Focus on Africa

At least 15 truck drivers stuck on the Egypt-Sudan border have recently died from heat stroke. Hundreds have been stuck at the border due to bureaucratic red tape causing congestion What are the medium and long term implications of the coup in Gabon?Plus we meet Koyo Kouoh, the woman in charge of the biggest museum of contemporary art in Africa.

Senior army officers in Gabon announced a coup shortly after President Ali Bongo's re-election was announced. One of the BBC's team spends 24 hours with Tunisia's coast guard as it finds people desperate to cross continents. How to win an argument? We debate the pros and cons of the art of debating with high school students.

Sierra Leone is grappling with a serious substance crisis. A cheap and illegal synthetic drug known as Kush that is wreaking havoc among the youth.Around 500 schools have been shutdown in Cameroon. Will they open in time for the new school year? Plus what's life like as the great granddaughter of Emperor Haile Selassie?

The runner-up in Zimbabwe's presidential election, Nelson Chamisa, has accused President Emmerson Mnangagwa of carrying out an electoral coup. Former Independent National Electoral Commission of Nigeria chairperson Attahiru Muhammadu Jega is leading the Carter Center's observer mission to Zimbabwe. He talks about his role as electoral observer. It has been more than a month since the military in Niger overthrew former President Bazoum. Burkina Faso and Mali have also been living under military governments that came to power through coups. In today's episode of Focus on Africa we ask have the juntas there delivered on their promises and what has life been like for the ordinary citizens ? We speak with Ghanaian actor Majid Michel about how he coped with losing his voice after a car accident in 2015 and the secret to his longevity in the industry.

The BRICS bloc of developing nations agreed this week s to admit six new countries. The countries Argentina, Egypt, Iran, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates - are set to join in January. Can this counter Western dominance?As thousands of UN troops speed up their pull out of Mali, despite a deteriorating security situation. We talk to BBC Arabic’s Feras Kilani the first journalist to travel to Northern Mali since French forces ended their military operation there two years agoPlus why are more airlines adopting the use of sustainable aviation fuel? We hear from an expert based in Kenya

Wagner boss Prigozhin is presumed dead after Russia plane crash. In his last address, he said the Wagner group is making Africa "more free". His presumed death received little media attention or official reactions in Mali and the Central African Republic where thousands of mercenaries are active. So in today's episode, we ask what would be the impact of Prigozhin’s presumed death on Wagner in Africa.Also, in Tunisia dozens of environment activists are appealing harsh prison sentences handed down after protesting against a dangerous landfill site.And how is climate change affecting livestock? More than one billion cows around the world could experience heat stress by the end of the century.

Haiti has been rocked by deadly violence since the assassination of the country’s President Jovenel Moïse two years ago. A Kenyan delegation has held meetings with Haitian police officials, weeks after the Kenyan government offered to lead a multinational team in tackling the country’s extreme gang violence. We hear from a local businessman on what life is like for ordinary citizens.In the aftermath of the coup in Niger, false claims and misinformation are being shared online, adding to the tensions over the country's future. We look into some of the widely shared claims.How can an entire nation's history be conserved? An ambitious initiative in Nigeria is currently in progress, involving the digitisation of all newspapers published since the country's independence in 1960.

Saudi border guards are accused of the mass killing of migrants along the Yemeni border in a new report by Human Rights Watch. The report says hundreds of people, many of them Ethiopians who cross war-torn Yemen to reach Saudi Arabia, have been shot dead. We delve into the intricacies of coup attempts, as David Otto, Director for Geneva Centre for Africa Security & Strategic Studies shares insight on the crucial factors that determine their success or failure.Plus we speak to Nigerian music producer and artist Eclipse Nkasi about the ethical way of using AI to produce music.

South Africa to host Brics summit but Russia’s President Putin will only join by video link. On the agenda global economic and security matters and the creation of new financial institutions.More than 1,400 people starve to death in Ethiopia's northern Tigray since food aid was suspended because of theftAnd Ghanaian immunologist Yaw Bediako on how to expand research and keep African scientists on the continent.

