Across Africa

By FRANCE 24 English

What's Across Africa about?

Join Georja Calvin-Smith for a round up of the week's cultural and current affairs stories from across the African continent: exclusive reports and analysis. Every Thursday at 3:45pm Paris time.

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Across Africa episodes:

04.04.2024
Uganda's anti-gay law stands after top court rejects bid to block it
We bring you a week of political and social events from across the African continent. This week, Uganda's constitutional court threw out a challenge to the homophobic law adopted last May. Also, Congolese wordsmiths the Tetra collective use slam poetry...
12.07.2023
Greening education key to Africa's climate challenge
There is increased focus on education at the COP28 climate talks amidst growing acknowledgement of the importance of the sector in responding to the uncertainty and displacement caused by climate change. FRANCE 24's Georja Calvin-Smith speaks to Yasmine Sherif, the...
12.07.2023
Nigerian university students in torment over 300% fee hikes
Students are among the victims of Nigeria's rampant inflation, as they face tuition fee hikes of over 300 percent. Also, the clock is ticking down towards DR Congo's general elections, in which President Felix Tshisekedi is running for a second...
12.07.2023
The felling of the spirits: Benin's shrinking voodoo forests
Benin's forests have long been seen as places of hope for believers of the voodoo religion, but urbanisation threatens the green spaces. Also, Ivory Coast's ghost children are invisible to the state. The number of babies whose births are undeclared...
10.26.2023
Lagos Fashion Week: A celebration of African and Nigerian fashion
As Africa's cultural heavyweights gather in Lagos for its 13th iconic Fashion Week, we speak to the event's founder about a unique UN study that lines the continent up as a major influence on the future of fashion. Also, the...
10.20.2023
Half a year into Sudan conflict, its people are displaced, hungry and in crisis
The conflict between warring factions in Sudan has left thousands dead and millions have been forced to flee. Half a year on since the outbreak of the fighting, the humanitarian situation is worse than ever, with many refugees in Chad...
10.11.2023
From Senegal to Central America: Would-be migrants hope to reach US
Increasing numbers of would-be Senegalese migrants are heading to Central America in the hopes of making it to the United States. But the journey is often fraught, expensive and uncertain. Also, in Kenya, the rising cost of living has added...
10.11.2023
The turning of the bones in Madagascar
Every few years, Malagasy communities hold joyful ceremonies where the remains of lost loved ones are exhumed, cared for and introduced to the newest members of the community. Also, although Tunisia was decades ahead of many other countries in giving...
10.11.2023
Trailblazing Congolese microbiologist inspires next wave of scientists
Professor Jean-Jacques Muyembe is a scientific icon in DR Congo. He's also an inspiration for the next generation of Congolese biologists. Also in this edition of Across Africa, more than 30 percent of harvests are lost to pests and disease....
10.11.2023
Newly unearthed photos on display for Senegal's Grand Magal
There's a special reason to celebrate in Senegal as millions of Mouride pilgrims come together for the Grand Magal. This year also features an exhibition of rare photos of the order's founder. Also, relatives of the 73 Gambian children killed...
10.11.2023
Africa tops suicide tables, with Lesotho worst affected
World Suicide Prevention Day was marked on September 10. Six of the 10 countries in the world with the highest suicide rates are African, with Lesotho the worst affected. Also in this edition: Kenya tackles wastage in the agricultural sector and...
09.22.2023
Namibian President Hage Geingob speaks to FRANCE 24
This week in Across Africa, Georja Calvin-Smith speaks to Namibian President Hage Geingob ahead of his arrival in New York for the UN General Assembly. He shares his perspective on governance, the impact of Africa's first climate change summit and...
07.13.2023
African voices amplified by continental podcast explosion
Podcasts are on the rise in Africa. The huge sector has been dominated by voices from outside the continent, but more African producers are now turning to the mic to tell their stories. Also the European Court of Human Rights...
07.06.2023
The private backers of the Great Green Wall
In this edition: Niger's private sector has stepped up to fertilise failing plans for Africa's Great Green Wall. Also, people from Ethiopia's town of Lalibela help restore some of the iconic rock-hewn churches unique to their community. Plus, Malian children...
06.22.2023
South African minister Naledi Pandor on African peace mission for Ukraine
Last week, a quartet of African leaders headed out to Russia and Ukraine on a peace mission aimed at helping resolve the war between the countries that began last February with Russia's invasion of its neighbour. South Africa's International Relations...
06.15.2023
Uganda's charcoal crackdown
