Why Africa Is Still Underrepresented in Global Governance

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

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