Zimbabwe prepares to hold its second election since the 2017 overthrow of President Robert Mugabe, with many disenchanted at a lack of progress under his successor Emmerson Mnangagwa. Many Zimbabweans face economic hardship, and some young people are turning to drugs to fill the void created by a lack of opportunities.Plus, we look at the impact of the World Bank saying Uganda won’t receive new loans from the institution, as a result of the country passing a stringent anti-LGBTQ+ law in May. Uganda’s government has called the announcement unjust and hypocritical.And we hear reactions from Ghana to the new government-imposed 10% tax on betting and lottery winnings. The move has not been well received by gamblers, but the authorities say they need the extra revenue.

Libya's political chaos continues. Two powerful militias clashed this week in the capital Tripoli. Calm was restored but over 50 people were killed, and more than 140 were injured. A group of opposition parties in South Africa have been meeting to form an alliance to dislodge the ruling African National Congress from power. But why was the EFF excluded? And a petitioner calls on members of parliament in Kenya to ban the use of popular social media app TikTok. He argues that the application is contributing to the erosion of cultural and religious morals.

After the military junta ruling Niger closed the country’s airspace, we look at the potential implications for the country, and for aviation in Africa more broadly. The move will force commercial aircraft to find alternative routes, increasing flight times and prices for passengers.Plus, we take a look at why Ethiopia is desperate to establish permanent access to a sea port, and why recent comments from Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed have provoked the ire of the country’s coastal neighbours.And we look at some of the factors behind the increase in the number of men in Kenya choosing to get vasectomies.

We speak to a farmer who had to flee Sudan due to the ongoing conflict, while the UN is warning that 20 million people in the country face severe acute hunger.What makes a good leader? We'll find out from young Burundian leadership coach Iris Irumva.And we bring you the second part of our special looking at the story behind the prison escape of convicted criminal Thabo Bester, a case that has transfixed South Africa.

A group of data labellers in Kenya want parliament to step in to offer protection from mental trauma caused by reviewing harmful content.Plus, the story of the girl in Mauritania who was arrested for blasphemy over an essay she wrote for school.And how the case of escaped convict Thabo Bester is shining a light on prison privatisation in South Africa.

ECOWAS leaders have ended their emergency summit on the coup in Niger. They say all options are still on the table. They have also called for the immediate activation of a standby force. A new report accuses the Angolan police of serious human rights abuses. And a global survey explores the hopes and aspirations of the world's youth.

Endless queues and empty bakery stalls. Earlier this week, around 200 Tunisian bakers staged a sit-in after a government decision to stop selling them subsidised flour, a move threatening the closure of hundreds of bakeries.Five people, including a police officer have died in violent protests related to the taxi strike in Cape Town, South Africa. We'll hear a first hand account of what it's like to live through the Cape Town minibus taxi strike in South Africa.And we'll also hear from the Nigerian hit singer Flavour who is back on tour in Europe after eight years away. He sheds positive light around crossing the boundaries of tribalism through music.

With the coup leaders in Niger refusing demands to hand power back to the elected government, the West African regional block ECOWAS is considering options including a military invasion of the country. ECOWAS is due to hold an extraordinary summit in Nigeria on Thursday to discuss its next move.Plus, we speak to the reporter behind a new BBC investigation into the 'spiritual healers' sexually abusing women in Morocco and Sudan. And we hear about what the African Development Bank is doing to improve access to clean water and sanitation on the continent.

Russia's Wagner mercenary group is "taking advantage" of instability in Niger, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has told the BBC. What does this mean and what is next for Niger? Surviving the bombing of the US embassy in Nairobi's capital 25 years ago, a woman reveals her children face still stigma due to her injuries. More than 200 people died and thousands of others were injured in the 1998 al-Qaeda attacks.Authorities in the South African province of Limpopo have introduced the ‘midnight alcohol law’, which bans the sale of liquor past midnight. The provincial government says the alcohol curfew will help tackle social issues like gender based violence. We’ll hear from the National Liquor Traders Council and from organisations raising awareness on the harm caused by alcohol.

BBC Africa Eye reveals abuse of elderly people at a care home in Kenya. Secret filming shows staff mistreating residents and leaving medical conditions untreated.Plus, we look at the current intensification of fighting in Ethiopia's Amhara region.And Nigeria lose to England at the Women’s World Cup, but will Morocco’s Atlas Lionesses maul France?

