STEPPING INTO FOCUS: AFRICA, BRICS, AND THE WAR IN UKRAINE - The 2023 BRICS Summit in South Africa and the recent trip to Kyiv and Moscow by a peace delegation of African leaders raise the question: What are African expectations around these international appearances? How will the continent step up on the global stage next as a strategic actor, shedding the image of a collateral victim of Russia’s war in Ukraine? What kind of support can they expect from the powers competing on their soil?

To discuss the significance of this agenda, the Africa Center convenes senior directors from across the Atlantic Council for a unique conversation.

Particularly since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, African leaders and governments have attempted to mitigate the impact of the conflict on their food security, manage their varied positions and partnerships, mobilize their natural and human resources, and influence the global policy agenda in multilateral bodies. With decades of experience in addressing peace and security challenges, bolstering trade and development, and representing a key voting bloc in the United Nations, African governments are ready to contribute to the new world agenda far beyond their borders.

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 6/28/23