Spotlight on Africa

This week, Spotlight on Africa explores critical questions about the future of aid, featuring a humanitarian worker, a columnist, and an analyst, each from different parts of Africa. As the United States and Europe prioritise funding for arms and domestic affairs, we ask whether the current aid model can endure, if it must evolve, and how that change might take shape.

Since the start of the year, the president of the United States, Donald Trump, has moved to drastically cut the country’s long-term aid commitments, aiming to save approximately $60 billion on overseas development and humanitarian assistance programmes.

The United Kingdom has also announced a deep cut in its budget for emergency and development aid, which it says it needs to do to develop its defence strategy. Other European countries have indicated that they might do the same.

France launches commission to evaluate overseas aid, amid far-right criticism

These decisions are already impacting emergency aid systems in many countries, including Sudan and Congo, as well as public health initiatives in nations such as Kenya and South Africa.

Sudan reels as US suspends aid amid ongoing war

Spotlight on Africa reached out to three experts involved in rethinking the future of aid.

Jeffrey Okoro is the executive director of the NGO CFK Africa in Kenya. He said that since the decision of the US government to freeze US Agency for International Development (USAID) spending in January, Kenyans working in healthcare have been hit hard. The decision has already disrupted efforts to stop the spread of diseases like HIV and tuberculosis.

"A sizeable portion of the Kenyan government funding for health counselling comes from international organisations from foreign governments," Okoro told RFI from his office in Kenya.

US grant cuts could affect two million worldwide, disrupt HIV aid in Kenya

Meanwhile, Ivor Ichikowitz, chairman of the philanthropic Ichikowitz Family Foundation, based in Johannesburg, which focuses on growth and development across the African continent, says that the decrease in aid and the rise of European investment, as discussed at a conference in South Africa recently, could, in fact, have positive results.

EU flags stronger partnership with South Africa with €4.7bn investment

We also  talk to Patrick Gathara, a Kenyan columnist and senior editor at The New Humanitarian, a website covering conflicts and humanitarian issues. He argues that the aid industry has long reinforced imperial domination, and its collapse could create an opportunity to establish a new order. He explains how.

Episode mixed by Erwan Rome.

Spotlight on Africa is produced by Radio France Internationale's English language service.

This week, Spotlight on Africa highlights women's empowerment across the continent, as March marks the beginning of Women's History Month, and International Women's Day on 8 March.

Officially recognised by the United Nations in 1977, International Women's Day (IWD) originated from the labour movements of the early twentieth century.

On 8 March, women around the world – and throughout the month in some countries – are celebrated and recognised for their social, cultural, economic and political achievements.

The day also serves as a call to action to accelerate progress towards gender parity.

In 2025, the United Nations will mark International Women’s Day under the theme: “For All Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.”

While the situation for women in parts of Africa is undeniably influenced by conflicts, disasters, and insecurity, this episode focuses on progress and empowerment.

Spotlight on Africa's first guest is Magalie Lebreton Traoré, an expert in digital transitions across the African continent at the United Nation's Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco).

As Unesco leads training for women in AI across Africa’s five regions, Magalie joins us to discuss how women are taking the lead in shaping high-tech industries, particularly artificial intelligence. This technological leap presents significant opportunities for women's leadership and innovation.

Moreover, a study published in Nature revealed that 79 percent of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) could be improved or achieved through AI.

To tackle gender and geographical inequalities in AI, Unesco has made these issues a priority in its Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence – the first global standard-setting framework in this field, unanimously adopted by Unesco Member States in November 2021.

And to broaden the conversation, we also talk to a curator and two artists from Johannesburg in South Africa, who are organising a special exhibition to highlight the work of artist-mothers and women artists caring for families.

Lara Koseff is a curator at INCCA, the Independent Network for Contemporary Culture & Art in Johannesburg. She has established the second edition of 'Art After Baby', with the support of the National Arts Council South Africa.

These female artists and mothers have been selected to receive support and mentorship in order to complete and exhibit a body of work in solo exhibitions at Victoria Yards in Johannesburg until the end of March.

Lara Koseff, Siviwe James and Phumelele Kunene join us on the line from South Africa.

Episode mixed by Erwan Rome.

Spotlight on Africa is produced by Radio France Internationale's English language service.