BBC Africa Eye reveals abuse of elderly people at a care home in Kenya. Secret filming shows staff mistreating residents and leaving medical conditions untreated.Plus, we look at the current intensification of fighting in Ethiopia's Amhara region.And Nigeria lose to England at the Women’s World Cup, but will Morocco’s Atlas Lionesses maul France?

We bring you reaction to the Senegalese authorities banning TikTok, which activists have been using to coordinate a string of recent protests. Tensions are high in the country, with repeated protests over legal cases against opposition leader Ousmane Sonko, whose PASTEF party was dissolved by the government this week.Plus, ahead of Zimbabwe’s elections later this month, we speak to democracy activist Namatai Kwekweza about the state of politics in the country.And we break down the story behind the viral video of the slow Somali runner competing in the 100m at the World University Games in China.

Kenya’s government has ordered cryptocurrency company Worldcoin to stop signing up new users, due to privacy concerns over the company’s eyeball scanning technology. We look at some of the concerns around digital identities.What's behind the spate of Quran burnings in Sweden and Denmark?South Africa's Banyana Banyana reach the knockout stage of the Women's World Cup for the first time with a stoppage-time goal.

Niger’s military rulers reopen the borders, as Mali and Burkina Faso warn ECOWAS not to use military force to reinstate deposed president Mohamed Bazoum.Plus, following the jailing of its leader Ousmane Sonko, Senegalese authorities dissolve the country’s largest opposition party Pastef.And we take you to the exhibition showcasing Nigerian artists in a part of South London famous for its connection to the diaspora.

Mauritius, Morocco and Madagascar are leading African countries in making inroads in the fight against smoking, which claims over 8 million lives annually around the world.What's behind the staying power of South Africa's second largest opposition party the EFF and its leader Julius Malema?And Nigeria makes it into the Women's World Cup knockout phase

West African regional body ECOWAS has threatened a military response to the coup in Niger, if deposed president Mohamed Bazoum is not reinstated within a week.Plus, we look at the impact of Kenya suspending the reopening of its border with Somalia after 11 years of closure, due to attacks by al-Shabab militants. And we look at the impact of South Africa adopting sign language as the country’s twelfth official language.

Nigerian doctors tell us why they called an indefinite strike, as we discuss some of the challenges facing the country’s healthcare sector.Plus, Mali relegates French, removing it as one of the country’s official languages, after the recent constitutional referendum.And we’re in Kenya, where it’s hoped electric boda boda taxis will save drivers from rising fuel costs while saving the environment.

Soldiers in the West African country of Niger have announced a coup on national TV. They said they had dissolved the constitution, suspended all institutions and closed the nation's borders.From street child to MP- Meet the man who led the campaign to abolish the death penalty in Ghana.The journeys of church bells that herald Africa's new role as the beating heart of Christianity. Hannah Ajala follows the Marinelli bells to Nigeria where she interviews one of the country's most famous pastors, Dr Paul Enenche, about the rapid rise of Pentecostalism

Devastating wildfires along Algeria's coast and in neighbouring Tunisia have destroyed homes and killed at least 34 people. We focus on the efforts to bring them under control.We look ahead to the second Russia-Africa summit starting tomorrow in St Petersburg. How much leverage do African leaders have?Plus, why polyamory is a growing lifestyle choice among some young Africans.

We look at how illicit financial flows are costing African governments billions of dollars in lost revenue and affecting spending on vital public services.Plus, as the conflict in Sudan surpasses the 100-day mark, we examine international efforts to mediate an end to the fighting.And we take you to the new International African American Museum in South Carolina in the United States.

One hundred days since the start of Sudan's new war -harrowing testimonies of Sudanese refugees in neighbouring Chad. Meanwhile protection and learning in child friendly spaces.A leaked memo showing the Lagos State government in South West Nigeria had approved $77,000 for a mass burial of 103 victims of the historic 2020 anti-police brutality EndSars protest has sparked outrage in the country.Plus the significance of the Lobito Corridor rail link offering an easier means of export for landlocked countries

All eyes on the African teams as the Women’s World Cup gets underway. After years of being in the shadows, Morocco's national team will be making history in their first appearance. We will be in the Central African Republic to find out more about the upcoming constitutional referendum.And we take a look at the hurdles faced by women with disabilities when trying to access sexual and reproductive health services in Africa.

