A fresh momentum is taking hold across Africa and the Middle East. Places are shaping their own narratives with newfound confidence — and it felt timely to capture that shift in our special edition on those two regions.
Nafisa M. Sharfi reports.
My own interest in this project runs deeper: I grew up in a country defined by an Afro–Arab duality, where national sentiment often sits in a delicate space between the two. My early reflections on this planted a quiet seed, one that gradually grew into a fascination with how places define who they are and how they express that identity.
Stepping into the role of Associate Editor and Project Lead for this Special Edition felt, in many ways, like a full-circle moment.
But what most people don’t see is the journey behind the printed pages. The months of March through late summer were filled with outreach, research, and an almost detective-level hunt for the right contacts across dozens of cities and countries.
Many places were nominated by our expert community, yet tracking down the relevant decision-makers and storytellers was an adventure of its own. LinkedIn Premium earned its value more than once!
Every channel possible was used — online and offline — following leads, sending connection requests, and gradually building trust with people I had never met. I still remember the warm acceptance email we received from Al Madinah, which soon led to a highly collaborative and seamless working relationship with Mr. Abdullah Al Ammari as our main contact. And the moment Margareth Gustavo from Namibia accepted my LinkedIn request on a quiet Tuesday afternoon — immediately sharing her number so we could continue the conversation on WhatsApp — felt like another small breakthrough. That spirit of connection continued in the most unexpected ways. An introduction email from Michaella Rugwizangoga connected us to Jean-Wilfried Kemajou, the Country Brand Manager for Benin — a link that opened the door to a richer, more nuanced understanding of the Benin showcase.
During those months from March through late summer, LinkedIn Premium became my closest ally. Every accepted request, every unexpected email reply, every brief but encouraging message felt like a small yet meaningful milestone that slowly brought this Special Edition to life.
Then came the part I cherished most: co-creating each showcase with the participating places.
This stage was far more intimate than I expected. I found myself not just editing and crafting content, but listening — trying to grasp what each place wanted the world to feel, not simply what it wanted the world to know. I felt a responsibility to honour the pride, hopes, and aspirations of people who live the realities behind the strategies.
WhatsApp messages buzzed at odd hours as Sithembile Ntombela and I fine-tuned sections of the South Africa piece, exchanging voice notes for late-night clarifications and early-morning follow-ups. Across different time zones, I found myself in steady back-and-forth texts with Iyaloo Hamata from Namibia and Nada AlMulla from Khobar, sharing image banks, refining final drafts, and making sure every detail carried the right meaning. Emails were often paired with a quick text “Just checking if you received this draft.” Together, these moments became the rhythm of the work, the unseen heartbeat driving this Special Edition forward.
And that is what makes this edition special.
Across Africa and the Middle East, cities and regions are no longer waiting to be defined by others; they are defining themselves — clearly, boldly, and with intent. Despite the diversity of the nominated places, and the stark differences across both regions, a surprising theme emerged: a shared thread of cultural pride and heritage running through them all. Each place tells its own story, yet each is shaped by a commitment to honouring roots while embracing innovation, expressing resilience without romanticising struggle, and stepping into futures designed on their own terms.
What you will find in these pages is not a collection of case studies — it is a collection of voices. Voices reclaiming identity and articulating ambition. Voices imagining futures rooted in authenticity and possibility.
As you explore these stories, I hope you feel what I felt throughout this journey: a profound sense of optimism for regions finally telling their own stories after years of having those stories told for them.
This Special Edition is, in its own way, a celebration of that shift — and a quiet tribute to the people who generously shared their time, insights, and lived experiences. I am honoured to have helped bring their stories to life, and grateful that you are here to read them.
Nafisa M. Sharfi (LinkedIn) is Associate Editor at The Place Brand Observer and Project Lead for TPBO’s Places to Watch: Africa & the Middle East Special Edition, as well as the upcoming Place Brand Leaders 2026 Yearbook. Based in Rwanda, she is a brand strategist with experience across the private sector, investment promotion, and economic development, now focusing on place branding and national positioning strategies across African countries. She holds degrees from the University of Khartoum and the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School and is currently pursuing a degree in Global Public Policy at SOAS, University of London.
