Focus on Africa

The Senegalese government has claimed victory in the recent parliamentary elections. It said the ruling party, Pastef, had won with a "large majority". What does the win mean for the country? Also, the cruel sextortion scams in Nigeria. Parents appeal to the criminals following the death of their son And a prize that shines a spotlight on detained Eritrean journalists. Presenter: Audrey Brown Prod...

South African authorities try to force as many as 4,000 illegal miners - known as zama zamas - to return to the surface, by denying them food and water. The miners, who have been stuck underground, fear they will be arrested. Who are they? And could the government's hardline operation be challenged in the courts? What next for Mali - now that the multinational UN peacekeeping force, MINUSMA, has o...

The European Union has announced it will not renew its fishing agreement with Senegal, citing concerns over the country’s efforts to curb illegal fishing. European officials pointed to inadequate monitoring and surveillance systems in Dakar. Without a renewed agreement European vessels will be required to exit Senegalese waters when the deal expires on Sunday. What are the reasons behind this deci...

As COP 29- the climate summit in Baku, Azerbaijan focuses on finance. What is the status of the loss and damage fund? Meanwhile a UN panel in Sudan to investigate possible war crimes in Darfur And is Lakurawa really a new jihadist group in Nigeria? How does it operate? Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Charles Gitonga, Susan Gachuhi and Bella Hassan Technical Producer: Philip Bull Senior Producer...

Somaliland, a breakaway region of Somalia, will hold its general election tomorrow. The incumbent president, Muse Bihi Abdi, is seeking re-election. Somaliland says it would like to be recognised by the international community. Why isn't it recognised and what will the elections mean for the region? Also we'll get reaction as Nigeria allows women free access to c-sections. And we'll meet one of th...

The ECOWAS Court recently declared Sierra Leone’s loitering laws discriminatory and ordered their amendment or repeal A BBC investigation sees evidence that devastating flood water in South Sudan is spreading pollution from the oil industry. And why is there a dispute over uranium production in Niger ? Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Patricia Whitehorne,  Bella Hassan, Joseph Keen and Paul Baki...

The Mauritian government has ended its recent suspension of social media, which threatened voters’ access to information ahead of the general elections on the 10th of November. Once a proud democracy, how are Mauritians feeling about the upcoming election? Also are more African domestic workers escaping Lebanon, as the war continues? And how did some African migrants vote in the recent US election...

Police in Maputo fire tear gas in a bid to stop opposition protests against the results of last month's disputed election. Mozambique has seen weeks of unrest since the victory by the Frelimo party.   The ICC says there has been no payment into a fund for victims of Uganda warlord Dominic Ongwen And why are so many African countries facing foreign currency and fuel shortages? Presenter: Audrey Bro...

Over 30 children in Nigeria, who were arrested in August after taking part in anti-government demonstrations were detained and charged with treason. Those charges have now been dropped, following outrage in the country. The country's President Bola Tinubu also called for the release of the minors. But why were children detained in the first place? Also a warning from Equatorial Guinea's vice presi...

After failure to pay civil servants and armed forces for a year-is South Sudan on the verge of becoming a failed state? What do Nigerians make of their former compatriot Kemi Badenoch, who has become the first black woman to lead a major political party in the UK And why are Nigeria and South Africa able to export power but can't meet domestic demand? Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Amie Liebow...

As piracy returns off the coast of Somalia, we hear from Pakistani and Iranian fishermen who fear being kidnapped. After years of being pushed back, the problem is once again on the rise. Also, find out how Africa's genetic variation could benefit the medical world. And how financial technology is changing business transactions on the African continent. Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Bella Has...

Botswana's President Mokgweetsi Masisi concedes defeat, marking the end of rule for the Democratic Party (BDP). What went wrong for the party that has been in power since independence in 1966? Plus, we hear from the Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi, who says government tactics to silence critics are from a bygone era. And the separatist Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) group, that is seeking to b...

Civil society groups have warned the risk of sexual violence in Sudan is so severe that some women are taking their own lives. Campaigners have told the BBC of several cases of women taking their lives, either after enduring sexual violence or to avoid it. On Tuesday, a major UN report highlighted 'staggering' levels of sexual violence in Sudan, attributing the worst atrocities to the paramilitary...