As fighting continues in South Kivu between M23 rebels and Congolese forces in the eastern regions bordering Rwanda, uncertainty surrounding the future of the Democratic Republic of Congo grows. This week, we discuss how the African Union can assist with an International Crisis Group expert and address humanitarian risks with a UNICEF worker.

The conflict in the eastern DRC has experienced a dramatic escalation recently.

Djibouti's Mahmoud Ali Youssouf elected as AU commission chairman

The city of Goma, capital of the North Kivu province, fell to M23 fighters at the end of January.

The rebels are being supported by Rwandan soldiers, a claim that the government in Kigali continues to deny, despite evidence and reports of casualties among Rwandan troops.

Fighting resumes in DRC's South Kivu ahead of crisis talks

The city has come to symbolise the conflict that has torn apart eastern DRC for more than three decades.

The M23 has launched additional attacks in South Kivu, and despite talks in Tanzania earlier in February and a brief ceasefire, the fighting persists. As a result, millions of Congolese have been displaced, with nearly 3,000 lives lost.

To explore the role of diplomacy in the country, as well as in other violent crises across the continent, my first guest is Liesl Louw-Vaudran from the International Crisis Group.

She joins us from Addis Ababa, where the African Union's headquarters are located, following the release of the group’s annual report outlining the eight priorities the AU should focus on.

We will also hear from civilians fleeing Goma and from Paulin Nkwosseu, the Chief of Field Offices at UNICEF for the DRC.

Episode mixed by Erwan Rome.

Spotlight on Africa is produced by Radio France Internationale's English language service.

This week, Spotlight on Africa takes us to Marrakech, Morocco. RFI English was on the ground to cover the Moroccan edition of the 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair, which first launched in London in 2013, followed by New York in 2015, and Marrakech in 2018. Through conversations with a range of guests, we explore how Morocco has become a key platform connecting the African continent with the wider world.

Since its launch in 2013, and even more so since 2018, the 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair has grown into one of the most significant cultural events for African art, drawing gallery owners and artists from across the continent and beyond.

The galleries represent artists from all over the continent, from Ghana to South Africa, Tunisia to Angola.

The fair took place in the iconic events' venue La Mamounia, in the heart of Marrakesh.

Since 2024, the art fair has also had exhibition spaces for younger artists in Dada, a gathering space for art, food and music near La Medina.

This year's fair was held from 30 January to 2 February, during which the entire city hosted various art events, including exhibitions at the El Badi Palace and MACAAL, a museum dedicated to contemporary African art and artists from the African diaspora.

To understand how the fair built a platform for African art, RFI spoke to the fair's founder and director, Touria El Glaoui on the opening day in Marrakesh.

El Glaoui shared how she frequently travels to African countries to discover new artists, events, and galleries. She also noted that new participants from across the African continent—and now even from Japan and Korea—are coming to the fair seeking representation.

We also visited other sites that make the event special, including art galleries, like Loft. 

“We opened the gallery sixteen years ago and we are a Moroccan gallery based in Morocco but with a real openness to the international scene," Yasmine Berrada, co-founder of the gallery, told RFI.

"We’re open to Africa. We represent African artists from its diaspora. We’ve also worked with European artists," she added. "We’re not closed off at all because, for me, there shouldn’t be any separation in art. I think that, on the contrary, we need to open up perspectives and integrate the Moroccan art market into the international stage."

Our guests this week:

-Touria El Glaoui, founder and director of the 1:54 contemporary African art fair;

-Mous Lamrabat, Moroccan-Belgian artist;

-Yasmine Berrada, co-founder of the Loft art gallery.  

Episode mixed by Melissa Chemam.

Spotlight on Africa is produced by Radio France Internationale's English language service.

In this edition of the Spotlight on Africa podcast, experts and analysts delve into Africa's evolving diplomacy as the continent approaches 2025. Topics include South Africa's G20 leadership, the division within the West African bloc ECOWAS, and emerging partnerships with the US and China.

How will 2025 shape up for African nations and their global partnerships? Will Africa secure a more central role in the global diplomatic landscape?

To understand what's at stake on the continent, the Spotlight on Africa podcast consulted three experts in African politics and diplomacy.

