Spotlight on Africa

This week on Spotlight on Africa, we explore the growing movement among African musicians to produce their music on home soil rather than relying on studios and opportunities abroad, particularly in Europe. For decades, many African artists have found that success often hinges on recording, producing, and touring overseas. However, a new generation of musicians is working to shift this dynamic, striving to develop a sustainable music industry within Africa while also supporting fellow artists in doing the same. The conversation around this shift was a key focus at the AfriCapitales festival in Paris on 28 March. At the event, academics from the revue Volume! presented their research on global phonographic production, examining how major recording hubs have historically shaped the music industry. A roundtable discussion brought together scholars and professionals from Africa’s music sector to explore how digital technology and evolving industry structures are reshaping the landscape. In a world that is increasingly interconnected yet diversely globalised, these discussions underscored the potential for African artists to reclaim their creative processes and redefine the future of music production on the continent. Our first guest to expand on the research is the Cameroonian singer songwriter Blick Bassy. Cameroon's Blick Bassy seeks to unite new generation of African music makers Drawing on his experience as an African artist who has found international success, Bassy put in place a festival in Cameroon for other young music makers. The first edition took place in November 2024. Billed as the first festival in Africa to offer training in production, Africa Prod Fest aims to encourage those starting out in the music industry to move forward with their own projects. "The idea of the festival in Cameroon came from the process I went through myself to understand the structures of the music business," Bassy told RFI. "And now I would like to share this experience with my people in Africa." You will also hear from the sound engineer Bey-K, who is part of the organisation of the Jambulance, a moving recording studio traveling between Senegal and Guinea, and from the Nigeria singer Cill. Episode mixed by Erwan Rome. Spotlight on Africa is produced by Radio France Internationale's English language service.

This week, Spotlight on Africa explores critical questions about the future of aid, featuring a humanitarian worker, a columnist, and an analyst, each from different parts of Africa. As the United States and Europe prioritise funding for arms and domestic affairs, we ask whether the current aid model can endure, if it must evolve, and how that change might take shape. Since the start of the year, the president of the United States, Donald Trump, has moved to drastically cut the country’s long-term aid commitments, aiming to save approximately $60 billion on overseas development and humanitarian assistance programmes. The United Kingdom has also announced a deep cut in its budget for emergency and development aid, which it says it needs to do to develop its defence strategy. Other European countries have indicated that they might do the same. France launches commission to evaluate overseas aid, amid far-right criticism These decisions are already impacting emergency aid systems in many countries, including Sudan and Congo, as well as public health initiatives in nations such as Kenya and South Africa. Sudan reels as US suspends aid amid ongoing war Spotlight on Africa reached out to three experts involved in rethinking the future of aid. Jeffrey Okoro is the executive director of the NGO CFK Africa in Kenya. He said that since the decision of the US government to freeze US Agency for International Development (USAID) spending in January, Kenyans working in healthcare have been hit hard. The decision has already disrupted efforts to stop the spread of diseases like HIV and tuberculosis. "A sizeable portion of the Kenyan government funding for health counselling comes from international organisations from foreign governments," Okoro told RFI from his office in Kenya. US grant cuts could affect two million worldwide, disrupt HIV aid in Kenya Meanwhile, Ivor Ichikowitz, chairman of the philanthropic Ichikowitz Family Foundation, based in Johannesburg, which focuses on growth and development across the African continent, says that the decrease in aid and the rise of European investment, as discussed at a conference in South Africa recently, could, in fact, have positive results. EU flags stronger partnership with South Africa with €4.7bn investment We also talk to Patrick Gathara, a Kenyan columnist and senior editor at The New Humanitarian, a website covering conflicts and humanitarian issues. He argues that the aid industry has long reinforced imperial domination, and its collapse could create an opportunity to establish a new order. He explains how. Episode mixed by Erwan Rome. Spotlight on Africa is produced by Radio France Internationale's English language service.

