Governance and Politics Roundtable at ATLAS 2026

Retrenchment and Reordering: Governance, Aid, and Geopolitics in Africa

As part of the 3rd Annual UMD ATLAS Conference (March 31 – April 1, 2026), this Governance and Politics Roundtable examines how shifting global priorities—particularly the retrenchment of U.S. aid, changing security commitments, and evolving geopolitical competition—are reshaping governance and political life across Africa.

Moving beyond a narrow focus on aid volumes, the discussion considers the broader normative and institutional effects of these shifts, including how declining support reconfigures state–society relations, alters the incentives of political elites, and reshapes the terrain of democratic practice. Panelists will also explore how African governments and communities are navigating reduced external support, new security alignments, and intensified U.S.–China competition.

The roundtable features Department of Government & Politics Assistant Professor Dr. Fiona Shen-Bayh alongside a distinguished group of scholars:

• Moderator: Beka Guluma (University of Maryland)
• Ampson Hagan (University of Maryland)
• Bulelani Jili (Georgetown University)
• Carl LeVan (American University)
• Michael Woldemariam (University of Maryland)

Hosted within the ATLAS Conference—part of the University of Maryland’s Grand Challenges Initiative—this session invites attendees to engage with critical questions about governance, international aid, and geopolitical change in Africa.

The conference is free and open to the public, with registration available online.

Register Here