AFP Africa

Destination Gabon: Africa’s ‘Eden’ bids to woo world touristsThu, 10 Apr 2025 15:57:21 GMT

Otangani fishing village, a short boat ride from Gabon’s capital, has no running water or electricity but hopes to attract tourists.Despite the soft white sands and wildlife of its parks, tourists are few and far between on the Pointe-Denis peninsula where the village is located.  On a recent Sunday morning, Kossi’s bar and restaurant, a …

Destination Gabon: Africa’s ‘Eden’ bids to woo world touristsThu, 10 Apr 2025 15:57:21 GMT Read More »

Sudan tells top court UAE ‘driving force’ behind ‘genocide’Thu, 10 Apr 2025 15:52:52 GMT

Sudan told the International Court of Justice Thursday that the United Arab Emirates was the “driving force” behind what it called a genocide in Darfur, a charge the UAE said “couldn’t be further from the truth”.Khartoum has dragged the UAE before the ICJ, accusing it of complicity in genocide against the Masalit community by backing …

Sudan tells top court UAE ‘driving force’ behind ‘genocide’Thu, 10 Apr 2025 15:52:52 GMT Read More »

Herd of animal puppets treks from Africa to Europe in climate actionThu, 10 Apr 2025 12:57:50 GMT

A wildebeest, a gorilla and a giraffe were among the life-size puppets to begin a 20,000-kilometre (12,400-mile) trek across the globe Wednesday from the DR Congo capital, to raise awareness about migration due to climate change.The animals are part of The Herds project and aim to have crossed around 10 countries between central Africa and …

Herd of animal puppets treks from Africa to Europe in climate actionThu, 10 Apr 2025 12:57:50 GMT Read More »

Japan’s World Expo touts unity, and algae, in turbulent timesThu, 10 Apr 2025 06:50:13 GMT

World Expo opens on Sunday with host Japan aiming to bring humanity together, despite global turmoil and tepid public enthusiasm for the six-month event showcasing innovation as well as Hello Kitty in algae form.A Mars meteorite the size of a sourdough loaf and a beating heart grown from stem cells are among the myriad futuristic …

Japan’s World Expo touts unity, and algae, in turbulent timesThu, 10 Apr 2025 06:50:13 GMT Read More »

Gabon’s sole train on tricky track to modernityWed, 09 Apr 2025 09:23:06 GMT

Through dense equatorial rainforest the train steamed ahead along Gabon’s sole railway line, a vital yet unreliable cog shuttling minerals, people and timber — as well as the odd coffin — across the country.”We’re forced to take the train. It’s not a choice,” said Aaron Houchi, a radiologist comfortably sat in the plush red velvet …

Gabon’s sole train on tricky track to modernityWed, 09 Apr 2025 09:23:06 GMT Read More »

‘Everything was stopped’: USAID cuts hit hard in northern KenyaWed, 09 Apr 2025 05:47:12 GMT

In Kenya’s largest and poorest county, the despair of a beleaguered hospital director is palpable as he explains that the dismantling of American-funded aid means his facility will run out of USAID drugs next month.”From then on, I don’t know,” Ekiru Kidalio said, worried about the lack of treatment for measles and HIV among other …

‘Everything was stopped’: USAID cuts hit hard in northern KenyaWed, 09 Apr 2025 05:47:12 GMT Read More »

Oil-rich Gabon vows revamp after 55 years of plunder and wasteWed, 09 Apr 2025 05:41:13 GMT

After decades of suffering what a government minister called “financial evaporation”, oil-rich Gabon badly needs to revamp crucial infrastructure and diversify its economy but is heavily indebted.The small central African country holds presidential elections on Saturday, after 19 months under military leadership following a coup that ended more than five decades of Bongo dynasty rule. While …

Oil-rich Gabon vows revamp after 55 years of plunder and wasteWed, 09 Apr 2025 05:41:13 GMT Read More »

Gabon elects new president with junta chief frontrunnerWed, 09 Apr 2025 05:39:44 GMT

Gabon votes on Saturday to pick a president with junta chief Brice Oligui Nguema the hot favourite to become the oil-rich country’s first elected leader since his August 2023 coup.Nineteen months after he ended more than five decades of Bongo dynastic rule widely viewed as corrupt, the 50-year-old career soldier has predicted a “historic victory” for himself …

Gabon elects new president with junta chief frontrunnerWed, 09 Apr 2025 05:39:44 GMT Read More »