The challenge facing Africa's women and children is highlighted by a new United Nations report, which reveals that no country has achieved full gender parity or empowerment. With rice becoming a staple food in Africa, we learn about a new initiative by the South Korean government to help countries on the continent ramp up their own production. Nigeria's new national obsession is smashing world records, but can you set one for anything? We talk to Guinness World Records to find out which tasks are eligible.

Is there school in Kenya? Schools in the capital Nairobi and the coastal town of Mombasa have been shut indefinitely as three days of nationwide cost-of-living protests kicked off on Wednesday.Russia cancels grain deal. Russia's withdrawal from the deal allowing Ukraine to safely export grain through the Black Sea is a "stab on the back" for those in drought-hit countries, Kenya's government has said. We look at what this means for food security in Africa. And FIFA Women's World Cup 2023: Morocco's women football team has defied all odds to earn a spot in this summer's tournament.

Twitter’s former employees in Ghana say the company has gone silent on all negotiations regarding payment of severance pay. In Africa, the biggest impact was in Ghana where the company opened a physical office just four days before the decision to fire staff. We speak to BBC business reporter in Lagos, Nkechi Ogbonna.In Zimbabwe, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said that every party must be allowed to campaign. However, the high court has banned former cabinet minister and member of Zanu-PF, Saviour Kasukuwere from standing in the race due to ineligibility. He tells us why he finds the court ruling baffling.Plus, In the fight against AIDS, an impressive success story has emerged from five African countries—Botswana, Rwanda, Tanzania, Eswatini, and Zimbabwe. We hear from Dr. Jerome Kamwela, the Director for Monitoring and Evaluation at the Tanzania Commission for AIDS (TACADS) about this progress.

Human Rights Watch has called for an investigation into an increase in atrocities in Sudan's Darfur region, since recent fighting between the army and Rapid Support Forces paramilitaries began.After disputed elections, Sierra Leone's President Julius Maada Bio announces a new cabinet. A third of its members are women, and for the first time ever a significant number are in their thirties. We talk to the new chief minister David Monina Sengeh, 36, about his role.With Zambia's Copper Queens due to make their debut at the FIFA Women’s World Cup this week, we hear from team captain Barbra Banda. Is there really enough evidence to support gender eligibility regulations?

New MPs were sworn in as Sierra Leone’s parliament opened following June’s elections, but the main opposition APC party is boycotting government business over alleged fraud.Plus, could Ghana become the latest African country to legalise cannabis? President Nana Akufo-Addo has signed off on a bill allowing certain strains of the plant to be grown.And we look at how the increase in people moving off the land and to the city in Africa is affecting the continent’s dietary health.

Kenyan protesters defied a police ban and demonstrations turned chaotic. The opposition called the move draconian, and vowed to go back to the streets. Can the police legally effect the ban?After social media hype, there are reports of a surge in Ugandan men taking their children for DNA tests. But does that paint a true picture? We talk to a microbiologist to get to the bottom of it.Plus, ahead of the Women's World Cup, South Africa's goalkeeper Andile Dlamini shares the inspiring story of how she overcame adversity.

Iran’s president Ebrahim Raisi has kicked off a three-country tour of Africa. His trip to Kenya, Uganda and Zimbabwe comes as the country is trying to create new economic relationships, in order to mitigate the impact of sanctions imposed on the country by the United States. Plus, we look ahead to the upcoming elections in Gabon. Victory for incumbent Ali Bongo and his family dynasty looks a virtual certainty, before the vote even takes place. And with Wimbledon underway, South African wheelchair tennis star Kgothatso Montjane tells us about making history at this year’s French Open.

As European governments harden their stance on undocumented migration - we hear what's been happening to hundreds of people found in the Mediterranean by Spanish authorities. And what drives people to make these dangerous journeys.Migrants from sub-Saharan Africa have been attacked in the Tunisian city of Sfax, with dozens reportedly wounded. We hear from one of them. And a plan from the African Union to tap into the youthful energy that abounds on the continent.

We get an update from Somalia. The African Union has begun pulling its troops out of the country and plans to complete the withdrawal by December. Could the move hamper the fight against al-Shabab?Plus, we take a look at the job networking website designed for people who work in the informal sector. And we speak to two African entrepreneurs who are marketing their wares in China.

