Across Africa

Feb 27 2025 24 ep. 12 mins 134
Across Africa Podcast artwork

Join Georja Calvin-Smith for a round up of the week's cultural and current affairs stories from across the African continent: exclusive reports and analysis. Every Thursday at 3:45pm Paris time.

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DR Congo: Blasts kill 11 at rally in eastern city of Bukavu

Feb 27 2025 11 mins  
In this week's Across Africa: At least 11 people are killed and dozens injured in explosions at a rally called by M23 rebels in the captured eastern Congolese city of Bukavu. Also, Ghana's defence capabilities are being boosted by a €50 million EU military package. Plus, people working for Cameroon's largest sugar producer are accusing it of labour abuse and unfairly low wages.

Africa and artificial intelligence: Tailoring AI to the continent's needs

Feb 13 2025 14 mins  
In this week's Across Africa: Tech innovators tailoring artificial intelligence to the continent's context head to Paris for a global summit on the tech's next steps. A parallel event spotlights the regional push to develop AI in Africa's own image. Dr Shikoh Gitau of digital transformation lab Qhala joins Georja Calvin-Smith for a breakdown of the exciting, divisive and daunting p

Across Africa | Vodun music revival in Benin

Jan 09 2025 13 mins  
In this week's Across Africa: Vodun believers in Benin marry traditional faith with contemporary creativity to spread their heritage. Also, the African manatee has come under pressure over the decades from poaching and shrinking habitats, but one Cameroonian biologist has been working to improve the chances of the shy freshwater mammal. Plus, Senegal is moving ahead with plans to p

Zimbabwe and Zambia grapple with their energy futures

Oct 31 2024 11 mins  
Clarisse Fortuné brings you a round-up of society, culture and hot topics from across the continent. This week on Across Africa, Zimbabwe and Zambia are running on empty as drought dries up their shared hydroelectric dam. Now they must grapple with how to ensure their energy futures. On the other side of the continent, Sierra Leone is turning to natural defences to preserve its th

Mo Ibrahim on African governance and grief over Sudan's war

Oct 24 2024 15 mins  
In this week's Across Africa, Georja Calvin-Smith speaks to Sudanese businessman Mo Ibrahim about the 2024 Ibrahim Index of African Governance and his immense sadness at the international community's failure to do more to protect Sudanese civilians caught up in one of the world's worst wars.

DR Congo's dawn of digital sovereignty

Oct 22 2024 12 mins  
FRANCE 24's Georja Calvin-Smith brings you a round-up of society, culture and hot topics from the continent. This week sees a big step for DR Congo's digital sovereignty as it inaugurates its first-ever data centre. Plus, an oil refinery in Nigeria could be a game changer for the continent's biggest oil producer as it finally starts supplying fuel to petrol-starved local markets.

Making me dizzy: South Africa straightens up rebel motor of spinning

Oct 22 2024 12 mins  
FRANCE 24's Georja Calvin-Smith brings you a round-up of society, culture and hot topics from the continent. This week, the race to rebuild the Libyan city of Derna continues, and South Africa is in a spin over the potential professionalisation of previously outlawed motorsports.

Sport and development: Africa’s game plan for its transformation

Sep 05 2024 11 mins  
Africa’s sporting elite have been showcasing their prowess at The Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games. But sport is about more than performance and can have a huge social impact. For the first Across Africa after the summer break, Georja Calvin-Smith speaks to Remy Rioux, head of France’s Development Agency (AFD), about how big league investment in sport can help kick Africa's t

WTO head Okonjo-Iweala on Africa's trade and development roadmap

Jun 27 2024 13 mins  
In an interview with FRANCE 24 in Geneva, the head of the World Trade Organization, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, speaks to Georja Calvin-Smith about her take on the vital components of Africa's trade and development roadmap.

Zanzibar commemorates abolition of slavery for first time

Jun 13 2024 12 mins  
Since a fragile 2022 peace deal ended Ethiopia's two-year war between Tigrayan fighters and federal forces, there are signs of recovery in the capital of Tigray. Also, Zanzibar commemorates the abolition of slavery. The island was a key stopping-off point for Arab slavers across East Africa for hundreds of years.