This week, Spotlight on Africa highlights women's empowerment across the continent, as March marks the beginning of Women's History Month, and International Women's Day on 8 March. Officially recognised by the United Nations in 1977, International Women's Day (IWD) originated from the labour movements of the early twentieth century. On 8 March, women around the world - and throughout the month in some countries - are celebrated and recognised for their social, cultural, economic, and political achievements. This occasion also serves as a call to action to accelerate progress towards gender parity. In 2025, the United Nations will mark International Women’s Day under the theme: “For All Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.” While the situation for women in parts of Africa is undeniably influenced by conflicts, disasters, and insecurity, this week the focus will remain on progress and empowerment. Empowering Spotlight on Africa's first guest is Magalie Lebreton Traoré, an expert in digital transitions across the African continent at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation. As UNESCO leads trainings for women in AI across Africa’s five regions, Magalie joins us to discuss how women are taking the lead in shaping high-tech industries, particularly artificial intelligence.This technological leap presents significant opportunities for women's leadership and innovation. More to the point, a study published in Nature revealed that 79 percent of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) could be improved or achieved through AI. To tackle gender and geographical inequalities in AI, UNESCO has made these issues a priority in its Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence - the first global standard-setting framework in this field. This landmark document was unanimously adopted by UNESCO Member States in November 2021. Celebrating And to broaden the conversation, we also talk to a curator and two artists from Johannesburg in South Africa, who are organising a special exhibition to highlight the work of artist-mothers and women artists caring for families. Lara Koseff is a curator at INCCA,, the Independent Network for Contemporary Culture & Art in Johannesburg. She has established the second edition of 'Art After Baby', with the support of the National Arts Council South Africa. These female artists and mothers have been selected to receive support and mentorship in order to complete and exhibit a body of work in solo exhibitions at Victoria Yards in Johannesburg until the end of March. Lara Koseff, Siviwe James and Phumelele Kunene are on the line with us from South Africa. Episode mixed by Erwan Rome. Spotlight on Africa is produced by Radio France Internationale's English language service.

As fighting continues in South Kivu between M23 rebels and Congolese forces in the eastern regions bordering Rwanda, uncertainty surrounding the future of the Democratic Republic of Congo grows. This week, we discuss how the African Union can assist with a International Crisis Group expert and address humanitarian risks with a UNICEF worker. The conflict in the eastern DRC has experienced a dramatic escalation recently. Djibouti's Mahmoud Ali Youssouf elected as AU commission chairman The city of Goma, capital of the North Kivu province, fell to M23 fighters at the end of January. The rebels are reportedly being supported by Rwandan soldiers, a claim that the government in Kigali continues to deny, despite evidence and reports of casualties among Rwandan troops. Fighting resumes in DRC's South Kivu ahead of crisis talks The city has come to symbolise the conflict that has torn apart eastern DRC for more than three decades. The M23 has launched additional attacks in South Kivu, and despite talks in Tanzania earlier in February and a brief ceasefire, the fighting persists. As a result, millions of Congolese have been displaced, with nearly 3,000 lives lost. To explore the role of diplomacy in the country, as well as in other violent crises across the continent, my first guest is Liesl Louw-Vaudran from the International Crisis Group. She joins us from Addis Ababa, where the African Union's headquarters are located, following the release of the group’s annual report outlining the eight priorities the AU should focus on. We will also hear from civilians fleeing Goma and from Paulin Nkwosseu, the Chief of Field Offices at UNICEF for the DRC. Episode mixed by Erwan Rome. Spotlight on Africa is produced by Radio France Internationale's English language service.

