Africa News and Discussions

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Bill Gates to give most of his $200bn fortune to Africa

48 minutes ago

Microsoft founder Bill Gates says that most of his $200bn (£150bn) fortune will be spent on improving health and education services in Africa over the next 20 years.

The 69-year-old said that "by unleashing human potential through health and education, every country in Africa should be on a path to prosperity".

Speaking in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa, he also urged Africa's young innovators to think about how to build Artificial Intelligence (AI) to improve healthcare on the continent.

Gates announced last month that he would give away 99% of his vast fortune by 2045, by when his foundation planned to end its operations.

"I recently made a commitment that my wealth will be given away over the next 20 years. The majority of that funding will be spent on helping you address challenges here in Africa," he said in an address at the African Union (AU) headquarters.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn4qg5gzgzxo

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More on that by the AP:

https://apnews.com/article/congo-rwanda ... 67c6c79ae0

While the deal is seen as a turning point, analysts don’t believe it will quickly end the fighting because the most prominent armed group says it does not apply to it. Many Congolese see it mainly as an opportunity for the U.S. to acquire critical minerals needed for much of the world’s technology after their government reached out to Trump for support in fighting the rebels.

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https://www.wsj.com/video/series/breaki ... FCEE8E801C

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The following reminds me of the truism that war is not healthy for children and other living things.

The Effects of Armed Conflict on Natural Resources and Conservation Measures in Tigray, Northern Ethiopia
By Hailemariam Meaza, Tesfaalem Ghebreyohannes, Zbelo Tesfamariam, Girmay Gebresamuel, Biadgilgn Demissie, Dawit Gebregziabher, and Jan Nyssen

Abstract:

(Science Direct) A heavy armed conflict erupted in Tigray region of Ethiopia in 2020, and the crisis continued up to 2022. This study investigates the impacts of this crisis on the status of natural resources, and Soil and Water Conservation (SWC) efforts. We collected primary data through field observations, measurements, interviews and group discussions during the wartime. We also reviewed published articles and official archives to complement the primary data, which were often challenging to obtain due to the war. We found that vegetated landscapes were damaged by artillery fire and bombings. The average depth of the surveyed bomb craters along the asphalts was 1.15 0.47 m (n = 16), whereas the average surface diameter of the craters and their rim was 2.66 0.67 m. In addition, the construction of numerous military trenches along croplands and hillsides exposed the soil particles into erosion and water pollution. The conflict also halted SWC efforts on various land uses, which were carried out annually during peacetime. For instance, 20,591 km/year of stone bunds were not constructed per year due to the crisis. Moreover, terraces and stone bunds were demolished to construct temporary ground fortifications. Indirectly, the critical energy crisis further increased pressure on forests. In this context, the poor farmers shift their livelihood strategies from the long-term sustainability to immediate economic recovery during the critical time. To conclude, the pathways of the warfare undermined the status of natural resources, and the ongoing decades of re-greening programs. Therefore, our ground-based findings can be used to prioritize and rehabilitate the war-damaged landscape services.

Read more here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/ ... a%3Dihub

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Nigeria Secessionist Activist Jailed for Terrorism in Finland
By Chukwunaeme Obiejesi in Abuja
September 1, 2025

Introduction:

(BBC) A court in Finland has sentenced a controversial leader of a Nigerian secessionist movement to six years in prison after convicting him of terrorism-related offences.

Simon Ekpa, a Finnish citizen of Nigerian origin, "attempted to promote the independence of the so-called Biafra region in south-eastern Nigeria by illegal means", according to court documents made available to BBC News Pidgin by his lawyer.

He also equipped armed groups with weapons and explosives through his network of contacts, the Päijät-Häme District Court ruled, in a unanimous verdict handed down by a panel of three judges.

Ekpa, a former councillor in Finland's Lahti city, denied the charge.

Parts of south-eastern Nigeria have been hit by instability for years because of the conflict between a secessionist movement, the Indigenous People of Biafra (Ipob), and the security forces.

Read more here: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg42y7kevdo


Nigeria

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Malawi's ex-president wins election in comeback at age 85

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg4n0rrn1no

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Malawi's ex-president wins election in comeback at age 85

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg4n0rrn1no

Mostly because I have great difficulty in keeping a map of Africa in my head:


Malawi, which is located in Southern Africa, east of Zambia, west and north of Mozambique

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ICC convicts first Darfur militia leader for war crimes

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/ic ... r-AA1NXxkQ

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Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina has left the country, French radio reports

https://www.france24.com/en/africa/2025 ... of-protest

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Madagascar’s Military Power Grab Shows Africa’s Coup Problem Isn’t Restricted to the Sahel Region
By John Joseph Chin
October 16, 2025

Introduction:

( The Conversation) Those who rise to power through a coup often fall by the same means.

