Pearl Matibe

Pearl Matibe is a terrorism subject matter and Africa regional expert at the Terrorism, Transnational Crime and Corruption Center (TraCCC), at George Mason University's Schar School of Policy and Government. Matibe is also a distinguished journalist, geopolitical analyst, and media commentator with extensive field experience as a State Department, White House, and Pentagon Correspondent, for several independent media outlets. In this capacity, Matibe has written extensively about United States grand strategy, its role in great power competition, and the nuances and interplay of its domestic, defense, and foreign policies, and intelligence matters. Pearl's portfolio boasts interviews with current and former high-ranking U.S. Government officials, ambassadors, and Foreign Service personnel, spanning multiple administrations, African leaders in the Sahel and Great Lakes regions, and heads of government. Matibe has extensive expertise in the history, military exercises, and engagement activities of the U.S. Africa Command, including on maritime security, and China and Russian strategic competition. She has done extensive coverage of conflicts, including on U.S. counterterrorism activities, and on private mercenary companies in Africa. Matibe's academic background is in international politics, intelligence studies, and international security, which position her as a prominent voice in her areas of expertise: U.S.-Africa relations, Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, the nexus of defense and foreign policies, intelligence matters, international security, emerging and enduring transnational threats, terrorism, and regularly publishes on these. Matibe's contributions to the discourse on global geopolitics, international relations, and political science education are both impactful and insightful. Her academic research focuses on U.S. security sector assistance to Africa, international security, the typologies and trends of transnational-armed groups, asymmetric warfare and maritime security in Africa, and the nexus of defense and foreign policies, world order, and strategic competition. Matibe graduated magna cum laude from George Mason University, and has post-graduate studies in International Security and Intelligence at George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government.