Hundreds Connect Virtually to Remember Madiba
Ordinarily, thousands would gather at the Union Buildings, where in triumph Madiba was inaugurated as South Africa’s first democratic President, and in sadness his body lay in state for a final time in 2013. But given the times, the event was held virtually this weekend on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 December, with just a small […]
The Poignant Story of Ranavalona III, the Last Queen of Madagascar
It began with a fabulous 19th-century dress and a box of jumbled photographs cleared out of a Guildford attic before a move to the country. Ranavalona’s remarkable life of can be revealed thanks to the auction this week of personal effects unearthed by a descendent of Clara Herbert, who worked for the Madagascan royal family […]
Can The Horn of Africa’s Centre Hold?
Ethiopia is a key political and economic state in the Horn of Africa, which is also home to Sudan, South Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti and Somalia. It has been involved in two conflicts with its neighbours in the past 50 years – Somalia in the south-east and Eritrea in the north. In 1977 the Somali state, […]
Out in the Cold for Somalia’s Fragile State
Somalis fear a U.S. decision to withdraw troops from their country will be seen as a victory for the Qaeda-linked militants who have wreaked havoc there for years, and sow the potential for further chaos at an especially delicate moment for Somalia and the region. Somali presidential elections are scheduled in just two months, war is […]
An Oasis for Moroccan Hackers
With its rows of sleek computers and ultra-modern study methods, Morocco’s 1337 campus is a dream come true for budding geeks, in a country where IT skills are in high demand. Conceived as a paradise for coders, the centre offers project-based training on programming, innovation and building IT systems. Tuition is free and students largely […]
Making Sure the Correct Vaccine Comes to Africa
Hundreds of drug trials around the world have been testing possible COVID-19 treatments, but almost none have been in Africa. Now, researchers on the continent are mounting a large effort to try to answer a crucial question that has gotten relatively little attention: Could cheap, widely available drugs prevent patients with mild illness from becoming […]
Saving Senegal’s Forest and Empowering Women at the Same Time
Wood and charcoal burning account for 50% of Senegal’s household energy consumption, contributing to air pollution and deforestation. To reduce ecological damage, an association called Nebeday, which means “tree” in Wolof, the predominant local language in Senegal, hires villagers to produce an innovative energy alternative. Half of Senegal’s households rely on wood or wood charcoal. […]
The Irish Generation Looking for their African Roots
In the middle of the last century, thousands of students from African countries were studying at Irish universities. In the 1960s, the Irish government ran schemes supporting them in learning skills that would help them build up their own newly independent states. Most enrolled in Trinity College, University College Dublin, and the Royal College of […]
Africa’s Largest Mammal Migration is Under Threat
During the day, an estimated 10 million straw-coloured fruit bats roost in the thick swamp along the Musola River, part of Kasanka National Park, which is home to more than 470 bird species and 100 mammals. As sunset comes, they set off to look for wild berries and fruits, covering about 50km (32 miles) and […]
The DRC’s Political Marriage Crumbles
The president of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Félix Tshisekedi, has set out his plan to break months of political deadlock with supporters of his predecessor, Joseph Kabila. In a televised address on Sunday, Mr Tshisekedi said he would appoint an official to build a new coalition majority in the national assembly, which is dominated […]
