John Sawers, former Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), shares his insights on how security threats have evolved with the rise of digital technologies and social media. In this interview, he offers a compelling exploration of the shift from traditional methods to contemporary security challenges. Sawers examines how intelligence approaches have adapted to address new threats, including the influence of social media on democratic processes and the evolving global geopolitical landscape. The discussion provides An insightful analysis of the current dynamics in intelligence work and highlights the critical issues facing intelligence services in an increasingly interconnected and digital world.
RELATED CONTENT
-
Helmut Sorge & Rida LyammouriSeptember 26, 2025Rida Lyammouri, Senior Fellow at the Policy Center for the New South, examines the rise of drone use by non-state armed groups in the Sahel. The discussion highlights how civilian drones ...
-
September 25, 2025This episode examines the African Peace and Security Architecture amid evolving threats, questioning its effectiveness against modern crises such as terrorism, environmental stress, disinformation, and cyber risks. It highlights institutional and political gaps, exploring the chal...
-
AuthorsNiccola MilnesSeptember 19, 2025The convergence of armed group drone warfare and cartel expansion in the Sahel is a global problem with direct consequences for the United States. Far from being a peripheral conflict, instability in the Sahel directly affects American safety, security, and prosperity. For U.S. safety, Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM)’s rapid shift from crude drone experiments to battlefield strikes—combined with cartel drone attacks and Ukraine-trained operatives—means tactics tested abr ...
-
September 17, 2025Cet épisode s’interroge sur l’avenir des blocs régionaux africains, pris entre l’idéal d’intégration et une réalité marquée par la fragmentation. De la fragilisation de la CEDEAO à l’émergence de l’Alliance des États du Sahel, en passant par l’influence croissante d’acteurs extérieurs, ...
-
AuthorsSeptember 15, 2025The October 2025 general elections in Tanzania unfold within a political culture grounded in consensus and institutional continuity. President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s leadership has reopened political space by restoring elite dialogue, easing restrictions on rallies, and facilitating the return of exiled figures. Yet the exclusion of CHADEMA—the principal opposition party—highlights the enduring limits of pluralism. This paper analyzes the Tanzanian electoral process less as a convent ...
-
AuthorsFadoua AmmariSeptember 12, 2025The Atlantic Initiative, announced by King Mohammed VI in November 2023 to provide landlocked Sahelian countries with access to the Atlantic Ocean via Moroccan territory, promises to profoundly reshape the bilateral relationship between Rabat and Nouakchott. This research paper examines how this unprecedented project creates new strategic opportunities while raising shared challenges for Morocco and Mauritania. Diplomatically, the rapprochement around the Atlantic Initiative unfolds ...
-
AuthorsSeptember 4, 2025This policy brief analyzes the first 100 days in office of Chancellor Friedrich Merz, which have been marked by an assertive foreign policy, ambitious security reforms, and a shift toward economic pragmatism. Merz has sought to reestablish Germany as a ‘leading middle power’, emphasizing closer European coordination, renewed transatlantic engagement, and unwavering support for Ukraine. However, his approach to the Gaza conflict, characterized by alignment with U.S. positions and rel ...
-
AuthorsFadoua AmmariAugust 28, 2025L’Initiative Atlantique, annoncée par le Roi Mohammed VI en novembre 2023, visant à offrir aux pays sahéliens enclavés un accès à l’océan Atlantique via le territoire marocain, promet de redessiner en profondeur la relation bilatérale entre Rabat et Nouakchott. Cet article examine comment ce projet inédit crée de nouvelles opportunités stratégiques tout en soulevant des défis partagés pour le Maroc et la Mauritanie. Sur le plan diplomatique, le rapprochement autour de l’Initiative A ...
-
August 15, 2025This episode explores the evolving African defense strategies in response to emerging security threats. We discuss the shift toward regional cooperation, modernization of military capabilities, and integration of technology. The conversation highlights the role of governance, economic r...
-
Ahmed Ouhnini & Jérôme MellonAugust 01, 2025In this episode, we explore how the United Nations works beyond traditional peacekeeping contexts to support justice and security sector reform in fragile contexts. Our guest, Jérôme Mell ...

