At the end of March, India delivered a consignment of 1,000 metric tonnes of rice to Burkina Faso to support its humanitarian efforts. This story is written and edited by Global South World Data from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) shows that Burkina Faso hosts around 2,062,534 internally displaced persons (IDPs) and close to 43,000 refugees and asylum-seekers, 94% of whom are from neighbouring Mali. Recent reports highlight increasing food insecurity among these vulnerable groups, exacerbated by aid cuts a growing challenge for many refugee-hosting countries across Africa. The ever-raging conflicts are fuelling Africa’s refugee crises, piling pressure on…
Author: Montage Africa
By Sarah Miansoni with AFP Djibouti’s leader Ismail Omar Guelleh is expected to win a presidential election on Friday, extending his 27-year rule of the highly strategic Horn of Africa nation. Guelleh, 78, is one of Africa’s longest serving leaders and has ruled the nation of around one million people with an iron fist since 1999. He has turned the arid former French colony into an international military and maritime hub for both the United States and China. With the opposition divided and largely silenced, Guelleh faces a single, low-profile opponent. He has campaigned across the country dressed in green,…
By Rédaction Africanews and AP South Africa is mourning the loss of Albert Mazibuko, a founding member of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, who died at 77 after a short illness. Known for bringing Zulu music to the world, Mazibuko helped the group achieve international acclaim, including five Grammy Awards. Mazibuko joined the group in 1969, blending traditional Zulu songs with isicathamiya, a soft, shuffling a cappella dance style. His brother, Abednigo Mazibuko, described Albert as a steadfast supporter of leader Joseph Shabalala, saying he gave strength and guidance to the group, helping them navigate challenges and reach global recognition. Reflecting on…
Nigeria has begun the prosecution of more than 500 people accused of involvement in militant attacks in one of the country’s largest ever terrorism trials. The suspects face charges linked to aiding and abetting terrorism, particularly in the north-east where an insurgency by the Boko Haram Islamist group began 17 years ago. Since then insecurity has spread to many other areas of the West African nation, leaving communities, often those in rural areas, at the mercy of mushrooming militant groups and gangs that kidnap for ransom. The mass trial opened on Tuesday at a high court in the capital, Abuja,…
When COVID-19 hit Kenya, decision-makers faced a critical challenge: how to respond quickly to a fast-moving crisis without reliable, locally grounded data. Global models offered some guidance, but they often failed to reflect local realities. That gap is what the Center for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis (CEMA) was built to address. Founded during the pandemic and based at the University of Nairobi, CEMA has rapidly grown into a pan-African centre of excellence, bringing together experts in epidemiology, data science, statistics, and public health to generate insights that directly inform policy and decision-making. At the core of its work is the use of…
By Africanews with AP Ethiopia on Wednesday extended the mandate of the interim administrator of the northern Tigray region by one year, raising uncertainty over elections scheduled for June in the restive region. Tigray still suffers from the aftermath of a brutal two-year conflict, ended by a 2022 peace deal that established the interim administration. The war was one of the deadliest in recent decades, claiming roughly 600,000 lives and pitting Tigrayan rebels against federal forces, supported by local militias and the Eritrean army. The conflict disrupted legislative and regional elections in 2021, leading to the appointment of veteran Tigray…
By Sarah Miansoni with AFP Gunmen have killed at least 60 people across several remote villages in northwest Nigeria this week, local clergy and humanitarian groups said Wednesday, as the country battles a surge in insecurity in its mostly Muslim north. The attacks, spanning two neighbouring states of Kebbi and Niger, have hit at least 10 villages, according to clergymen and a humanitarian report seen by AFP. According to a situation report citing three local humanitarian sources, including a health facility and a community organising group, 20 deaths were recorded in a Tuesday attack in Erena, in Shiroro local government…
Madagascar has declared a two‑week nationwide state of energy emergency amid severe fuel shortages caused by the US and Israel’s war in Iran. The presidency said the decision was taken following Tuesday’s cabinet meeting over fears the situation could lead to public disorder. The Indian Ocean island, which relies on oil to produce much of its electricity, is dependent on fuel imports from the Middle East – and supplies are likely to be disrupted for sometime despite the two-week ceasefire announced overnight. Last year, persistent power and water shortages in Madagascar led to youth-led protests, which escalated to broader political unrest,…
By Rédaction Africanews and AP For Pope Leo XIV, an upcoming visit to Algeria marks both a personal and historic milestone, as the North African nation prepares to welcome a sitting pontiff for the first time. For Jean-Paul Vesco, the trip is a dream come true. He says he hopes the visit will foster a “true encounter,” emphasizing openness and mutual respect in a country where Islam shapes culture and identity. Algeria’s small Christian community sees the visit as a powerful gesture of recognition, while authorities view it as highly significant in a nation where ancient Christian heritage coexists with…
By Rédaction Africanews with AFP Ethiopian police said they arrested a “dangerous international human trafficker” and nine accomplices accused of smuggling over 3,000 people to Libya, where they were held hostage and, in some cases, tortured, raped, or killed. The human trafficking network has been under investigation since 2018, police said in a statement posted on Facebook on Tuesday, recruiting young people from Ethiopia, Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti, Kenya, and Somalia who hoped to migrate to Europe through Libya. The ring operated five warehouses in Libya, holding victims hostage while forcing their families to pay huge ransoms. Those who could not…