Time to claim our seat at the global table

Abdelmonem Fawzi

“If we are not at the table, we are on the menu,” Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney warned fellow middle powers in Europe and beyond during a recent address on shifting global dynamics.

This stark metaphor resonates powerfully for Africa as we enter 2026, a year poised to test the continent’s agency amid intensifying geopolitical rivalries.

Armed conflicts continue to ravage vast regions. Protracted insurgencies in the Sahel, particularly Mali and Burkina Faso, see extremist groups expanding their grip.

Sudan’s civil war displaces millions and claims countless lives, while tensions in the Horn of Africa and Great Lakes region fuel fragmentation, governance breakdowns, and external meddling that profit from division.

Economic pressures compound the crisis. Heavy debt burdens strain major economies, with servicing costs diverting resources from development.

External actors often tie mediation to concessions, such as access to minerals in eastern Congo, highlighting a troubling “pricing” of peace that deepens Africa’s marginalization in a changing world order.

Security forecasts underscore the concentration of threats. The “Global Terrorism Forecast 2026” from Nanyang Technological University’s Rajaratnam School warns of heightened geopolitical competition shaping violence worldwide.

However, over 95% of terrorist attacks are projected to occur in crisis zones, with 60-70% in African countries like Sudan, Mali, Somalia, Libya, and Nigeria.

Isolated incidents may strike North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, but Africa remains the epicentre.

The International Crisis Group’s “10 Conflicts to Watch in 2026” ranks Sudan second globally (after Venezuela), with Ethiopia-Eritrea tensions third.

Accusations fly: Ethiopia charges Eritrea with arming anti-government militias, while Asmara views Addis Ababa’s push for Red Sea access as aggression targeting AssabPort.Escalation risks a wider regional conflagration.

In this fragmented landscape, Africa’s response must be unified. The continent’s resources have too often been plundered under the guise of intervention.

Solidarity, justice, and collective progress, embodied in the vision of “The Africa We Want”, offer the path forward.

Beyond raw materials, Africa’s greatest strength lies in its moral voice and shared ideals.

To avoid being mere prey in great-power games, Africa must harness unity, build resilient institutions, and demand a genuine seat at the table.

Only through agency and solidarity can the continent shape, not just endurethe emerging global order.

Abdelmonem Fawzi is a veteran journalist and an international relations expert.