Hollywood actors Meagan Good and Jonathan Majors have been granted Guinean citizenship after DNA tests linked their ancestry to the West African country, marking a deeply symbolic homecoming. Welcomed with music, dance, and a private cultural ceremony in Conakry, the couple described the move as a meaningful step toward reconnecting with the African diaspora. Officials hailed them as cultural ambassadors, while the actors signaled interest in building long-term ties, including spending extended time in Guinea. Their visit reflects a broader trend of African nations, including Ghana and Benin, encouraging descendants of the diaspora to reclaim heritage, invest locally, and forge new cultural…
Author: Montage Africa
Thousands of people recently converged on Ouidah, Benin’s coastal city and the spiritual heart of Vodun, to celebrate the country’s annual Vodun Days festival. Organized by the government and held every January, the event highlights the cultural, spiritual, and historical significance of Vodun, often misunderstood outside the region. On the day, devotees, tourists, and members of the African diaspora gathered for rituals, performances, and concerts, turning the city into a vibrant showcase of tradition and modern creativity. Religious leaders emphasized Vodun’s positive values, aiming to demystify its practices for a worldwide audience. Meanwhile, new international followers reflected its growing global reach. With…
By AP Myanmar heard accusations that it is responsible for genocide against the Rohingya ethnic minority at the top court of the United Nations, as long-awaited hearings began on Monday. The West African country of The Gambia first filed the case at the International Court of Justice in 2019, arguing a so-called “clearance operation” by Myanmar’s military in 2017 violated the 1948 Genocide Convention. The Southeast Asian country, which has since been taken over by the military, has denied the allegations. In his opening statements, Gambian Justice Minister Dawda Jallow said his country brought the case after its own experience…
By Rédaction Africanews and Agencies Somalia says it has cancelled all agreements with the United Arab Emirates due to evidence the Gulf state is engaged in undermining Somalia’s sovereignty, national unity, and political independence. The rift is reportedly due to the UAE’s tacit support for Israel’s recognition of the breakaway region of Somaliland as an independent state. Abu Dhabi built and controls a deep-water port and military base in the Somaliland city of Berbera. Saudi Arabia has also accused the UAE of helping a Yemeni separatist flee to Abu Dhabi through the port in Berbera, something Mogadishu described as an…
A major overhaul of Africa’s football calendar is poised to ignite a fierce battle for broadcasting rights. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has decided to shift its premier tournament, the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), to a four-year cycle starting in 2028, while introducing a new annual African Nations League. This strategic move, which aligns AFCON with European schedules, aims to shore up CAF’s finances by creating scarcity and increasing the value of its media packages. Analysts predict a lucrative scramble when current rights deals expire, likely attracting streaming giants such as Netflix. While the changes address long-standing pressure from…
By Agencies with AP Beneath a sprawling eight-lane expressway, men stand waist-deep in the Lagos Lagoon, scooping sand from the murky water to fuel Africa’s fastest-growing megacity. Dredging has become a booming business as demand for sand, essential for concrete and land reclamation, rises with Lagos’ rapid development. “Dredging is an easy process,” says dredging operator Joshua Alex. “We extract sand from under the water… this barge is the transporter, and when we load it, we take it to the destination.” But for fishing communities like Makoko, one of Lagos’ oldest waterfront settlements, the cost is steep. Barges now operate…
Guinea has officially entered a new era as the Supreme Court upheld General Mamadi Doumbouya’s landslide victory, confirming the junta leader as the nation’s president-elect four years after he seized power. Doumbouya secured 86.7% of the vote in the country’s first post-coup election, a result long anticipated by analysts and upheld despite a legal challenge from the runner-up, who later withdrew his petition. Doumbouya now calls for national unity, promising a future of peace and sovereignty. Critics, however, note that the election took place amid a weakened opposition and significant public dissent. The vote was held under a new constitution that lifted restrictions on…
Ghanaian artist Ibrahim Mahama has reached the pinnacle of the global art world, topping ArtReview’s influential Power 100 list and becoming the first African to do so. Mahama rose to prominence after his 2015 Venice Biennale installation, which transformed stitched burlap sacks—once used in Ghana’s cocoa trade—into a powerful meditation on labor, colonialism, and global exchange. Since then, his collaborative, material-driven practice has earned international acclaim and financial success, which he reinvests into building public art institutions in northern Ghana. Rooted in ideas of collectivity and redistribution shaped by his upbringing, Mahama sees his recognition not as personal triumph, but as part of…
The UN Security Council has welcomed five new non-permanent members—Bahrain, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Latvia, and Liberia—for the 2026–2027 term, reshaping the global body’s diplomatic mix. For the DRC, the seat marks a return after 35 years and comes with renewed emphasis on peacekeeping reform, drawing on its long experience hosting the MONUSCO mission. Liberia, meanwhile, joins the Council for the first time since 1961, pledging bridge-building and consensus-driven diplomacy. Alongside Somalia, both African nations will represent the continent during a pivotal period. For Kinshasa, the role also raises hopes of advancing international efforts to resolve the conflict in…
A new Abu Dhabi- and Microsoft-backed initiative, Map Africa, aims to transform how the continent is planned, governed, and protected by building a live, continuously updated digital map of all 54 African countries. The initiative combines satellite imagery from Abu Dhabi’s Space42, software from Esri, and cloud infrastructure from Microsoft. With these tools, Map Africa will track everything from roads and ports to floods, farms, and informal settlements, aiming to provide high-resolution data of the continent. Unlike past fragmented efforts, Map Africa focuses on continental harmonization while giving national governments ownership of their data. The initiative also promises commercial opportunities for startups…