Dr. Grace Wermenbol, based in Paris, is an adjunct professor at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, where she lectures on the contemporary geopolitics of the Middle East, with a focus on Israel and Palestine, and on the impact of strategic competition on Sino-Middle East relations. She has held various leading positions in US foreign policy, including as a Middle East specialist at the Department of State, Middle East director at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and Acting Deputy National Intelligence Officer. In July 2025, she received the State Department’s Meritorious Honor Award.

Chris Ogunmodede, based in Lagos, is an independent analyst of African politics, security, and international affairs with a focus on West Africa, pan-African affairs, multipolarity, global governance, and multilateralism. Ogunmodede is the author of Penkelemesi, a newsletter about African political economy, international affairs, and culture. He is a member of the African Research Network on Regional and Global Governance Innovation, a pan-African community of scholars, policymakers, and practitioners.