Cameron Hudson from the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CISC) in Washington DC discusses priorities for South Africa as it takes on the rotating presidency of the G20 group, and in particular its relationship to the United States. 

Michael Dillon from King's College, London, UK, looks at China's new strategy that aims to deepen its influence in Africa.

Thierry Vircoulon from IFRI in France analyses the legacy of France in Africa, notably in the Sahel where French troops have been pushed out by military juntas of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso.

These countries have since established their own Alliance of Sahel States and made the decision to withdraw from the West African bloc Ecowas. Set to take effect on 29 January, security experts and members of the diaspora have voiced concern over what lies ahead.

Episode mixed by Erwan Rome.

Spotlight on Africa is produced by Radio France Internationale's English language service.

The Democratic Republic of Congo is launching an unprecedented case against the American tech giant Apple over conflict minerals. To explore the issues at hand, RFI talked to a former UN expert to discuss whether any progress has been made in curbing illegal mining.

This week, we focus on the fight against the exploitation of 'blood minerals' or 'conflict minerals' in Central Africa, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Conflict minerals is the term used by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to describe minerals sourced from conflict-affected and high-risk areas, such as tantalum, tin, tungsten (referred to as the '3Ts'), gold, cobalt, coltan, and lithium.

These minerals are essential for high-tech applications, including smartphones, electric batteries, and other advanced technology such as appliances, cars, and even wind turbines. They are predominantly found in the African Great Lakes region, especially in eastern DRC.

In an effort to combat the illegal and exploitative trade of these minerals, the NGO Global Witness established a transition team several years ago.

The May 2022 a report from Global Witness revealed that these minerals are used in products by international brands such as Apple, Intel, Samsung, Nokia, Motorola, and Tesla.

Now, with a trial underway in France and Belgium accusing Apple, many observers are hopeful that it could bring about meaningful change.

The Democratic Republic of Congo has filed a criminal case against European subsidiaries of the tech giant Apple, alleging the company has illicitly used conflict minerals in its supply chain.

The American company claims it no longer sources conflict minerals from Central Africa, but is it doing enough?

DRC case against Apple brings new hope in conflict minerals crisis

The complaints filed against Apple have been described by lawyers involved as a matter of significant public interest.

European countries, consumers, and non-governmental organisations are increasingly scrutinising the international supply chains of minerals, with calls for highly profitable companies to be held accountable.

This complaint could mark the beginning of a broader wave of legal actions targeting technology companies linked to the sourcing of conflict minerals.

To examine the implications of this trial, this week's guest is Gregory Mthembu-Salter, a researcher specialising in Africa's political economy and a former consultant to the UN Group of Experts on the DRC on due diligence regarding conflict minerals. He is based in South Africa.

Episode mixed by Erwan Rome.

Spotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale.

During Nigerian President Bola Tinubu’s visit to France in November, he brought a delegation of young leaders to strengthen ties and attract investment in Africa’s largest economy. RFI caught up with some of them.

Kolawole Osinowo, CEO of Baobab Plus in Nigeria – a French-Nigerian energy distribution company – highlighted the challenges of energy access in the country.

"A lot of people in Nigeria don't have access to electricity, so we're supporting the government by bridging the gap," Osinowo told RFI.

"There’s a connection in terms of technological and financial support that is key."

Osinowo said he hopes to shift Africa-Europe relations from being aid-driven to investment-focused, aiming to boost Nigeria’s economy and create jobs.

“This is essential so that people don’t have to migrate and cause different migration issues around the world,” he said.

Uchenna Pedro, founder of the lifestyle platform Bella Naija and named one of Forbes Africa's 50 Most Influential Women, emphasised France’s potential as a partner in Nigeria’s creative industries.

“French industries in my domains bring high value, and France’s belief in the arts makes it a great partnership,” said Pedro. Her platform already collaborates with French companies like L'Oréal in the beauty and fashion sectors.

Pedro is also a member of the French Africa Foundation’s young leaders group, which supports initiatives connecting France with African nations.

Nigerian businesses court French investors during Tinubu's landmark visit

Singer-songwriter and activist Chioma Ogbonna, known as Cill, also praised France’s prioritisation of the arts and its thriving creative industry.