On World Swahili Day, we take at a look at how far the east African language has travelled and hear from people teaching it from Moscow to Bogotá.Also in the pod: Since the covid 19 pandemic, there’s been growing interest in fruit bats. Our Global Health Correspondent Naomi Grimley has been given special access to a scientific research project in Ghana which aims to monitor them.Also, we give you some more details on Threads, Meta's answer to twitting.

South Sudan hasn't voted in an election since the country gained independence in 2011, but that could change if President Salva Kiir's pledge to hold general elections in 2024 go to plan. Also on the pod: anger is still simmering in Nanterre, France, after the killing of a 17 year old by the hand of the police sparked days of violent protests. A BBC team speaks to local activists and hears from the police.And, why are so many Egyptian athlets are fleeing their country? We look behind the intriguing case of an Egyptian wrestling champion who disappeared and resurfaced in France.

President Ruto outrages environmentalists after lifting a ban on cutting trees. But what does this mean for Kenya’s commitment to the environment? We ask Tracy Makheti, Community Manager at Greenpeace Africa.From problems to solutions: we chat to Omolara Svensson, a Nigerian woman whose mission is to change stereotypes around farming and get more young people into agriculture.Plus, Ugandan author Kakwenza Rukirabashaija who has a new book called ‘The Savage Avenger’, tells us about his experience of being detained, tortured and having to flee Uganda.

Senegal’s president Macky Sall has announced he won’t seek a third term in office when the country holds an election in 2024. Speculation around what would have been a controversial candidacy has fuelled unrest in the country.Plus, could Kenya become the latest African country to pass new legislation cracking down on LGBTQ+ rights? We look at the foreign organisations influencing the debate in Africa.And we meet Musa Motha, the amputee dancer from South Africa whose inspiring story has touched the world.

Kenya recently launched an online registry where employers can look up names of convicted sexual offenders. But how effective a deterrent is this? We ask Stanley Mutuma, a legal researcher in Kenya.Also in the pod: Psychologist Dr Kirindi Odindo tells us about the added burden of responsibilities many young women feel as first-born girls in their family.And, I speak with the woman who succesfully campained for the South African government to scrap tax on sanitary pads and other period products.

As the mandate for United Nations peacekeeping soldiers to remain in Mali comes to an end after more than a decade, we look at what the force has achieved in the country, and what could happen once the troops have departed.Plus, we examine the impact of IMF-mandated public spending cuts on countries like Kenya, who have to agree to stringent terms in order to receive emergency loans.And we take a look at how the rising cost of living is making it difficult for some young Muslims to make the Hajj pilgrimage this year.

Zimbabweans are once again experiencing triple-digit inflation, ahead of August’s presidential election. We look at the state of the economy, which is once again a huge point of contention ahead of the vote.Plus, as soldiers from Morocco and Israel carry out joint drills for the first time we examine what the two countries are hoping to get out of their new kinship.And after many of us were gripped by the search for the Titan submersible, we speak to the Egyptian man who holds the record for the world’s deepest scuba dive.

We discuss the living legacy of Ghanaian author and champion of women's rights Ama Ata Aidoo, who died recently at the age of 81 with journalist Dr Sharihan Al-Akhras. Also in the pod: we discuss with journalist Mark Lobel the story of a young man who was trafficked to London for an illegal organ donation operation.And Serge Stroobants, from the Institute for Economics and Peace's tells us why 2022 was the "worst year in conflict, this century".

As the Kremlin sends the Wagner boss to Belarus following a dramatic weekend in Russia, what happens to the thousands of Wagner mercenaries serving in Africa? We discuss three possible scenarios with Senior Analyst for the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime, Julia StanyardAlso in the pod: How disposing of plastics without care can end up clogging up drains and causing floodsAnd, we speak with Luis Munana from the acclaimed Netflix series Young, African and Famous

We look at how clan affiliations which cross national borders have set the tone for the recent fighting which has engulfed Sudan.Plus, as the US dollar becomes more expensive for many African countries, could some be poised to abandon it?And we look at the exhibition bringing the migration stories of African women to the Venice Biennale.