The Ndowe people of Equatorial Guinea live along the banks of the Rio Muni. Of all their traditional feasts, the Mekuyo celebration stands out for its rich popular flavour. Any social event is a reason to celebrate. The Mekuyo – the clown, as the Ndowe call him – is completely covered with small bamboo canes…
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Africa has the lowest access to electricity in the world. For a few years, a Turkish company that owns a large fleet of powerships that dock at the harbors and connect to the national grid. Critics claim that the solution is not sustainable and expansive. But the company delivers as long as countries pay their…
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‘In My Father’s House’, a centre for vulnerable children. A school for over 800 pupils. But above all, a place where children can dream of a better future. The first thing that strikes you is the beauty of the place, with palm and mango trees covering much of the site. The second thing is the…
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The thirty-year instability of the mining provinces of North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri is an indicator of the voracity of neighbouring countries, the obtuseness of the Kinshasa government and the lack of interest on the part of the international community. A state of war that also has ethnic implications. Compared to 2018, the elections…
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In Madagascar, large centuries-old trees become cisterns to cope with the growing shortage of water. Baobabs are known for their size, hardiness, and impressive longevity. Less known is their ability to conserve enormous quantities of water for a long time: a precious feature for those who live in the Mahafaly plateau, the driest region of…
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While the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine are attracting most media and Western attention, a potentially greater tragedy is threatening Sudan where a civil war has been raging since April 2023 with no peace in sight. For more than ten months Sudan has been torn apart by a civil war that has already made 12,000…
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South Africa, Nigeria, Algeria, and Egypt produce their own. However, around twenty African countries are purchasing unmanned aircraft for military purposes. China and Turkey lead the way among foreign exporters. Meanwhile, the arsenals of jihadist and criminal groups are also growing. The control of land borders and coasts, combating illicit trafficking such as drugs, weapons…
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The Institute for Social Transformation (IST) in Nairobi is a leader in social entrepreneurship training in Africa. It was founded 30 years ago by the Comboni Missionaries within the Catholic University of Tangaza. Today, it hosts more than 330 students of various nationalities eager to contribute to the improvement of society. On 25 August 1986,…
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For desert shepherds, elegance and grace are antidotes to the desolation and hostility of the environment. Their cult of beauty has an identity value that hides profound social implications, as demonstrated by the significance of the turbans and Saharan makeup. Although they live in the desert or arid lands, the Tuareg and the Peul, nomads…
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Walking around the neighbourhoods of Lemba or Matete in Kinshasa or Bacongo and Makélékélé in Brazzaville, you are immediately taken by music that instinctively invites you to join in the dancing. In the evening in the many bars on the outskirts of the two capitals, people move to the rhythm of the rumba. A music…
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If the current dynamics in the security field continue, and there are no signs of a reversal of the trend, there will be no shortage of crisis in Africa in 2024. Some countries will be particularly concerned, but insecurity will have consequences also in those nations that will be spared by terrorism and coups. The…
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The Congo River flows between Kinshasa and Brazzaville. The distance between the two capitals is so small that they seem like a single city. With a common history, they have not grown at the same rate. At the end of the 19th century, the European powers divided the African continent between them. The Congo region…
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Nigerian ecofeminist Adenike Titilope Oladosu is the founder of I Lead Climate Action, an initiative aimed at empowering women and youth to combat climate change.…
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Once upon a time, the crocodile was king of the animals. He was holding court one day. He sat majestically on his throne as he received…
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Coming from five continents, 270 young people belonging to the Comboni Youth Movement gathered in Rome (24th July – 4th August 2025) to celebrate the Jubilee.…
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