Frans Cronje is a South African independent political and economic advisor, and former think tank director (the South African Institute Of Race Relations).
The puzzle is very complex
Understanding geopolitics is not easy, which is why I have conversations with many individuals such as John Titus (about central bankers); Iain Davis (about stakeholder capitalism); Pepe Escobar (China’s long game); Richard Sakwa (about the history of Ukraine); Kees Van Der Pijl (about the dangers of NATO); and now Frans on the strategic battle for control of the southern Atlantic.
Which, if one thinks about it, is a really important region.

Consider the shipping routes around the bottom tip of Africa. It is a corridor between the West and East.
Our conversation
Frans gave an overview of how he views the geopolitical chess game being played from the perspective of South Africa and western Africa, as well as South America and the Falkland Islands. He then moves northwards towards Europe and China (and the fight for energy dominance), including the ramifications of the West and its Russia-Ukraine proxy wars.
The story of the world’s future is wonderfully told by Frans.