"Because of how the arts and the creative industry thrive here in France and how it is prioritised, it is an important destination for Africans and Nigerians especially," she said.

Tinubu’s visit underscored the potential for deeper collaboration between Nigerian businesses and French investors, particularly in energy, culture, and creative sectors.

Episode recorded and mixed by Erwan Rome.

Spotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale.

Harmful stereotypes about Africa in the global media are costing the continent billions each year and shaping damaging perceptions, campaigners are warning. A recent report explored the economic impact of biased media narratives, linking them to lost investment opportunities and higher borrowing costs for African nations.

“Negative narratives about Africa have real consequences for people’s lives and futures,” said Abimbola Ogundairo, campaign lead for the NGO Africa No Filter, which produced the report and works to promote balanced storytelling about the continent.

The organisation's latest research found these biases cost African economies $4.2 billion annually in lost investment opportunities.

It found that persistent portrayals of poverty, conflict and corruption have far-reaching consequences, from deterring investment to increasing borrowing costs for African nations.

Stories of success, innovation, and resilience were overlooked.

Using case studies and data analysis, the report examined how media narratives influence investment, particularly during election periods. It compared African countries to their global peers and quantified the costs of misrepresentation.

The report also quantified how biased media coverage correlates with sovereign bond yields – a critical financial indicator.

It found that even nations with strong democratic institutions are often framed through lenses of instability and corruption – reinforcing negative stereotypes and overshadowing progress.

The Spotlight on Africa podcast explores this issue, featuring interviews with both Ogundairo, who is from Nigeria, and the acclaimed filmmaker Abderrahmane Sissako, from Mauritania.

Both emphasise the need for African voices to take control of the continent’s narrative.

Episode mixed by Vincent Pora.

Spotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale.

This week's Spotlight on Africa dives into Cop29’s critical discussions on climate change – focusing on food systems, green energy funding and who should pay for climate disasters. With talks underway in Baku, Azerbaijan, negotiators and experts are grappling with solutions to the growing crisis.

Zitouni Ould Dada, representing the FAIRR Initiative – a network raising awareness of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) risks in the food sector – underscores the need to transform global food systems.

“Since Cop15 in Paris and Cop26 in Glasgow, good progress has been made towards building sustainable and resilient agri-food systems,” he said. “Cop29 is a key moment to accelerate the transformation of food production.”

He calls on policymakers to strengthen climate commitments, integrate agriculture into national plans, and create policies to attract sustainable investment.

Financing green energy and addressing climate disasters are key issues at this year’s summit.

Seyni Nafo, spokesperson for the African negotiators group and chair of the Green Climate Fund, coordinates the African Union Adaptation Initiative. He shared his perspective with RFI’s Christophe Boisbouvier.

Speaking from Baku, Nafo explored the question of responsibility for funding climate recovery in the most affected regions.

The negotiations come during what is expected to be the hottest year on record, underscoring the urgency of Cop29’s agenda.

Episode mixed by Erwan Rome.

Spotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale.

African contemporary arts are attracting increasing interest thanks to a packed season stretching from Europe to Africa. Artists and curators from across the continent and the diaspora reflect on the impact of cultural exchanges beyond their borders – from London to Paris, Luanda to Dakar.

October and November are set to host a series of events celebrating African art across the continent, in Europe and even farther afield.

Spotlight on Africa dives into perspectives from diverse African cultures, focusing on the voices and visions of the diaspora.

RFI journalists Ollia Horton and Melissa Chemam take us to the heart of two major art fairs: Paris’s Also Known As Africa (AKAA) and London’s 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair.

Listeners will hear from Victoria Mann, founder and director of AKAA, and founder of La Maison Gaston gallery, Christelle Clairville, whose work brings Caribbean influences to the dialogue around African identity.

French-Belgo-Congolese artist Tiffanie Delune, exhibiting in London, shares her journey through the art world.

Curators Grada Kilomba and Helio Menezes weigh in from the Sao Paulo Biennial in Brazil. Meanwhile, ahead of the Dakar Biennale, French-Algerian artist Dalila Dalleas Bouzar discusses her preparation and the importance of the event to her work.

Episode mixed by Hadrien Touraud and Erwan Rome.

Spotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale.