— About Meridian17 · who we are

A think and do tank for the business of Africa–Europe partnership.

We are a young organisation with a clear focus: putting business at the centre of the conversation about Africa–Europe cooperation. Deliberately lean, building our research programme and our network in parallel.

01 —Who we areThe Missing Middle

The think tank landscape on Africa–Europe cooperation is well populated at the extremes. At one end, organisations focused on high-level geopolitical and strategic policy. At the other, organisations working on social and community development. What is largely missing is business — the space where policy either works or doesn't, where investment decisions are made, where the partnership between both continents becomes real or remains theoretical.

Meridian17 exists to fill that gap. We call it the Missing Middle: the intersection of business reality, market conditions, and policy frameworks that determines whether Africa–Europe cooperation delivers on its promise. It is where GDP is made, where employment is generated, where investment flows or doesn't. And it is, for the most part, absent from the research agenda of existing think tanks.

Read our paper on the Missing Middle →
Why Meridian17?

A line that links both continents, running in both directions.

The 17th meridian is a meridian connecting the European and African continents. It runs from the Arctic through Europe, across the Mediterranean, and down through the length of Africa to the Southern Ocean. For us it is more than a geographic fact — it is a symbol of the connection we are working to strengthen.

02 —How we workThink and do — in practice

We combine the rigour of academic research with a commitment to real-world outcomes.

Research

Applied, business-centred research that fills knowledge gaps.

We draw on a network of affiliated academic researchers and business experts, keeping our own team lean and our outputs focused.

Tools

Practical resources built directly from our research.

Like the EU–Africa Business Navigator, which helps African businesses understand the European regulatory landscape and identify the right entry points for partnership.

Dissemination

Research that reaches the right people.

Our podcast series, events, and policy briefs are designed to put findings in front of the decision-makers and business leaders who can act on them.

Coalition

Networks, not just publications.

We actively connect the actors our research brings together — businesses, policymakers, academics, civil society — because sustained change requires networks.

03 —Board of advisorsOur advisors

Our advisors.

Meridian17 is fortunate to rely on the advice of a growing body of advisors, each an expert in their field. We aim to grow our Board to encompass globally recognised experts from our key focus areas.

Dr Edem Adzogenu
Dr Edem Adzogenu
Investment Facilitation & Gov. Affairs
Advised African Heads of State, Fortune 500s, G7 countries. Under his leadership AfroChampions has become a leading public-private partnership platform alongside the AU.
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Prof Marleen Dekker
Prof Marleen Dekker
Leiden University · Inclusive Dev.
Professor of Inclusive Development in Africa and Director of the African Studies Centre Leiden. Studies how social norms and networks shape market access.
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Georja Calvin-Smith
Georja Calvin-Smith
France 24 · Journalist & Broadcaster
Over two decades in international broadcasting. Produces and anchors Eye on Africa at France 24 and presents Across Africa.
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Dr Olufunso Somorin
Dr Olufunso Somorin
African Development Bank
Leads climate change, green growth and carbon markets initiatives in Eastern Africa. Oversees 300+ development projects worth over USD 20 billion.
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Dr Kelly Alexander
Dr Kelly Alexander
President, Meridian17
A social scientist who analyses geopolitical shifts and integrates sustainability into economic development. Lectures at GIBS Business School.
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