Daan (22) is a curiosity-driven analyst currently completing his IR master’s thesis at the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen. Rather than concentrating solely on headline events, he focuses on structural developments and long-term dynamics that often remain under the radar. His research interests lie at the intersection of energy markets and Sub-Saharan Africa. At the Hague Institute for Geopolitics (HIG), he combines these interests in his publications, analysing how developments in resource- and energy-rich regions influence European strategic positioning and economic resilience.

“HIG is the institute that best matches my curiosity and interests. Its mission to anchor Europe in the new world order is exactly where I believe my work can contribute. Geopolitics is often reduced to great power competition or armed conflict,” Daan argues. “But it is equally about supply chains, infrastructure, and the strategic choices that quietly reshape the balance of power over time.”

Daan considers Sub-Saharan Africa one of the most strategically compelling regions in the world. “The lessons we can learn from this region when it comes to statecraft are extensive. Once you recognise how energy systems shape economic performance, political legitimacy, and social stability, it becomes impossible to ignore Sub-Saharan Africa.”
Daan aims to contribute to the European geopolitical debate by demonstrating why regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa should not be seen as peripheral, but as increasingly central to understanding the emerging world order. He seeks to broaden the analytical lens through which Europe interprets global power shifts.