This week, Spotlight on Africa takes us to Marrakech, Morocco. RFI English was on the ground to cover the Moroccan edition of the 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair, which first launched in London in 2013, followed by New York in 2015, and Marrakech in 2018. Through conversations with a range of guests, we explore how Morocco has become a key platform connecting the African continent with the wider world. Since its launch in 2013, and even more so since 2018, the 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair has grown into one of the most significant cultural events for African art, drawing gallery owners and artists from across the continent and beyond. The galleries represent artists from all over the continent, from Ghana to South Africa, Tunisia to Angola. The fair took place in the iconic events' venue La Mamounia, in the heart of Marrakesh. Since 2024, the art fair has also had exhibition spaces for younger artists in Dada, a gathering space for art, food and music near La Medina. This year's fair was held from 30 January to 2 February, during which the entire city hosted various art events, including exhibitions at the El Badi Palace and MACAAL, a museum dedicated to contemporary African art and artists from the African diaspora. To understand how the fair built a platform for African art, RFI spoke to the fair's founder and director, Touria El Glaoui on the opening day in Marrakesh. El Glaoui shared how she frequently travels to African countries to discover new artists, events, and galleries. She also noted that new participants from across the African continent—and now even from Japan and Korea—are coming to the fair seeking representation. We also visited other sites that make the event special, including art galleries, like Loft. “We opened the gallery sixteen years ago and we are a Moroccan gallery based in Morocco but with a real openness to the international scene," Yasmine Berrada, co-founder of the gallery, told RFI. "We’re open to Africa. We represent African artists from its diaspora. We’ve also worked with European artists," she added. "We’re not closed off at all because, for me, there shouldn’t be any separation in art. I think that, on the contrary, we need to open up perspectives and integrate the Moroccan art market into the international stage." Our guests this week: -Touria El Glaoui, founder and director of the 1:54 contemporary African art fair; -Mous Lamrabat, Moroccan-Belgian artist; -Yasmine Berrada, co-founder of the Loft art gallery. Episode mixed by Melissa Chemam. Spotlight on Africa is produced by Radio France Internationale's English language service.

In this edition of the Spotlight on Africa podcast, experts and analysts delve into Africa's evolving diplomacy as the continent approaches 2025. Topics include South Africa's G20 leadership, the division within the West African bloc ECOWAS, and emerging partnerships with the US and China. How will 2025 shape up for African nations and their global partnerships? Will Africa secure a more central role in the global diplomatic landscape? To understand what's at stake on the continent, the Spotlight on Africa podcast consulted three experts in African politics and diplomacy. Cameron Hudson from the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CISC) in Washington DC discusses priorities for South Africa as it takes on the rotating presidency of the G20 group, and in particular its relationship to the United States. Michael Dillon from King's College, London, UK, looks at China's new strategy that aims to deepen its influence in Africa. Thierry Vircoulon from IFRI in France analyses the legacy of France in Africa, notably in the Sahel where French troops have been pushed out by military juntas of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso. These countries have since established their own Alliance of Sahel States and made the decision to withdraw from the West African bloc Ecowas. Set to take effect on 29 January, security experts and members of the diaspora have voiced concern over what lies ahead. Episode mixed by Erwan Rome. Spotlight on Africa is produced by Radio France Internationale's English language service.

The Democratic Republic of Congo is launching an unprecedented case against the American tech giant Apple over conflict minerals. To explore the issues at hand, RFI talked to a former UN expert to discuss whether any progress has been made in curbing illegal mining. This week, we focus on the fight against the exploitation of 'blood minerals' or 'conflict minerals' in Central Africa, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Conflic minerals is the term used by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to describe minerals sourced from conflict-affected and high-risk areas, such as tantalum, tin, tungsten (referred to as the '3Ts'), gold, cobalt, coltan, and lithium. These minerals are essential for high-tech applications, including smartphones, electric batteries, and other advanced technology such as appliances, cars, and even wind turbines. They are predominantly found in the African Great Lakes region, especially in eastern DRC. In an effort to combat the illegal and exploitative trade of these minerals, the NGO Global Witness established a transition team several years ago. The May 2022 a report from Global Witness revealed that these minerals are used in products by international brands such as Apple, Intel, Samsung, Nokia, Motorola, and Tesla. Now, with a trial underway in France and Belgium accusing Apple, many observers are hopeful that it could bring about meaningful change. The Democratic Republic of Congo has filed a criminal case against European subsidiaries of the tech giant Apple, alleging the company has illicitly used conflict minerals in its supply chain. The American company claims it no longer sources conflict minerals from Central Africa, but is it doing enough? DRC case against Apple brings new hope in conflict minerals crisis The complaints filed against Apple have been described by lawyers involved as a matter of significant public interest. European countries, consumers, and non-governmental organisations are increasingly scrutinising the international supply chains of minerals, with calls for highly profitable companies to be held accountable. This complaint could mark the beginning of a broader wave of legal actions targeting technology companies linked to the sourcing of conflict minerals. To examine the implications of this trial, this week's guest is Gregory Mthembu-Salter, a researcher specialising in Africa's political economy and a former consultant to the UN Group of Experts on the DRC on due diligence regarding conflict minerals. He is based in South Africa. Episode mixed by Erwan Rome. Spotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale.

