PODCAST: Professor Daniel Bradlow reflects on the G20 in South Africa with the Centre for African Conflict and Development

Professor Daniel Bradlow was recently a guest on the Conflict and Development in Africa Podcast, speaking with Dr Michael Nwankpa on the G20 Summit in South Africa in 2025. 

In the episode, Professor Bradlow reflected on the abnormal G20 Summit that was clouded with bilateral friction, resulting in United States of America President Donald Trump boycotting the event. With global tensions at an all-time high, the podcast examines the potential collapse of the old world order. Professor Bradlow and Dr Nwankpa discussed the "lawless" state of global politics, including the recent US bombings in Nigeria and the removal of leadership in Venezuela. Professor Bradlow attempted to interpret the foreign policy actions of the US, and explain why the US is voluntarily withdrawing from its role as a global leader and what that vacuum means for Africa.

"Those countries that react constructively [to the US foreign policy actions] and work together at least have some space to try that... Where that leaves Africa is much more complicated question. Africa has lots of potential and lots of room to become a very dynamic continent over time [but African leaders need to identify] who strategically and tactically can we use as allies, at least on certain issues, so we can manoeuvre between all these different forces to maximise our opportunities" 

- Professor Daniel Bradlow

The episode was released on 19 January 2026 through the Centre for African Conflict and Development YouTube Channel, and you can watch it here: 

Professor Daniel Bradlow is a professor and senior research fellow at the Centre for the Advancement of Scholarship at the University of Pretoria. He is a globally renowned expert in the areas of global economic governance, international financial institutions, international development law, extractive industries and human rights, international trade and human rights, foreign investment and human rights law. 

Dr Michael Nwankpa is the is the Founding Director and Director of Research at the Centre for African Conflict and Development. The Centre is an independent research centre established in the United Kingdom in 2017. The Centre supports focused, evidence-based, original and high quality individual and collaborative research on African conflicts and development issues. 

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this podcast are those of the authors and do not represent the official stance or policies of the University of Pretoria.