Chad's President Mahamat Déby has ordered an army offensive against Islamist militants after 40 soldiers were killed in an attack on a military base. But can the Chadian army defeat Boko Haram? A Congolese asylum seeker to the US shares his story and his message to the presidential candidates. And we hear how a TikTok game could be endangering social cohesion in Somalia. Presenter: Audrey Brown Pr...

In one of the deadliest attacks since Sudan's conflict began, pro-democracy groups report that the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have killed at least 124 civilians and injured over a hundred others in El-Gezira state. The RSF allegedly raided Al-Sireha village on Friday, leading to widespread deaths and injuries, with images of bodies prepared for burial and mass graves circulating on so...

The leading opposition party in Mozambique files a lawsuit demanding a recount of this month's election results because of alleged irregularities, and deposits three hundred kilos of documents at the country's highest court. Also, the French president, Emmanuel Macron, visits Morocco; we take a look at relations between the two countries, and why young French Africans are leaving France to move ba...

A court in Uganda has sentenced Thomas Kwoyelo, a former senior commander of the rebel group the Lord's Resistance Army, to 40 years in prison for war crimes including murder, rape, enslavement and torture. Victoria Nyanjura was 14 years old when she was abducted by the group from her school in Northern Uganda. She was forced to work for the group and was repeatedly raped. Victoria shares her thou...

The crisis in Ethiopia's Tigray region's education system shows little sign of ending two years after the civil war How crippling national debt in Africa is curbing development under discussion at the IMF and World Bank meetings in Washington DC Plus the challenge of catching breast cancer early in sub Saharan Africa Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Charles Gitonga, Amie Liebowitz, Patricia Whit...

Russia's embassy in Sudan has said it is investigating reports that a cargo plane with Russian crew was shot down in Darfur, a key battle ground in the civil war between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. Is Russia part of a proxy war in Sudan? Kenya's all women SWAT squad heads to Haiti And will the junta in Gabon step aside once a new constitution is adopted? Presenter: Audrey B...

The Kenyan government says it deported four Turkish refugees back home. The UN's refugee agency is not pleased Egypt officially declared 'malaria-free' by the World Health Organization (WHO) after a 100-year long effort. And why Botswana has never borrowed money from the IMF Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers Amie Liebowitz, Sunita Nahar, Blessing Aderogba and Paul Bakibinga Technical Producer: Jon...

South Africa's health department say they've begun 'intense' investigations into alleged food poisioning cases especially amongst children. In a recent case six children all under the age of 10 died in Soweto, after allegedly eating food that was poisioned. We hear from a journalist covering the story. Also why South Africa's relationship with Taiwan is tense - and what sort of relationship does t...

There was drama in Kenyan politics this week which ended with the impeachment of deputy president  Rigathi Gachagua. Young people voted in big numbers during the general elections in 2022.  Two youths share their views on the matter. Why has the government of Ivory Coast dissolved all student unions? And how Al-Shabab militia in Mogadishu are making life difficult for business owners with CCTV cam...

An explosion from an overturned fuel tanker in northern Nigeria has killed more than 150 people, including several children. Many others were injured and taken to hospital. Officials say, the death toll could rise. Fuel tanker accidents are not uncommon in Nigeria, so why does this keep happening? Also the International Criminal Court says it's renewing investigations into alleged war crimes in DR...

On World Food Day we consider how changing weather patterns due to climate change are worsening Nigeria's food insecurity. BBC journalist Mohanad Hashim's emotional return to the city of his birth, Omdurman in Sudan, 18 months after the war started And efforts to save the Yaaku language which is at risk of extinction in Kenya. Presenter: Charles Gitonga Producers: Nyasha Michelle, Patricia Whiteho...

Equatorial Guinea and Gabon have asked the International Court of Justice to help settle a dispute. They are both laying claim to oil rich Islands not far from their coastlines. But who owns the islands and how far back does this dispute go? Also why cargo ships vare losing hundreds of containers around the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa And why is the Nigerian men's football team boycotting th...