During Nigerian President Bola Tinubu’s visit to France in November, he brought a delegation of young leaders to strengthen ties and attract investment in Africa’s largest economy. RFI caught up with some of them. Kolawole Osinowo, CEO of Baobab Plus in Nigeria – a French-Nigerian energy distribution company – highlighted the challenges of energy access in the country. "A lot of people in Nigeria don't have access to electricity, so we're supporting the government by bridging the gap," Osinowo told RFI. "There’s a connection in terms of technological and financial support that is key." Osinowo said he hopes to shift Africa-Europe relations from being aid-driven to investment-focused, aiming to boost Nigeria’s economy and create jobs. “This is essential so that people don’t have to migrate and cause different migration issues around the world,” he said. Creative partnerships Uchenna Pedro, founder of the lifestyle platform Bella Naija and named one of Forbes Africa's 50 Most Influential Women, emphasised France’s potential as a partner in Nigeria’s creative industries. “French industries in my domains bring high value, and France’s belief in the arts makes it a great partnership,” said Pedro. Her platform already collaborates with French companies like L'Oréal in the beauty and fashion sectors. Pedro is also a member of the French Africa Foundation’s young leaders group, which supports initiatives connecting France with African nations. Nigerian businesses court French investors during Tinubu's landmark visit France as a cultural hub Singer-songwriter and activist Chioma Ogbonna, known as Cill, also praised France’s prioritisation of the arts and its thriving creative industry. "Because of how the arts and the creative industry thrive here in France and how it is prioritised, it is an important destination for Africans and Nigerians especially," she said. Tinubu’s visit underscored the potential for deeper collaboration between Nigerian businesses and French investors, particularly in energy, culture, and creative sectors. Episode recorded and mixed by Erwan Rome. Spotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale.

Harmful stereotypes about Africa in the global media are costing the continent billions each year and shaping damaging perceptions, campaigners are warning. A recent report explored the economic impact of biased media narratives, linking them to lost investment opportunities and higher borrowing costs for African nations. “Negative narratives about Africa have real consequences for people’s lives and futures,” said Abimbola Ogundairo, campaign lead for the NGO Africa No Filter, which produced the report and works to promote balanced storytelling about the continent. The organisation's latest research found these biases cost African economies $4.2 billion annually in lost investment opportunities. It found that persistent portrayals of poverty, conflict and corruption have far-reaching consequences, from deterring investment to increasing borrowing costs for African nations. Stories of success, innovation, and resilience were overlooked. Investors deterred Using case studies and data analysis, the report examined how media narratives influence investment, particularly during election periods. It compared African countries to their global peers and quantified the costs of misrepresentation. The report also quantified how biased media coverage correlates with sovereign bond yields – a critical financial indicator. It found that even nations with strong democratic institutions are often framed through lenses of instability and corruption – reinforcing negative stereotypes and overshadowing progress. The Spotlight on Africa podcast explores this issue, featuring interviews with both Ogundairo, who is from Nigeria, and the acclaimed filmmaker Abderrahmane Sissako, from Mauritania. Both emphasise the need for African voices to take control of the continent’s narrative. Episode mixed by Vincent Pora. Spotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale.

