248: Culture First: Natacha Ciezki on Building Trust and Strategy in African Engagements

In this episode of the One CA Podcast, host Danny Joseph sits down with Natacha Ciezki, a foreign affairs consultant and Civil Affairs officer, to explore the critical role of cultural understanding in African engagements.

Drawing from her extensive experience across Sub-Saharan Africa, Natacha shares insights on how local context, historical nuance, and relationship-building shape effective foreign policy and civil affairs operations.

Whether you're a practitioner, policymaker, or curious listener, this conversation offers a compelling look at why cultural fluency isn’t just a soft skill—it’s a strategic necessity

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One CA is a product of the Civil Affairs Association and brings in people who are current or former military, diplomats, development officers, and field agents to discuss their experiences on the ground with a partner nation's people and leadership.

We aim to inspire anyone interested in working in the "last three feet" of U.S. foreign relations.

To contact the show, email us at [e-mail], or look us up on the Civil Affairs Association website at www.civilaffairsassoc.org

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Feedspot, the podcast industry ranking system, rated One CA Podcast as one of the top 10 shows on foreign policy. Check it out at: https://podcast.feedspot.com/foreign_policy_podcasts/

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Special Thanks to Ekler for the sample of Polo and Pan from the album Canopee. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5IruTV-LGQ&list=RDf5IruTV-LGQ&start_radio=1

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