Escalating tensions between Iran, the United States, Israel, and regional powers are reshaping the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East. What began as targeted military strikes is quickly evolving into a confrontation with global implications for security, energy markets, and international diplomacy.

In this episode of Global Southing, we speak with Dr. Dania Koleilat Khatib, expert on U.S.–Gulf relations and President of the Research Center for Cooperation and Peace Building, about what this escalating conflict means for the Middle East and the Global South.

The conversation examines the legality of preemptive strikes, the economic consequences of rising oil prices and disrupted trade routes, and the broader geopolitical tensions driving the crisis. Dr. Khatib also discusses shifting alliances, the limits of diplomacy, and how countries in the Global South are reassessing their political and economic strategies in an increasingly multipolar world.

Tune in to learn:

→ Why the current Middle East escalation has global economic consequences
→ The legal and geopolitical debates surrounding preemptive military strikes
→ How disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz could affect global trade and energy markets
→ Why oil prices are becoming a central geopolitical pressure point
→ The potential refugee and humanitarian consequences of regional instability
→ How Gulf countries are reassessing their security alliances
→ The growing push among Global South nations to reduce dependence on Western financial systems
→ Why new regional security architectures may reshape the future of Middle Eastern diplomacy

Key Moments

00:00 Introduction and the escalating Middle East crisis
01:30 The legality of the strikes and the geopolitical context
05:20 Iran’s strategy and regional escalation risks
09:40 The role of diplomacy and regional mediation
17:30 Oil prices, trade routes, and global economic consequences
21:10 Global inflation and energy shocks
24:00 Refugee risks and humanitarian implications
27:00 Global South reactions and shifting geopolitical alignments
30:30 BRICS, financial systems, and economic independence
33:20 Regional security architecture in the Middle East

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Dr. Dania Koleilat Khatib
Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dania-koleilat-khatib-phd-7193527a/

Africa is home to more than 1.5 billion people and over a quarter of the votes in the United Nations General Assembly. Yet its voice in global governance and international institutions often remains underrepresented.

In this episode of Global Southing, we speak with Grégoire Ndjaka, CEO of the African Union of Broadcasting, about Africa’s evolving role in multilateralism and how media institutions are helping shape the continent’s global narrative.

From the African Union’s diplomatic influence to the power of Pan-African media collaboration, this conversation explores how Africa is working to strengthen its collective voice across international platforms such as the UN, G20, BRICS+, and G77. Ndjaka shares why storytelling, journalism capacity building, and digital connectivity are becoming critical tools in redefining how Africa engages with the world.

With insights on media training, digital infrastructure gaps, and the growing importance of South-South cooperation, this episode looks at how Africa is positioning itself in an increasingly multipolar world.

Tune in to learn:

→ Why Africa remains underrepresented in global institutions despite its population and UN voting power
→ How the African Union is advocating for stronger representation in global governance
→ Why African media must play a central role in telling Africa’s story to the world
→ How digital connectivity is reshaping communication and collaboration across the continent
→ The role of journalist training and capacity building in strengthening Pan-African media
→ Why cultural diversity within Africa is a strength rather than a barrier to unity
→ How South-South cooperation and platforms like BRICS+ are creating new opportunities for Africa
→ What Africa’s rising geopolitical influence could mean in a multipolar world

Key Moments

00:00 Introduction and Africa’s growing role in global affairs
01:30 Africa’s representation gap in global institutions
04:20 The African Union and the push for stronger global voice
07:40 Why media matters in shaping Africa’s narrative
11:00 Cultural diversity and understanding across African societies
15:20 Digital connectivity and the transformation of communication
18:30 Risks of misinformation and digital misuse
21:00 South-South cooperation and media partnerships
24:30 Training journalists and building African media capacity
27:30 BRICS+, geopolitics, and Africa’s evolving alliances
31:40 Peacekeeping, diplomacy, and Africa’s future role in multilateralism
35:00 Advice for the next generation shaping Africa’s global engagement

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Grégoire Ndjaka: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregoire-ndjaka-b34b7614a/

African Union of Broadcasting: https://www.uar-aub.org/

The global AI race is accelerating, but the real question is who gets to build it, shape it, and benefit from it in the Global South.

In this episode of Global Southing, we speak with Anima Anandkumar, AI and Science leader, TIME100 Impact Award Winner, and Caltech Professor, about what it will take for emerging markets to move from AI adoption to real AI agency.

From compute access and energy realities to local language data, talent pipelines, and practical use cases in agriculture, weather forecasting, healthcare, and smart cities, this conversation cuts through hype and gets specific about what’s feasible now, what needs policy support, and where the biggest opportunities and risks sit.

With grounded examples including AI enabled weather prediction, pandemic preparedness, and disease modeling, Anima explains why democratizing AI is not just about tools, but about infrastructure, education, and local control over data and governance choices.

Tune in to learn:
→ Why access to compute and energy is the real starting line for AI in the Global South
→ How AI weather forecasting can support food security and climate resilience
→ What it takes to build local language AI when the data is not online
→ Where AI can close healthcare gaps, from disease modeling to drug discovery
→ How cities can use AI for mobility, safety, and pollution monitoring
→ Why regulation before adoption can slow innovation, and what to do instead
→ How AI will reshape jobs, and why reskilling speed matters
→ The infrastructure moves that matter most, including sovereign AI, GPUs, and universities

Key Moments
00:00 Opening and episode setup
01:10 AI access and agency, what the Global South actually needs
02:00 Compute and energy, the real bottleneck no one talks about
04:00 Weather forecasting and climate resilience, why prediction is power
06:40 Agriculture and food security, what works in the real world
11:10 Pandemic preparedness, early warning and disease modeling
15:20 Healthcare breakthroughs, underserved diseases and drug discovery
19:30 Smart cities, mobility, safety, and public trust
23:40 Data privacy and surveillance, where the lines get blurry
28:00 Jobs and reskilling, how to stay ahead of the shift

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Anima Anandkumar: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anima-anandkumar/
Caltech: https://www.caltech.edu/