This week's Spotlight on Africa dives into Cop29’s critical discussions on climate change – focusing on food systems, green energy funding and who should pay for climate disasters. With talks underway in Baku, Azerbaijan, negotiators and experts are grappling with solutions to the growing crisis. Zitouni Ould Dada, representing the FAIRR Initiative – a network raising awareness of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) risks in the food sector – underscores the need to transform global food systems. “Since Cop15 in Paris and Cop26 in Glasgow, good progress has been made towards building sustainable and resilient agri-food systems,” he said. “Cop29 is a key moment to accelerate the transformation of food production.” He calls on policymakers to strengthen climate commitments, integrate agriculture into national plans, and create policies to attract sustainable investment. Financing green energy and addressing climate disasters are key issues at this year’s summit. Seyni Nafo, spokesperson for the African negotiators group and chair of the Green Climate Fund, coordinates the African Union Adaptation Initiative. He shared his perspective with RFI’s Christophe Boisbouvier. Speaking from Baku, Nafo explored the question of responsibility for funding climate recovery in the most affected regions. The negotiations come during what is expected to be the hottest year on record, underscoring the urgency of Cop29’s agenda. Episode mixed by Erwan Rome. Spotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale.

African contemporary arts are attracting increasing interest thanks to a packed season stretching from Europe to Africa. Artists and curators from across the continent and the diaspora reflect on the impact of cultural exchanges beyond their borders – from London to Paris, Luanda to Dakar. October and November are set to host a series of events celebrating African art across the continent, in Europe and even farther afield. Spotlight on Africa dives into perspectives from diverse African cultures, focusing on the voices and visions of the diaspora. RFI journalists Ollia Horton and Melissa Chemam take us to the heart of two major art fairs: Paris’s Also Known As Africa (AKAA) and London’s 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair. Listeners will hear from Victoria Mann, founder and director of AKAA, and founder of La Maison Gaston gallery, Christelle Clairville, whose work brings Caribbean influences to the dialogue around African identity. French-Belgo-Congolese artist Tiffanie Delune, exhibiting in London, shares her journey through the art world. Curators Grada Kilomba and Helio Menezes weigh in from the Sao Paulo Biennial in Brazil. Meanwhile, ahead of the Dakar Biennale, French-Algerian artist Dalila Dalleas Bouzar discusses her preparation and the importance of the event to her work. Episode mixed by Hadrien Touraud and Erwan Rome. Spotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale.

This week's podcast focuses on textile waste from fast fashion. As cheap clothes from China, Asia and Europe increasingly end up in West Africa, pollution is rising – particularly in Ghana. RFI spoke to Greenpeace Africa investigators to understand the scale of the issue and how to combat it. Ghana is being swamped by millions of unwanted clothes from the West, creating an environmental disaster as textile waste piles up across the country. The scale of damage to public health and the environment has been laid bare in a new Greenpeace report that exposes the devastating impact of discarded clothing on communities and ecosystems in Ghana. About 15 million items of second-hand clothing arrive in Ghana each week. Nearly half cannot be resold. The unsellable clothes end up in informal dumps or are burned in public washhouses, contaminating the air, soil and water. "The situation is catastrophic. These clothes are literally poisoning our communities," said Sam Quashie-Idun from Greenpeace Africa, speaking to RFI. The report shows how Ghana has become a dumping ground for the world's unwanted textiles, with devastating consequences for local ecosystems. "What we're seeing is environmental racism. The Global North is using Ghana as its trash can," said Hellen Dena of Greenpeace Africa. The flood of cheap, disposable fashion reflects broader problems with global waste management and environmental justice. To explore this issue further, RFI spoke to Sam Quashie-Idun and Hellen Dena from Greenpeace Africa. Episode mixed by Cecile Pompeani. Spotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale.

