Mo Ibrahim Foundation

🗞️ This Week in Conflict | A Hormuz Initiative to Protect Global Food Security As the U.S.-Israel war with Iran enters its first month, the Middle East conflict is threatening global food security. In our latest statement, International Crisis Group and prominent individuals call for an initiative, modelled on the 2022 Black Sea grain deal, to ease the transit of food, fertiliser and related intermediate materials through the Strait of Hormuz. In our latest episode of Hold Your Fire!, we unpack the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, the reported backchannel talks between Washington and Tehran, how Gulf states see the war, why the war continues to enjoy broad support in Israel despite its mounting costs and Donald Trump’s erratic messaging.   Finally, as the Trump administration flexes its military muscle in the Middle East, we look at the ongoing consequences of the startling U.S. seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife in the South American nation.

Artificial intelligence is rapidly shaping how governments deliver services, manage cities, and support economic development. However, adopting AI effectively requires more than just new technologies. In this Rapid Evidence Review, Arol Dut and William Avis explore the key enablers for the effective adoption of AI at national and city level, particularly in low and middle income countries. The report examines the policies, governance structures, skills, data systems, and institutional capacities that support responsible and effective AI adoption. It highlights the importance of strong regulatory frameworks, investment in digital infrastructure, and collaboration between government, academia, and the private sector. Read the full report here 👇 https://lnkd.in/eMD5hWpm #ArtificialIntelligence #AIforDevelopment #PublicPolicy

Day 1: LSE Africa Summit 2026 (AI in Africa) Africans keep asking Western AI platforms to "include Africa." That's already the wrong posture. When you request integration of African languages, knowledge, and reasoning without attaching capital to that demand, you're not negotiating. You're petitioning. And petitions get answered on the other party's terms, if at all. The uncomfortable truth: an unfunded ask is a charity case. Africa doesn't need more advocacy for representation in AI systems built elsewhere. It needs to fund the integration - make it transactional - so it holds the leverage that comes with being a paying principal, not a sympathetic cause. What you pay for, you can negotiate. What you beg for, you receive at someone else's discretion. The goal was never to be included in the system. It was always to have the power to shape it.

This week Chatham House awarded the 2025 Chatham House Prize to Sudan's Emergency Response Rooms. The award was in recognition of the ERR's crucial role in delivering humanitarian assistance and safeguarding civilian life across Sudan during the ongoing civil war. Find out more about the Emergency Response Rooms and the 2025 Chatham House Prize ➡️ https://lnkd.in/exajNrjH

We are thrilled to announce that applications for the 2026-2027 Chatham House Academy Fellowships are now open. Apply now for a chance to spend 10 months at Chatham House developing your own research project under the guidance of one of our world-leading research programmes as well as participating in the Academy's Leadership Programme. The following fellowships are now accepting applications: ✅ New Generation Europe Academy Fellowship (open to Russian citizens/dual citizens) ✅ Mo Ibrahim Foundation Academy Fellowship (open to African citizens/dual citizens) ✅ Richard and Susan Hayden Academy Fellowship (open to citizens of any country) ✅ Stavros Niarchos Foundation Academy Fellowship (open to Greek citizens/dual citizens) Be sure you meet the eligibility criteria before you apply for any fellowship. Applications will close at 17:00 BST on Friday, 17 April. Apply here: https://lnkd.in/eJu_Z5Mr

🌍 How can Africa navigate an increasingly fragmented global order?   Join us for the next Now Generation Network (NGN) In Conversation With… on Thursday 26 March (15:00–16:30 GMT), where leading voices from across policy, business and research will explore how Africa can respond to a more competitive and uncertain international system.   🎙️ Moderator   ● Aaliyah Vayez, NGN member & international relations analyst   🎤 Speakers   ● Hannah Ryder (芮 婉 洁), CEO, Development Reimagined ● Leena Badri, NGN member, Associate Academic Fellow, Chatham House, & Researcher, Sudanese Center For Policy Studies ● Marcus Courage, CEO, Africa Practice ● Jakkie Cilliers, Board Chairman & Head of African Futures and Innovation, Institute for Security Studies   👉 Link to register: https://lnkd.in/eDasgXRF   #NGN #Geopolitics #Africa