Analysis

Persona Non Grata in Burkina Faso: The case for the UN strategic communication

Persona Non Grata in Burkina Faso: The case for the UN strategic communication 649 425 Aether Strategies

On August 18, 2025, the government of Burkina Faso declared the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations System, Ms. Carol Flore-SMERECZNIAK, persona non grata. The reason: a report on ‘Children and Armed Conflict in Burkina Faso’ addressed to the Security Council, which the Burkinabe authorities deemed partial, non-collaborative, and insulting.…

Microsoft, Nayara and the lessons of digital sovereignty for Africa

Microsoft, Nayara and the lessons of digital sovereignty for Africa 1080 769 Aether Strategies

Imagine that, overnight, your essential digital tools (messaging, software, data storage) stop working, at the behest of a foreign state. This is a scenario we must already find possible solutions for. Because the economic war between the West and the BRICS is no longer waged solely with tariffs or financial…

AI in Africa: Regulate to rule, not to suffer digital servitude

AI in Africa: Regulate to rule, not to suffer digital servitude 1920 1279 Aether Strategies

The call by the Pan-African Parliament for ethical governance of artificial intelligence (AI) is far more than a mere technical issue ; it is a historic crossroads for Africa. For the continent’s leaders, innovators, and citizens, the question is not whether we should adopt AI, but how we will master…

Leadership Lessons from the “Great Debaters”

Leadership Lessons from the “Great Debaters” 1920 1080 Aether Strategies

How speech, when mastered, structured, and courageous, becomes a tool for mental decolonization and the achievement of dignity. The film “The Great Debaters” by and starring Denzel Washington, although set in segregated Texas in the 1930s, offers a relevant allegory for contemporary Africa. It dissects how speech, when mastered, structured,…

DR Congo – USA: When, why and Who to negotiate with?

DR Congo – USA: When, why and Who to negotiate with? 600 350 Aether Strategies

Cornered militarily, weakened politically and limited strategically, the Democratic Republic of Congo seems determined to solicit the United States. Raw materials in exchange for military support. This is what the newspaper Le Monde indicates in an article of March 10, 2025 titled “The United States ready to discuss a partnership…

AI, digital colonialism & social mobilization in Africa

AI, digital colonialism & social mobilization in Africa 1260 840 Aether Strategies

Mophat Okinyi, a former content moderator, actively participated in training ChatGPT by tagging toxic content for an OpenAI subcontractor, Sama. Because he experienced the harsh working conditions and low wages there, and after denouncing them, he co-founded the Content Moderators Union, the first union for data workers in artificial intelligence…

Taking Control of Our Digital Destiny Isn’t Just About Tech

Taking Control of Our Digital Destiny Isn’t Just About Tech 1280 720 Aether Strategies

A single cable break under the sea, on March 13th, 2024, plunged millions of Africans offline. Imagine your whole world going dark, just like that. It’s a wake-up call about how fragile our internet connection really is. Africa cannot afford to be this vulnerable. Our economies, education, and social fabric…

Marking your difference is essential

Marking your difference is essential 2000 1333 Aether Strategies

In their book entitled “The Myth of Excellence”, futurists Ryan Mathews & Fred Crawford explain why and how to dominate a market, differentiate yourself but also simply meet the expectations of this market. At the heart of the model developed by these American specialists, there are 5 attributes to consider:…

The Abundance Mentality

The Abundance Mentality 2000 1333 Aether Strategies

Contrary to widespread tradition, leadership is not innate. It is built. Leadership is indeed the result of long-term work on oneself and on one’s relationship with others. Leadership is also linked to one’s environment, because we are all, in one way or another, products of our environment. This is particularly…

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