Africa Unconstrained: Perspectives on the Continent’s New Era podcast series features key African thought-leaders. It seeks to answer some of the trickiest questions relating to African economics, and the relationship between African countries and China. Our first episode features Professor Carlos Lopes, and a conversation focused around three questions. We start first by asking: “if there was one number you think every African should be aware of with regards to Africa’s economies in a post-COVID19 context what would it be and why?”, followed by a conversation on African perspectives on debt and concluding with reflections on the Africa-China relationship. Despite the narrative of debt distress that African countries are often constrained by Professor Lopes reminds us that “Africa borrows the least in the world". This is just the beginning of the Africa Unconstrained conversation, throughout 2021 we look forward to continuing this conversation through a working paper, blueprint and a series of webinars, all of which will be featured on our new website: www.africaunconstrained.com