Description
The Labour government that came to power in the United Kingdom in 2024 immediately launched a consultation on how to shape its approach to Africa. The consultation reported in June 2025, arguing that the United Kingdom aimed to develop a new approach to Africa that is ‘based on genuine partnership, rooted in mutual respect, and reflecting how Africa, the United Kingdom and the world have changed.’ The need for a new approach assumes that the previous approach was not fit for a ‘changed Africa, the world and the United Kingdom.’ However, the current policy debates do not clearly articulate the approach the United Kingdom seeks to abandon or the new approach it seeks to adopt. This roundtable will facilitate a discussion between leading experts in African Studies to debate ideas which can contribute to a better UK approach to African affairs. The debate will seek to answer two questions: What type of grand strategy could the United Kingdom employ in its African affairs to increase the prospect of achieving its interests? How might the interests of African states also be considered in analysing this process?
