Al Jazeera Centre for Studies is organising a high-level international conference on 13–14 December 2025, titled “Africa in a Time of Geopolitical Transformation: Security and Sovereignty Challenges”. The event will take place in Doha, and will bring together a distinguished group of experts, researchers and thinkers specialising in African affairs from across the continent and beyond.
The conference will explore a range of major political and security challenges shaping Africa today, including the rise of armed conflicts and civil wars, the fragility of state institutions, and the increasing complexity of governance in the face of expanding external interventions. It will also examine how intensifying competition among global powers – such as the United States, China, Russia and the European Union – is affecting the sovereignty of African states. Participants will discuss the ways in which strategic investments, military partnerships and geopolitical alignments are reshaping power dynamics within the continent.
A central theme of the conference will be the evolving concept of African sovereignty, particularly amid a global redistribution of influence and the growing dependence of some African states on foreign aid, which can constrain political autonomy and heighten vulnerability to external pressure. The conference will further analyse recurring tensions in the Sahel, the Horn of Africa and the Lake Chad Basin, along with the economic and social factors that contribute to persistent regional insecurity.
In addition to assessing risks, the conference will highlight Africa’s future opportunities – including its potential in green economies, its demographic transformations, the aspirations of its youth populations, and ongoing efforts toward regional integration. Discussions will consider how African states can recalibrate security priorities and develop more independent defence capabilities capable of responding to emerging threats without falling into cycles of dependency or external influence.
At the conclusion of the event, the centre will issue a comprehensive report summarising key findings and outlining actionable recommendations for policymakers, regional institutions, researchers and media organisations. Al Jazeera Centre for Studies aims for the conference to serve as an intellectual and strategic platform that bridges scholarly depth with field expertise, fostering multi-layered analyses of Africa’s present and future. The event also seeks to encourage dialogue between senior and emerging scholars and to strengthen academic and media collaboration among institutions engaged in African studies.
The conference will close on 14 December with a plenary session presenting the main insights from the discussions and offering an integrated vision for addressing questions of security and sovereignty in Africa amid a rapidly evolving global landscape.