Global Southing

Space exploration is no longer reserved for global superpowers.

As countries across the Global South invest more seriously in science, a bigger question emerges: how can research, curiosity, and long-term investment help shape a nation’s future both on Earth and beyond it?

In this episode of Global Southing, we speak with Dr. Noora Alsaeed, planetary scientist and Science Principal Investigator for the Emirates Mars Mission, about the UAE’s journey into space, the role of science in national development, women in STEM, the pressures facing young researchers, and what it takes to build stronger scientific ecosystems across the Global South.

Tune in to learn:

→ Why the Global South has always contributed to scientific discovery
→ How political stability and economic priorities influence scientific progress
→ Why space exploration can strengthen technology, engineering, and innovation
→ What planetary scientists actually do with data from Mars missions
→ How the Emirates Mars Mission inspired a new generation of scientists
→ Why international collaboration is essential to modern space exploration
→ What makes careers in science difficult for young researchers
→ How governments and institutions can build stronger scientific ecosystems

Key Moments

1:13 What it feels like to work as a planetary scientist
2:09 Looking into the past to understand the future
3:26 The Global South’s contribution to scientific knowledge
11:12 Why middle powers should invest in space exploration
14:44 What a planetary scientist actually does
22:12 Women in science and the UAE’s unique experience
26:29 The ambition behind the Emirates Mars Mission
39:22 Building stronger scientific ecosystems in the Global South

Follow Global Southing

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/global-southing/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/globalsouthing/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@globalsouthing

Listen to the podcast

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0R17ovyZOxFjSrIGM5TjcZ?si=580a700875544cb1

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/global-southing/id1874600009

Africa’s future cannot be told only through outside narratives.

But behind those headlines is a deeper question: how can Africa shape its own future, tell its own stories, and create opportunities for a rapidly growing generation?

In this episode of Global Southing, we speak with Stanley Similo, Director General of the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation, about Africa’s rise, the role of media in shaping public opinion, youth employment, digital transformation, education, trade integration, and the continent’s growing influence within the Global South.

Tune in to learn:

→ Why Africa’s growing population can become a major force for development
→ How youth employment and entrepreneurship will shape the continent’s future
→ Why governments need to invest in technology, education, and innovation hubs
→ How African media can help reclaim the continent’s narrative globally
→ Why digital transformation is creating new opportunities across fintech, agritech, and healthcare
→ Why value addition and local manufacturing matter for economic growth
→ How African trade integration can support long-term development
→ How stronger cooperation within Africa and the Global South can accelerate progress

Key Moments

1:12 Africa’s population growth and future opportunity
2:08 Youth unemployment and entrepreneurship
4:22 Infrastructure, technology, and urban growth
7:00 Media’s role in shaping public opinion
10:50 Reclaiming Africa’s global narrative
17:07 Africa’s digital transformation sectors
29:24 African trade integration and AfCFTA
45:35 Africa’s future within the Global South

Follow Global Southing

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/global-southing/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/globalsouthing/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@globalsouthing

Listen to the podcast

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0R17ovyZOxFjSrIGM5TjcZ?si=580a700875544cb1

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/global-southing/id1874600009

Africa's digital future is often discussed through statistics and projections.

But behind the numbers is a continent building its own solutions, expanding access, and creating new opportunities through technology.

In this episode of Global Southing, we speak with Mactar Silla, Founder and CEO of Label TV, about the realities shaping Africa's digital transformation, from internet access and mobile money to AI, digital infrastructure, regulation, and local innovation.

The conversation explores the challenges of connectivity, the role of governments and the private sector, the importance of African languages in technology, and why Africa must become a creator of digital platforms rather than simply a consumer of them.

