since 2022 Project Director of Megatrends Afrika
2017-2020 Research Fellow, Institute for Strategic Research (IRSEM), Paris
2011-2015 Head of the research project »Local Arenas of Power Sharing«, sponsored by the DFG
2001-2003 Research Fellow at the Institute for African Affairs, Hamburg
There is a growing unease among policymakers in Paris that Turkey’s increased involvement in Africa—the so-called French “backyard”—may lead to conflicts with France in the areas of defence, economy and development. However, for the time being direct conflicts between Paris and Ankara—such as in Libya—remain the exception.
Good Intentions, Partial Reform and the Fiasco in the Sahel
doi:10.18449/2023C51
The Shape of Things to Come
doi:10.18449/2021C05
Why Discussions about Sahel Policy Are Going around in Circles
doi:10.18449/2020C27
Time to Adjust Minusma’s Mandate
doi:10.18449/2019C23
Political Obstacles to Effective Cooperation
Europe is about to elect a new parliament. Relations with Africa barely played a role in the election campaigns, even though they are crucial for making progress in important policy areas such as climate change and the shortage of skilled labour in Europe. Our strategic foresight process highlights trends that will shape relations between the two continents in the near future. In this Megatrends Afrika Spotlight, Karoline Eickhoff and Denis M. Tull report on where the journey is headed.
Exploring Europe-Africa relations for 2030, the Megatrends Afrika project analyzes emerging trends, including political instability in Europe and African contestation of Eurocentric policies. This strategic examination highlights underappreciated dynamics in politics, social issues, and beyond, offering policymakers insights into potential future developments.
doi:10.18449/2024MTA-WP13
The German government wants to work more closely with African partners. How must it change its policy in order to accomplish this? What does it mean to “rethink” Germany’s Africa policy? In our blog series Joint Futures, we gather ideas from experts and discuss ways forward.
The effectiveness of UN peacekeeping in Africa is increasingly being questioned and its legitimacy put to the test. Complex warfare, unrealistic mandates and geopolitical rivalries are hampering progress. Can the UN and AU pave the way for a new era of peacekeeping?
doi:10.18449/2023MTA-WP07
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, policy-makers have increasingly viewed Western interests as being challenged by rival actors, including in Africa. This obscures Africa’s growing autonomy in the international order. Redefining European relations with Africa through the prism of strategic competition disproportionately focuses on challenges rather than opportunities.
doi:10.18449/2023MTA-PB13
After nearly a decade of military intervention, France has withdrawn its soldiers from Mali. The departure not only symbolises a failure of French intervention policy, argue Benedikt Erforth (IDOS) and Denis Tull (SWP) in this Megatrends Afrika Spotlight, but also reflects Europe’s foreign policy weakness. Yet, a more muted French footprint could also be an opportunity to build a more balanced and credible approach towards the Sahel.
Conditions for a continued German involvement in the EU mission to Mali look poor. The UN mission, however, could become even more important.
