By Rédaction Africanews with AP Young women and girls in Zimbabwe are using an ancient tradition to fight child marriages and campaign for gender equality. Inside a white tent in rural northeastern Zimbabwe, girls discuss sexuality, child marriage, teen pregnancy, gender bias, education, economic empowerment and the law. Nothing is off limits. “This is a safe space, every girl feels free,” said 18-year-old Anita Razo, who joined at 14 and now mentors younger girls. In the past, adolescent girls would be taken to a private place where they would be prepared for marriage, in a custom called Nhanga. Now they are flipping…
Author: Montage Africa
Nigerian collector Kayode Adegbola has turned his fascination with Yorùbá ère ìbejì—intricate wooden twin carvings—into the Ìbejì Project, a global effort to revive and celebrate this unique cultural tradition. The Yorùbá, who have one of the world’s highest twin birth rates, view twins as bearers of spiritual blessing. And if one passes away, a figure is lovingly carved to house its spirit, ensuring protection and continuity for the family. Statuettes were also often carved for living twins. These carvings were traditionally cared for as living children, but the practice has sadly faded, with many figures now residing in foreign museums. Adegbola’s project…
Thousands of soldiers and emergency workers have been deployed to clear roads and restore access to areas cut off by torrents of mud and debris. Officials warned that dozens remain missing and that the scale of the disaster in remote mountain towns is still unclear. The heavy rains were caused by the convergence of two tropical storms off Mexico’s western coast, striking at the end of an unusually intense rainy season. Overflowing rivers and weakened hillsides triggered widespread destruction, submerging villages and washing away infrastructure. Authorities said that helicopters and boats were being used to reach communities where road access…
The World Trade Organization has sharply upgraded its forecast for Africa’s trade growth, predicting imports will soar 11.8% in 2025, up from an earlier estimate of 6.5%. The agency also upgraded its forecast for exports to 6.5%, a dramatic jump from 0.6%. This growth marks the fastest among all regions this year, demonstrating Africa’s resilience in global trade despite persistent US tariffs, including a 30% levy on South African exports. Economists attribute the stronger-than-expected performance to factors such as US import frontloading, disinflation, supportive fiscal policies, and robust expansion in emerging markets. However, the WTO cautions that momentum may slow in 2026,…
Kenya is poised to become a major hub for digital finance after its parliament passed a groundbreaking law to regulate cryptocurrencies and virtual assets. This new legislation establishes clear rules for the industry, designating the central bank and capital markets authority as key regulators for stablecoins and trading platforms, respectively. The move aims to attract significant investment from major global crypto exchanges by providing the legal certainty they require. With a highly tech-savvy youth population already engaged in digital trading and payments, Kenya hopes to leverage this framework to become a gateway for crypto innovation across Africa. The bill now only requires…
By Rédaction Africanews In a significant development for Morocco’s aerospace industry, King Mohammed VI and Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan attended the foundation stone-laying ceremony on Tuesday for a new aircraft engine complex in Nouaceur, near Casablanca. This facility, established by France’s Safran Group, will serve as part of the Midparc aerospace platform. The complex will feature assembly and testing facilities specifically for Safran engines, along with a maintenance unit dedicated to the advanced LEAP engine models. Industry Minister Ryad Mezzour emphasized Morocco’s status as a global destination and key player in high-tech industries, attributing this growth to the ongoing…
Aid trucks began rolling into Gaza on Wednesday as Israel moved closer to reopening the Rafah crossing after a tense dispute over the return of the bodies of dead hostages. Israel had warned it would keep the crossing shut and restrict aid, accusing Hamas of delaying the handover. The militant group returned more bodies overnight, easing pressure on a fragile ceasefire that has halted two years of war and freed all living hostages. Israeli officials say preparations are underway to reopen Rafah to civilians and allow 600 trucks of aid through. The Palestinian Authority has also announced it is ready…
The mass demonstration, one of the largest in recent years, paralysed traffic in the capital and coincided with nationwide strikes that cancelled most flights from Brussels Airport. The protest, organised by Belgium’s three main trade unions, drew between 80,000 and 150,000 people according to estimates. Demonstrators banged drums, set off smoke bombs, and carried banners condemning planned cuts to pensions, unemployment benefits, and health care. Scuffles broke out as police in riot gear clashed with protesters, detaining several individuals and attempting to clear crowds from central streets. The unrest reflects growing public anger over the government’s fiscal plans aimed at…
By Agencies Voters in Seychelles returned to the polls on Thursday for a run-off presidential election between incumbent President Wavel Ramkalawan and opposition leader Patrick Herminie, head of the longtime ruling United Seychelles party. In the first round of voting, held on 27 September, neither candidate secured the 50 percent majority needed for an outright victory. Herminie narrowly led with about 48.8 percent of the vote, while Ramkalawan followed closely with 46.4 percent, prompting the decisive second round. The contest carries high stakes. Herminie’s party has already reclaimed a majority in parliament, setting the stage for a potential political sweep…
By Rédaction Africanews with AP Madagascar’s military coup leader said Wednesday that he is “taking the position of president” in an interview with The Associated Press at his barracks. Col. Michael Randrianirina, who led a rebellion by soldiers that ousted President Andry Rajoelina, said he expects to be sworn in as the Indian Ocean country’s new leader in the next few days. Randrianirina announced Tuesday that the armed forces were taking power in Madagascar, capping weeks of protests against Rajoelina and his government by mainly youth groups. He said he is taking the role as head of state after the…