AFP Africa

After a year of tensions, Chad is seeking renewed ties with former colonial ruler France amid concerns over a spillover from Sudan’s devastating war and rising rebel attacks.Chad, a key link in the French army’s presence in Africa, abruptly ended military cooperation with France in 2024.But Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno met his French …

Security needs drive Chad to reset ties with FranceThu, 05 Feb 2026 17:00:55 GMT Read More »

The mayor of Suakin dreams of a rebirth for his town, an ancient Red Sea port spared by the wars that have marked Sudan’s history but reduced to ruins by the ravages of time.”It was called the ‘White City’,” for its unique buildings made of coral stone taken from the seabed, said mayor Abu Mohamed …

In Sudan’s old port of Suakin, dreams of a tourism revivalSun, 01 Feb 2026 01:37:50 GMT Read More »

Nigeria’s Afrobeat king Fela Kuti will this weekend be posthumously recognised by the Grammys with a Lifetime Achievement Award, becoming the first African artist to receive the distinction.After a lifetime of clashes with successive powers in Nigeria, the recognition comes nearly three decades after Fela’s death and long after his influence reshaped global music.He is …

Fela Kuti: first African to get Grammys Lifetime Achievement AwardFri, 30 Jan 2026 19:53:16 GMT Read More »

Niger’s main airport in the capital Niamey was targeted in an attack claimed on Friday by the Islamic State (IS) group, a rare development in a country where jihadist violence is usually contained to the west and southeast.The ruling junta said Thursday’s attack had been repelled by its soldiers with the help of “Russian partners” …

What we know about Niger airport attackFri, 30 Jan 2026 19:40:08 GMT Read More »

Nigeria’s Afrobeat king Fela Kuti will this weekend be posthumously recognised by the Grammys with a Lifetime Achievement Award, becoming the first African artist to receive the distinction.After a lifetime of clashes with successive powers in Nigeria, the recognition comes nearly three decades after Fela’s death and long after his influence reshaped global music.He is …

Fela Kuti to be first African to get Grammys Lifetime Achievement AwardFri, 30 Jan 2026 18:04:20 GMT Read More »

A convoy of several dozen tankers was set on fire in Mali in a deadly assault that local officials blamed on jihadists, the latest escalation in a fuel blockade that had calmed in recent weeks.The attack took place Thursday on a road leading from the Senegalese border to the major city of Kayes in western …

Mali fuel tanker convoy destroyed in attack blamed on jihadistsFri, 30 Jan 2026 16:46:11 GMT Read More »

South Africa ordered Israel’s top diplomat to leave the country within 72 hours on Friday, citing a “series of violations” and prompting the Israeli government to expel Pretoria’s own diplomatic representative.Ties between the nations are already strained by South Africa’s case before the United Nations top court in 2023 to argue that Israel’s war on …

South Africa and Israel expel envoys in deepening feudFri, 30 Jan 2026 16:04:44 GMT Read More »

The United Nations warned Friday of severe overcrowding in temporary accommodation shelters hosting an estimated 100,000 people displaced by flooding in Mozambique, and appealed for more international support.The southern African country’s latest bout of flooding has claimed nearly 140 lives since October 1, according to the National Disasters Management Institute, while nearly 400,000 people have …

UN appeals for more support for flood-hit MozambicansFri, 30 Jan 2026 14:21:50 GMT Read More »

Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron have agreed to renew relations between the two countries that were strained after Chad abruptly broke off military cooperation.The two leaders met in Paris late Thursday and agreed plans for a “revitalised partnership” with a focus on economic ties, the Elysee said.The largely …

Chad, France eye economic cooperation as they reset strained tiesFri, 30 Jan 2026 12:09:00 GMT Read More »

Will the next global hits from Nigeria have a French accent? Perhaps. Nine French rap, pop and urban music composers recently joined forces with Afrobeats artists to produce 60 tracks for international audiences.In under a week, French, English, Nigerian Pidgin and Creole blended in musical melodies for future hits at the premises of renowned Nigerian …

French-Nigerian artists team up to craft future hitsFri, 30 Jan 2026 09:33:33 GMT Read More »