# What did we learn at the African Union Summit and the Munich Security Conference?

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/this-week-in-global-development-6311778/what-did-we-learn-at-the-african-union-summit-and-the-munich-security-conference
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/this-week-in-global-development-6311778/what-did-we-learn-at-the-african-union-summit-and-the-munich-security-conference.md
Podcast: [This Week in Global Development](https://stenobird.com/podcast/this-week-in-global-development-6311778)
Published: 2026-02-19T19:35:12+00:00
Episode link: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/what-did-we-learn-at-the-african-union-summit-and-the-munich-security-conference--70154224
Audio file: https://api.spreaker.com/download/episode/70154224/devex_podcast_1333draft_mixdown.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/this-week-in-global-development-6311778/episodes/what-did-we-learn-at-the-african-union-summit-and-the-munich-security-conference
Duration seconds: 1647

## Resource

We examine the latest developments surrounding the African Continental Free Trade Area , or AfCFTA, which served as a focal point of the recent African Union Summit . The initiative continues its phased reduction of continental tariffs to bolster intra-African trade and industrialization. The development of strategic resource corridors to anchor critical mineral supply chains was also a cornerstone of the discussions . The U.S. officials sought to reassure participants that corridor investments would not be exploitative and would deliver tangible benefits to local communities. We also reflect on the Munich Security Conference , where we found that the global south was underrepresented. While traditional foreign aid was largely sidelined in favor of immediate security priorities, development finance emerged as a prominent topic of conversation. Throughout the summit, participants frequently championed the argument that strategic investment in development is a prerequisite for global security, rather than a byproduct of it. To discuss these stories, and others, Senior Reporter Adva Saldinger sits down with reporters Ayenat Mersie and Jesse Chase-Lubitz for the latest episode of our weekly podcast series. Sign up to the Devex Newswire and our other newsletters.

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## Transcript

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