In Kenya, some industrial fishing techniques are banned in a bid to counteract damage suffered by coastal communities that have seen their fish stocks plummet. Also, as Africa continues to wrangle with the dilemma of how to keep economic growth on...
05.26.2023
Measures of Men: German film spotlights country's dark colonial past
The movie measures of men spotlights the first genocide of the 20th century in which tens of thousands of indigenous Nama and Herero were slaughtered by german soldiers. The film bids to confront viewers with the harsh realities of colonial...
05.04.2023
Sudanese trapped in Khartoum still heading to work as fighting rages
Hundreds of thousands have been displaced by Sudan's conflict. But some civilians have also had to stay in Khartoum as war rages around them, even saying they have no choice but to still head into work. Also, Congolese communities in...
04.28.2023
Hate speech spikes in Kenya after LGBT rights group given green light
Kenyan LGBT campaigners have been fielding a surge in hate speech since a rights group supporting their cause was given the green light to register as an NGO. Also a deal between Uganda and Saudi Arabia to make it easier...
04.27.2023
Malaria kills an African child every 60 seconds
Over 95 percent of malaria cases and deaths are in sub-Saharan Africa. There's a worldwide push to completely wipe out the disease by 2030. Also, two years after the the town of Palma in northern Mozambique was captured by extremists,...
04.27.2023
Ghosts of the genocide in Rwanda
In Rwanda, 29 years after the genocide that cost at least 800,000 lives, the psychological toll on those who lived through the bloodshed continues to weigh heavily. Also we hear from some of the young visionaries in the Seychelles coming...
04.27.2023
Autism Awareness in Ivory Coast
In Ivory Coast, support workers head out into rural communities to offer more support to families living with autism. Also we unwrap the mystery of Egypt's longest serving pharaoh, Ramses the second, as his sarcophagus makes a stop in Paris...
04.27.2023
Autism awareness in Ivory Coast
In Ivory Coast, support workers head out into rural communities to offer more support to families living with autism. Also we unwrap the mystery of Egypt's longest-serving pharaoh, Ramses II, as his sarcophagus makes a stop in Paris on its...
04.27.2023
UN Security Council delegates meet victims of violence in eastern DR Congo
Thousands have been displaced by ongoing clashes between soldiers and M23 rebels in eastern DR Congo. Delegates from the UN Security Council have been to meet some of them at the Bushagara camp in Goma. Also, a new exhibition in...
04.12.2023
Togolese literary voices call for the turning of a page
Togo is trying to turn the page on putting French writers first. A growing movement is demanding that the country's rich heritage be better reflected in classes, with more focus on works by local authors. Also, for the first time,...
02.09.2023
Nigeria tests new voting system
Ahead of Nigeria's elections, voters help electoral authorities test out a new system meant to head off vote rigging. Also, we hear from Hamitraoré, an Ivorian activist trying to hasten FGM's end by bringing discussions about its impact into the...
02.09.2023
Guinean acrobatic troupe Amoukana fly high
In South Africa, as embattled state energy company Eskom's debts pile up, daily blackouts continue to hobble the nation. Also, Rwanda is investing more in a circular economy and is ramping up its waste management projects. And we see how...
02.09.2023
Poisoned and hyperaggressive seals attack Cape Town tourists
The recent introduction of new denominations of naira in Nigeria causes a chaotic rush to get the old notes out of circulation by the end of January. Also, Ivory Coast has raised its minimum wage as the country faces a...
02.09.2023
Guinea's Hakime rocks TikTok
We hear from some of the hundreds of Cameroonian medical students who have headed to Madagascar for their training. Also, videos from a Guinean TikToker based in Senegal have been taking the social media site by storm. Plus, Chanel collaborates...
02.09.2023
DR Congo's displaced phone home
In Rutshuru, DR Congo, the International Committee of the Red Cross has set up phone booths to help displaced families track down those left behind in combat zones. Also, a new film is out in France that focuses on the...
12.02.2022
‘Farmgate’ catches up to Cyril Ramaphosa
Calls grow for the South African President to step down after an independent probe finds grounds for possible impeachment proceedings. We speak to our correspondent in Cape Town. December 1st is World AIDS day. Our team in Kenya have a...
11.10.2022
COP27 summit: What's at stake for the African continent?
In this week's climate change edition, we go to Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt where the COP27 summit is taking place. With climate change expected to disproportionately affect the African continent, we ask what future lies in store if the goals of today...
10.12.2022
Hague trial of alleged moneyman of Rwandan 1994 genocide
As one of the alleged last masterminds of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda goes on trial in the Hague, survivors of the mass killings speak of their memories of the brutality that Felicien Kabuga is accused of having bankrolled. Also...
09.12.2022
Senegal's GMO greenlight proves controversial
