Episode 2: Africa’s Leadership Crisis, with Mengistu Assefa Dadi

In this episode, host Yuval Ben-David and guest Mengistu Assefa Dadi explore the roots of conflict in the Horn of Africa, the decline of regional leadership, and the critical role of grassroots peacebuilding and local resilience in driving long-term stability. Mengistu Assefa Dadi is an Ethiopian political and conflict analyst known for designing peace dialogue projects, managing initiatives that promote human rights, media freedom, and democratic governance, and implementing innovative strategies to address complex socio-political challenges in fragile states. Throughout his career, Mengistu has held roles at organizations such as the Center for Advancement of Rights and Democracy (CARD) in Ethiopia and has most recently been a Peace Fellow at Yale’s International Leadership Center. Mengistu holds a Master’s in Global Studies and International Relations and is pursuing another master's in African studies at Addis Ababa University. You can connect with Mengistu on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/mengistuassefa-dadi The host: Yuval Ben-David is Chief Strategy Officer at Yale’s International Leadership Center. This episode is part of a 4-part interview series with Yale’s 2025 Peace Fellows. Find out more about the Yale Peace Fellowship: https://jackson.yale.edu/international-leadership-center/peace-fellowship/