Richard Dowden is a journalist who has been involved in Africa since he worked in Uganda as a teacher in the early 1970s.

Richard writes on African news, politics, business and the word on the street from his unique perspective over 30 years’ experience of covering Africa for various publications including The Economist, The Times, The Independent, The Guardian. Prospect Magazine and The New York Times. He has also made TV documentaries on Africa for the BBC, ITV and Channel 4. He was Director the Royal African Society from 2002 to 2017.

His book Africa: Altered States, Ordinary Miracles  is published by Portabello Books. 

Richard writes regularly for publications including The Guardian, The i and The Times.