Africa is racing to adapt to the ravages of climate change, but Senegal's greenlighting of GMO crops has proved controversial. Also, Egypt has a centuries-long tradition of wine making. Wineries are barrelling ahead with plans to add polish and popularity to...
07.06.2022
Gabon and Togo join Commonwealth
06.23.2022
Belgium returns tooth taken in 1961 from slain Congolese icon
Relatives of murdered Congolese independence hero Patrice Lumumba attend a sombre ceremony in Brussels as Belgium returns his tooth. It's all that remains of him after his assassination in 1961. Also, Kenya has no reproductive health legislation but the public is...
06.23.2022
Liberia lines up a swell surf scene
The top ten most neglected displacement crises in the world are all in Africa. It's a worrying first for the annual report of the Norwegian Refugee Council. Also, "Supreme Remains" is a haunting play that has premiered at the Dakar Biennale,...
06.23.2022
Cashew processing a tough nut to crack for Ivory Coast
Ivorian cashew processors face an uphill battle. Their bid to expand into processing faces competition from Asia. Also, Mali is sanctioned but Senegal loses out. The economic interdependence between the neighbours has left Senegalese traders struggling to cope with the...
06.23.2022
UK's Johnson defends migrant deal on Rwanda visit
In tonight's edition: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday defended his controversial deal to expel migrants to Rwanda, telling critics to "keep an open mind". Whilst most members of the bloc are former British colonies, Gabon and Togo are expected to...
06.22.2022
Cape Town site earmarked for Amazon site causes community rifts
South Africa's Khoi community is divided on how to best protect its heritage on a site in Cape Town earmarked to house Amazon's African headquarters. Judges ordered a halt to construction, but some indigenous locals are eager for the jobs...
06.22.2022
World Press Freedom Day and the increased risks of journalism in Africa
World Press Freedom Day was a chance to take stock of some of the continent's success stories. The Seychelles is one of the rare African countries where most journalists are women. Elsewhere, the profession still poses life-threatening risks. Also, there are calls for...
06.22.2022
Final report into graft under Jacob Zuma released
In tonight's edition: South African president Cyril Ramphosa has received the fifth and final chapter of an investigation into corruption under his predecessor Jacob Zuma. The African Union has denounced 'dishonest' negotiations with Sudan military leaders aimed at getting a transition back...
06.22.2022
Congo Brazzaville: New law cracks down on violence against women
Rights campaigners in Congo Brazzaville welcome a legal crack down on physical, sexual and economic violence against women, but say that follow-up is crucial. Also, protesters at an auction house in France accuse buyers of trying to purchase stolen goods...
04.14.2022
Artist Matthew Eguavoen addresses mental health and social pressure
We hear from up-and-coming artist Matthew Eguavoen, whose work translates complex, contemporary African experiences into vibrant and challenging portraits. But first, Ethiopian researchers are hoping that a local staple known as false banana could have some real benefits for food security....
04.11.2022
Burundi: Rickshaws, motorcycle taxis and bicycle cabs banned in Bujumbura
Citing safety concerns, Burundi bans rickshaws, commercial motorcycle taxis and bicycle cabs in Bujumbura, the country's biggest city. Drivers say the move will put thousands out of work. Also, Uganda's only licensed cannabis farm grows only for export, as use of...
04.11.2022
DR Congo announces plans to cracks down on illegal construction
In this edition: Congolese authorities say they'll clamp down on shoddy construction after an accident in Kinshasa in February in which 26 people were killed. Also, a top Nigerian model agency launches a search for the face of a continent....
03.01.2022
An emotional exhibition of Benin's returned royal treasures
After 130 years away, 26 stolen artefacts from Benin are finally being displayed at home after having been returned by France. The pieces were looted by French soldiers from the kingdom of Dahomey in 1892 and are now taking pride of...
02.10.2022
Zimbabweans call for sanctions rethink
US-led sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe two decades ago have had far-reaching effects on the country's economy. Some are now calling for a rethink. Also, South Africa has opened a new Covid-19 vaccine plant. The site is the first on the continent to...
02.10.2022
Kommetdieding: The 'people's horse' of South Africa wins big
We report on how Burkinabé refugeees who have fled jihadist violence have been trying to start new lives in Ivory Coast. Also, the "people's horse" Kommetdieding streaks to victory at the 2022 Cape Town Met. And Salima Mukansanga, the first woman...
02.10.2022
Mali's cotton industry frays under ECOWAS sanctions
The financial freeze on Mali brought in by regional group ECOWAS has hit its economy hard. Key sectors like the cotton industry have been struggling to overcome the impact of the trade penalties. Also, as the excitement of the Africa...

