The Africa Week

The Africa Week - 12/06/2026

This week: More foreign nationals flee South Africa as an unofficial deadline looms.  The vuvuzela is muted at the World Cup. Stark warning over the volcano that is Ebola. And the war in the Middle East puts the handbrake on handsets going to Africa. References/further reading:  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq512vgyzl9o [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq512vgyzl9o] https://www.semafor.com/article/06/08/2026/fifa-bans-use-of-vuvuzelas-at-world-cup [https://www.semafor.com/article/06/08/2026/fifa-bans-use-of-vuvuzelas-at-world-cup] https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/11/somali-referee-barred-from-world-cup-super-cup-final-uefa-omar-artan [https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/11/somali-referee-barred-from-world-cup-super-cup-final-uefa-omar-artan] https://www.aljazeera.com/video/newsfeed/2026/6/11/fifa-boss-tells-critics-to-relax-over-somali-referee-deportation [https://www.aljazeera.com/video/newsfeed/2026/6/11/fifa-boss-tells-critics-to-relax-over-somali-referee-deportation] https://www.rfi.fr/en/africa/20260611-we-re-sitting-on-a-volcano-warns-eu-commissioner-after-visit-to-ebola-hit-drc [https://www.rfi.fr/en/africa/20260611-we-re-sitting-on-a-volcano-warns-eu-commissioner-after-visit-to-ebola-hit-drc] https://www.semafor.com/article/06/08/2026/iran-war-disrupts-phone-shipments-to-africa [https://www.semafor.com/article/06/08/2026/iran-war-disrupts-phone-shipments-to-africa] topcastmedia.co.uk

The Africa Week - 05/06/2026

This week: Kenyans protest over an Ebola treatment centre - where does this leave the Ruto/Trump relationship? Kinshasa looks to cash in quickly on its prized minerals. South Africa pipped at the post of industrialisation by Morocco. Senegal's economic crisis turns into a political one. And Bafana Bafana arrive late for the World Cup. References/further reading: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgz7zny3pzo [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgz7zny3pzo] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn8pw93929wo [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn8pw93929wo] https://africa.businessinsider.com/local/markets/africas-cobalt-powerhouse-drc-moves-to-triple-lithium-mining-royalties-in-strategic/8jlb4jw [https://africa.businessinsider.com/local/markets/africas-cobalt-powerhouse-drc-moves-to-triple-lithium-mining-royalties-in-strategic/8jlb4jw] https://www.afdb.org/en/documents/africa-industrialisation-index-2025 [https://www.afdb.org/en/documents/africa-industrialisation-index-2025] https://www.semafor.com/newsletter/06/03/2026/iran-war-threatens-food-security [https://www.semafor.com/newsletter/06/03/2026/iran-war-threatens-food-security] https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-05-31-safa-scores-another-own-goal-in-bafana-bafana-visa-bungle/ [https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-05-31-safa-scores-another-own-goal-in-bafana-bafana-visa-bungle/] topcastmedia.co.uk

The Africa Week - 22/05/2026

This week: Alarm over the spread of Ebola in the eastern DRC as cases emerge in neighbouring Uganda. Shockwaves on Kenya's streets and petrol pumps from the war in the Middle East. South Africa invites private companies to revive its rail network. And are cluster bombs being used in northern Mali?  References/further reading: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp8p2g8yp8do [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp8p2g8yp8do] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/5/18/four-reported-killed-30-injured-in-kenyan-fuel-price-protests [https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/5/18/four-reported-killed-30-injured-in-kenyan-fuel-price-protests] https://www.semafor.com/article/05/15/2026/south-africas-rail-network-opens-to-11-private-firms [https://www.semafor.com/article/05/15/2026/south-africas-rail-network-opens-to-11-private-firms] https://www.rfi.fr/en/africa/20260520-mali-conflict-enters-dangerous-new-phase-with-banned-cluster-bombs-russia [https://www.rfi.fr/en/africa/20260520-mali-conflict-enters-dangerous-new-phase-with-banned-cluster-bombs-russia] topcastmedia.co.uk

The Africa Week - 15/05/2026

This week: Ebola is back in the DRC. Macron tries to win new friends in Africa, but it's a tough ask. Ramaphosa digs his heels in in South Africa. And the UN warnings about deadly drones in Sudan.  References/further reading: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cze2wpk7y76o [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cze2wpk7y76o] https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2026/5/13/can-macrons-kenya-visit-revive-french-influence-in-africa [https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2026/5/13/can-macrons-kenya-visit-revive-french-influence-in-africa] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9369q3g7w7o [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9369q3g7w7o] https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2026/05/turk-issues-high-alert-widening-sudan-conflict-amid-increased-use-drones [https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2026/05/turk-issues-high-alert-widening-sudan-conflict-amid-increased-use-drones] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cqxp23272j3o [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cqxp23272j3o] https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/society-equity/ugandan-lawmakers-pass-scaled-back-sovereignty-law-after-central-bank-warning-2026-05-06/ [https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/society-equity/ugandan-lawmakers-pass-scaled-back-sovereignty-law-after-central-bank-warning-2026-05-06/] topcastmedia.co.uk

The Africa Week - 08/05/2026

This week: South Africa's president faces impeachment hearing over couch stash. No room for two big guns in Nigeria's opposition tent. China drops tariffs for Africa - except for Eswatini. And Tanzanian's leader didn't get the memo over a new oil refinery.  References/further reading:   https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-05-08-live-concourt-set-to-rule-on-phala-phala-scandal/?dm_source=blocks-grid-wide&dm_medium=card-link&dm_campaign=inform [https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-05-08-live-concourt-set-to-rule-on-phala-phala-scandal/?dm_source=blocks-grid-wide&dm_medium=card-link&dm_campaign=inform] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0q20xzwppdo [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0q20xzwppdo] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwy2v509217o [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwy2v509217o] https://www.semafor.com/article/05/05/2026/zambia-pushes-back-against-us-healthcare-deal-tied-to-minerals-access [https://www.semafor.com/article/05/05/2026/zambia-pushes-back-against-us-healthcare-deal-tied-to-minerals-access] https://www.africa-confidential.com/article/id/15994/abu-dhabi-ups-the-stakes-with-weapons-case-against-sudan-army-insiders%c2%a0 [https://www.africa-confidential.com/article/id/15994/abu-dhabi-ups-the-stakes-with-weapons-case-against-sudan-army-insiders%c2%a0] https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/national/article/2001547006/why-didnt-you-tell-me-about-my-own-refinery-samia-confronts-ruto [https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/national/article/2001547006/why-didnt-you-tell-me-about-my-own-refinery-samia-confronts-ruto] topcastmedia.co.uk