That is one of the takeaways from events in Madagascar, where on Oct. 14, 2025, the military seized power after weeks of protests largely driven by Gen Z. Ironically, it was the same elite military unit that helped bring Andry Rajoelina, former mayor of the capital Antananarivo, to power in a March 2009 coup that now supported anti-government protesters and ultimately forced the president to flee.

I lead a research team that compiles the Colpus Dataset of coup types and characteristics and have written on the history of coups d’état from 1946 through 2025.

Our data suggests that even as coups have declined globally overall, coup risk remains comparatively high in Africa. Since 2020, the continent has now seen 10 successful coups across eight countries.

But the military takeover in Madagascar marks only the second coup in that period to take place outside of the Sahel region, stretching from the Atlantic to the Horn of Africa – a signal that Africa’s coup problem is becoming a continental one.

Read more here: https://theconversation.com/madagascar ... n-267581


Madagascar

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Madagascar Coup Leader Sworn In as President After Andry Rajoelina Impeached Amid "Gen Z" Protests
By Sarah Carter
October 17, 2025

Introduction:

(CBS) Johannesburg — Large crowds gathered Friday in Madagascar's capital city to watch the leader of the African island nation's recent military coup be sworn in as its new president.

Additional Extracts

Randriairina said Friday that Madagascar had been propelled to a historic turning point, "with a people in full fervor, driven by the desire for change and a deep love for their homeland," and he said his leadership would "joyfully open a new chapter in the life of our nation."
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At least 22 people were killed and more than 100 injured amid the mass unrest over the last few weeks, according to United Nation figures. As the violence flared last weekend, Randriairina appeared in a video, calling on soldiers to side with the student protest leaders.
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Both the United Nations and the African Union have condemned the military's takeover, with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres saying Thursday that "the unconstitutional change of government in Madagascar" should be reversed by a "return to constitutional order and the rule of law," according to his spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric.

The African Union suspended Madagascar's membership and called for immediate elections and a return to civilian rule.

Read more here: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/madagasc ... s-africa/

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Men shot by the hundreds, disappeared after Sudanese city falls to paramilitaries, witnesses say

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/me ... r-AA1PzoHU

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President Hassan Sworn in Following Deadly Tanzania Election
By Adam Hancock
November 3, 2025

Introduction:

(Al Jazeera) Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan has been sworn in for a second term, following a landslide victory in a disputed election that prompted deadly protests across the country.

Hassan took the oath of office during a ceremony on Monday at a military base in the capital, Dodoma. The event was closed to the public following the violence that accompanied a vote in which the two main opposition challengers were barred from running

Additional Extract:

Chadema, Tanzania’s main opposition party, which was barred from running, has rejected the results, branding the vote a “sham” and calling for new elections.

“These results have no basis in reality, as the truth is that no genuine election took place in Tanzania,” the party’s statement read.

Read more here: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/11 ... election


Tanzania

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Trump Threatens to Deploy the Military 'Guns-a-Blazing' to Nigeria
By Ben Johansen
November 1, 2025

Introduction:

(Politico) President Donald Trump on Saturday threatened U.S. military intervention in Nigeria and the withholding of all foreign aid if its government continues “to allow the killing of Christians.”

Trump said in a post to social media that if Nigeria does not halt the persecution of Christians he may send U.S. troops “guns-a-blazing” to “completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities.”

“I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action,” he wrote. “If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians!”

On Friday, Trump threatened possible sanctions against the West African nation, declaring it a “country of particular concern” in terms of religious freedom — a classification Nigeria’s president pushed back on.

Conclusion:

While Christians are among those targeted, analysts who spoke to the AP said the majority of victims of armed groups are Muslims in Nigeria’s Muslim-majority north, where most attacks occur.

Read more here: https://www.politico.com/news/2025/11 ... -00632716



Nigeria

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Cameroon security forces killed 48 in election protests, UN sources say

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/ca ... r-AA1PNtAM

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Guinea-Bissau challenger, incumbent both claim victory in presidential vote

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/gu ... r-AA1R4bVC

Gambia takes in Cameroon opposition leader after election-linked protests

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/ga ... r-AA1R2cXF

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