What's Across Africa about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Across Africa episodes:

Uganda's anti-gay law stands after top court rejects bid to block it

Greening education key to Africa's climate challenge

Nigerian university students in torment over 300% fee hikes

The felling of the spirits: Benin's shrinking voodoo forests

Lagos Fashion Week: A celebration of African and Nigerian fashion

Half a year into Sudan conflict, its people are displaced, hungry and in crisis

From Senegal to Central America: Would-be migrants hope to reach US

The turning of the bones in Madagascar

Trailblazing Congolese microbiologist inspires next wave of scientists

Newly unearthed photos on display for Senegal's Grand Magal

Africa tops suicide tables, with Lesotho worst affected

Namibian President Hage Geingob speaks to FRANCE 24

African voices amplified by continental podcast explosion

The private backers of the Great Green Wall

South African minister Naledi Pandor on African peace mission for Ukraine

Uganda's charcoal crackdown

Measures of Men: German film spotlights country's dark colonial past

Sudanese trapped in Khartoum still heading to work as fighting rages

Hate speech spikes in Kenya after LGBT rights group given green light

Malaria kills an African child every 60 seconds

Ghosts of the genocide in Rwanda

Autism Awareness in Ivory Coast

Autism awareness in Ivory Coast

UN Security Council delegates meet victims of violence in eastern DR Congo

Togolese literary voices call for the turning of a page

Nigeria tests new voting system

Guinean acrobatic troupe Amoukana fly high

Poisoned and hyperaggressive seals attack Cape Town tourists

Guinea's Hakime rocks TikTok

DR Congo's displaced phone home

‘Farmgate’ catches up to Cyril Ramaphosa

COP27 summit: What's at stake for the African continent?

Hague trial of alleged moneyman of Rwandan 1994 genocide

Senegal's GMO greenlight proves controversial

Gabon and Togo join Commonwealth

Belgium returns tooth taken in 1961 from slain Congolese icon

Liberia lines up a swell surf scene

Cashew processing a tough nut to crack for Ivory Coast

UK's Johnson defends migrant deal on Rwanda visit

Cape Town site earmarked for Amazon site causes community rifts

World Press Freedom Day and the increased risks of journalism in Africa

Final report into graft under Jacob Zuma released

Congo Brazzaville: New law cracks down on violence against women

Artist Matthew Eguavoen addresses mental health and social pressure

Burundi: Rickshaws, motorcycle taxis and bicycle cabs banned in Bujumbura

DR Congo announces plans to cracks down on illegal construction

An emotional exhibition of Benin's returned royal treasures

Zimbabweans call for sanctions rethink

Kommetdieding: The 'people's horse' of South Africa wins big

Mali's cotton industry frays under ECOWAS sanctions