GP seminar: John Åberg: Digital Leaders and US-China Competition in Africa

John Åberg: "Digital Leaders and US-China Competition in Africa: Public-Private Partnerships and Individual Embeddedness in Integrated World Society Networks"

Speaker

John H. S. Åberg PhD is a senior lecturer in the Department of Global Political Studies (GPS) at Malmö University, Sweden. His current research interests include the global political economy of Artificial Intelligence (AI), US-China relations, and Africa-China relations, in particular US-China tech rivalry in Africa and China-Ethiopia relations.

Abstract

US-China digital competition in Africa is intensifying, with both nations vying for influence through economic and technological engagements. A notable example is the emergence of initiatives led by young, tech-savvy, technocratic politicians with backgrounds in transnational corporations and global policy forums. These leaders are leveraging their networks to foster public-private partnerships and implement corporate-led solutions. This shift is exemplified by digital ministers such as Cina Lawson of Togo and Bosun Tijani of Nigeria, who are driving digital transformation in their respective countries. To capture this, US-China competition is framed by contrasting world society and international society theoretical perspectives.

The former emphasizes Anglo-American centrality and individual embeddedness in integrated world society networks, the latter emphasizes institutionalized multipolarity and state-to-state international relations. As African nations increasingly adopt public-private partnerships and corporate-led solutions, and young pro-western digital leaders become embedded in global networks, China may face challenges in maintaining its upper hand (imagined or real) in the digital ecosystem on the African continent.

Welcome to the GP seminar, 29th October

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