Tune in to learn:

→ Why internet access in Africa is about more than just connectivity numbers
→ How mobile money emerged from everyday needs and transformed payments
→ What governments must do to make digital services more accessible
→ Why internet affordability remains a major barrier to inclusion
→ How AI can better serve African languages and local contexts
→ What is driving the gender gap in digital access across Africa
→ Why Africa needs its own platforms, cloud infrastructure, and digital ecosystems
→ How digital innovation can create opportunities for Africa's young population

Key Moments
1:07 Why Africa's internet usage may be larger than official figures suggest
4:22 The rural-urban divide and the challenge of digital inclusion
6:44 How mobile money was born from a simple everyday problem
10:31 What African governments are getting right in digital transformation
15:25 AI, African languages, and the need for local solutions
19:22 Can Africa contribute to the global ethics debate around AI?
22:07 Understanding the gender gap in digital access
26:36 Why Africa needs its own platforms, cloud infrastructure, and tech champions

Follow Global Southing

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/global-southing/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/globalsouthing/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@globalsouthing

Listen to the podcast

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0R17ovyZOxFjSrIGM5TjcZ?si=580a700875544cb1

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/global-southing/id1874600009

Animation from the Global South is growing.

But most of the world still has not seen the full depth of its stories, styles, languages, and creative identity.

In this episode of Global Southing, we speak with Marwa Jamil, Founder of Animation House Studio, about the future of animation in the Arab world and across the Global South.

The conversation explores why authentic storytelling matters more than copying Western formats, how animation can preserve culture and language, and why the region still faces challenges around funding, awareness, training, and creative infrastructure.

Tune in to learn:

→ Why animation production in the Global South is still emerging
→ How authentic local stories can travel beyond borders
→ Why copying Western styles limits creative identity
→ What it really takes to produce animation from scratch
→ How AI can support animation without replacing originality
→ Why short-form content is creating new opportunities for animators
→ How language, culture, and accents can shape children’s media
→ Why the future of Global South animation is promising

Key Moments

00:00 Introduction to Global Southing
01:03 Why animation in the Global South still struggles to scale
05:00 The need for original styles, not copied Western influence
10:54 The real process behind animation production
15:58 How global platforms are opening doors for animators
21:15 Why short-form content can work for animation
29:05 Language, culture, and identity in kids’ animation
40:29 AI, virtual worlds, and the future of animation

Follow Global Southing
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/global-southing/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/globalsouthing/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@globalsouthing

Soft power is changing, and the Global South is becoming a bigger part of that shift.

In this episode of Global Southing, we speak with Dr. Shaojin Chai from Education Without Borders International about how culture, language, tourism, sports, religion, and media shape influence beyond politics and economics.

The conversation explores how the Global South can use its cultural depth, diversity, and lived experience to build a stronger global presence. Dr. Chai also reflects on South-South cooperation, social media, misinformation, and why authentic cultural influence may become one of the region’s strongest tools in shaping future global narratives.

Tune in to learn:

→ Why soft power from the Global South is based on attraction, not dominance
→ How culture, language, and identity shape global perception
→ Why diversity in storytelling is becoming essential in global narratives
→ How film, media, and cultural industries are expanding Global South influence
→ The role of language diplomacy and why English still dominates communication
→ How tourism and real-world experience can challenge media bias
→ Why sports, religion, and cultural exchange play a role in diplomacy
→ How social media is shifting narrative control away from traditional power centers
→ What South-South cooperation really looks like beyond political forums
→ Why the future of soft power depends on authenticity and pluralism

Key Moments

00:00 Introduction to soft power and the Global South
01:03 Introducing Dr. Shaojin Chai
03:14 Redefining soft power beyond military and economic strength
05:02 How the Global South brings a more authentic cultural perspective
08:30 Language diplomacy and the Confucius Institute model
10:54 Bollywood, Nollywood, and the spread of cultural influence
17:26 Language as strategy, partnership, and business tool
21:27 Tourism and changing global perceptions
26:25 Sports diplomacy and global image building
37:02 Soft power, smart power, and global conflicts

Follow Global Southing
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/global-southing/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/globalsouthing/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@globalsouthing

Watch to full episode on YouTube
https://youtu.be/-1Oaw-ykGZU?si=aobaTyRUzDDl5y1d