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AfroLeap 21 Podcast

AfroLeap 21 aims at making Africa an active contributor and solution provider to the global sustainability transition. This will require:

  • Demystifing the misguided perception of Africa’s development possibilities that is promoted by the dominant institutional thinking and practice
  • Promoting an in-depth understanding of the challenges and opportunities of African countries from systems perspective
  • Providing empirical knowledge-based insights on key policy issues to young African policy and decision-makers
  • Facilitating intergenerational dialogue and cross fertilization of ideas on core issues related to Africa’s development

The Podcast

Africa has been adversely affected by the two major socio-ecological transformations, namely the agricultural and industrial transformations, which resulted, inter alia, in slavery, colonialism and neocolonialism. The twenty first century is characterized by a confluence of global challenges that are triggering yet another major transformational moment that may further undermine Africa’s future. Despite the enormity of the challenges, Africa has a better leapfrogging opportunity owing to the relatively abundant natural resources, demographic dividend and late-comer advantages. AfroLeap-21 Podcast aims at catalyzing the required transformational leadership for Africa’s transition to an inclusive, resource efficient and climate resilient economy in the twenty-first century.

Our Approach

AfroLeap 21 adopts a forward looking, Pan-African approach that blends global and indigenous knowledge, empowers youth, and drives practical, systems-based solutions for Africa’s sustainable transformation.

Promotes Africa as an active player and solution provider

to the twenty-first century guided by a Pan Africanist mental model that has a forward-looking perspective at its core

Advocates for contextualizing

existing and emerging global knowledge and technology systems through systems thinking that hybridizes them with indigenous knowledge systems and practices

Emphasizes the need

to interrogate existing institutional structures, development strategies and reginal processes with the goal of facilitating the transition from visions and declarations to concrete actions

Recognizes African youth as the primary drivers

for the desired transformational change in the continent provided that it is equipped with the most relevant knowledge and technology systems

The Founder

The AfroLeap-21 Podcast is founded by Professor Desta Mebratu, who is a chemical engineer by training with a specialization in industrial environmental economics and management. Professor Mebratu:

  • has more than thirty-seven years of experience on sustainability and sustainable industrial development mainly working with universities and United Nations Agencies
  • served as Head of UNEP global Business and Industry program (2008-11), Deputy Director of UNEP for Africa (2011-16), Lead Author of Africa Economy Report 2024 (UNECA) and UNIDO Senior Advisor on Circular Economy (2025)
  • has thought in universities in Ethiopia, Sweden and South Africa and published on wide ranging topics including transformational infrastructure, systems thinking and sustainability science
  • is Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences and recognized as one of the global engineering icons by the Royal Academy of Engineering and London city in 2023

Desta Mebratu, Professor

Founder, AfroLeap-21

Profile of the founder

Awards and Recognitions

Engineering Icon, Royal Academy of Engineering: Professor Desta Mebratu was recognized as one of the 280 Engineering Icons from the world by the Royal Academy of Engineering for his contribution in the field of Engineering for Sustainability and the London city named a metro station after his name in 2023.

Lifetime Contribution Award, Ethiopian Society of Chemical Engineers (ESChE): Professor Mebratu received the 'Lifetime Contribution Award' of ESChE 'in recognition as one the distinguished stewards of chemical engineering who has continuously upheld and advanced the profession with excellence and distinction'.

Chemical Society of Ethiopia (CSE) Award: at its 38th Annual Conference of CSE, the Chemical (Chemistry) Society of Ethiopia conference an award to Professor Destamebratu ' honoring his pioneer contribution for the development of chemical sciences' in Ethiopia.