multilateral and regional institutions.

In this episode, we explore:

• Africa and the global order in 2026
• Diplomacy and multilateral reform
• The African Peer Review Mechanism
• AU flagship programmes and continental governance
• The African Union Peace Fund
• Africa and permanent seats at the UN Security Council
• Agenda 2063 and Africa’s diplomatic future

About the guest:

Dr Phakamisa Siyothula is a diplomat, international relations expert, and researcher practitioner whose work engages African multilateral institutions, global governance, peace and security, and diplomatic strategy. His scholarship bridges theory and practice, offering rare insight into how African diplomacy operates within global power structures.

Why this conversation matters:

As global institutions face legitimacy crises and geopolitical realignments accelerate, Africa’s diplomatic choices will shape its sovereignty, security, and influence for decades. This episode clarifies how continental mechanisms, long term policy frameworks, and strategic diplomacy intersect in Africa’s pursuit of a more equitable global order.

Watch, reflect, and engage:

If you are interested in African diplomacy, international relations, global governance reform, the African Union, Agenda 2063, and the future of multilateralism, this episode offers timely and intellectually grounded analysis.

Subscribe to The Solomon Atah Podcast for sustained, critical conversations with scholars and practitioners shaping Africa’s political, economic, and intellectual futures.

Keywords and discoverability focus:

African diplomacy, international relations Africa, African Union governance, Agenda 2063, African Peer Review Mechanism, AU Peace Fund, UN Security Council reform Africa, global governance Africa, multilateral diplomacy, African foreign policy, The Solomon Atah Podcast