Following a month filled with key summits and continued trade negotiations across Africa, this week's edition of Spotlight on Africa examines the growing rivalry between China and Western nations as they vie for business opportunities on the continent. This week, our focus shifts to the dynamics of Chinese-African-Western relations. In September, as the United States pursued investments in nuclear energy projects in Ghana and Kenya, the China-Africa forum concluded with a series of new agreements between China and a number of African countries. These deals spanned key sectors, including industry, agriculture, natural resources, and renewable energy. China’s new strategy in Africa: is the continent getting a fair deal? Chinese President Xi Jinping also announced that Beijing will allocate $50 billion (€45 billion euros) to Africa over the next three years. However, China's overall investments in the continent have declined over the past year, creating an opening for both the US and Europe, who are both eager to re-establish their economic presence in Africa. Russia has also entered the picture. But what does Africa really need? To explore this, Jan van der Made and Melissa Chemam spoke with experts, including historians Daniel Large and Michael Dillon, as well as Igor Ichikowitz from the Ichikowitz Family Foundation. Episode mixed by Erwan Rome Spotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale

With a prolonged drought affecting the supply of hydroelectricity all over southern Africa, a growing number of people are turning to solar to fill the energy gap. Spotlight on Africa focuses this week on progress made in Zambia. While floods are devastating West Africa, about 68 million people in southern Africa are suffering the effects of an El Nino-induced drought which has wiped out crops across the region. Nearly 68 million suffering from drought in southern Africa Zimbabwe, Malawi, Lesotho, Namibia, and Zambia are facing severe drought conditions, leading to widespread devastation. The impact is stalling economic growth and raising serious concerns about food security in the region. Zimbabwe to cull elephants to tackle drought, food shortages In Zambia, the drought that has gripped southern Africa since early this year has led to rolling power cuts in a country that relies heavily on hydropower. Some inhabitants, however, have already turned to solar power as an alternative. To discuss how it can help, we speak this week with John Keane, CEO of the UK-based charity SolarAid, from the Zambian capital Lusaka. He explains how sales of solar products have increased by more than 540 percent since the beginning of 2024, and what the social enterprises are doing to spread awareness among Zambians and avoid the use of charcoal or candles. Episode mixed by Nicolas Doreau Spotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale

Some 24 million Algerians vote on Saturday to elect their next president, with incumbent Abdelmadjid Tebboune the clear favourite of only three candidates. If Algeria has enjoyed economic and social stability during his five years in power, human rights organisations warn of a decrease of freedom and rights. This week, we focus on the presidential election in Algeria, scheduled for 7 September, with a potential second round two weeks later, if none of the candidate reaches 51 percent in the first round. The campaign ended on Tuesday, 3 September. Most experts expect incumbent Abdelmadjid Tebboune to win again, while only two challengers have been allowed to run: Abdelaali Hassani of the moderate Islamist party, the Movement of Society for Peace (MSP), and Youcef Aouchiche of the centre-left Socialist Forces Front (FFS). Few surprises in store as Algeria's presidential election nearsThe opposition has, however, complained of intimidation with dozens of people arrested last month over alleged election fraud. Opposition leader Fethi Ghares was even detained during the last week of the campaign, accused of "insulting the president" and spreading disinformation online. Meanwhile, Algerian officials are tightening restrictions on civil liberties, Amnesty International reports. The human rights group says that the authorities' actions aim to limit citizens' rights to free speech, peaceful protest, and form associations. To understand how opponents, political parties and civil society navigate the civic space, RFI spoke to Nadège Lahmar, the consultant on Algeria for Amnesty. Episode mixed by Nicolas Doreau. Spotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale.

Decolonising Beauty is a campaign designed by the production company Zikora Media to educate the public and celebrate the rich tapestry of indigenous and local beauty customs across Africa. This week we speak with its founder, Chika Oduah. In a world increasingly dominated by Western beauty standards promoted through pop culture and the global beauty industry, the Decolonising Beauty campaign seeks to challenge narrow perceptions and showcase the multifaceted beauty traditions in Africa. The campaign uses a multi-platform approach to reach a broad audience of English and French speakers in Africa and around the world. A series of initiatives from the campaign will be announced until the end of the year involving photographers, artists, poets, media makers and content creators. Zikora Media & Arts founder Chika Oduah tells us more. Read also: French lawmakers vote in favour of bill to ban hair discrimination Episode mixed by Cécile Pompéani Spotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale

RFI's Spotlight on Africa met with artist Gavin Jantjes to chat about his To Be Free! A Retrospective 1970-2023. The exhibition traces his journey as "a creative agent of change" from South Africa to Europe, celebrating his multifaceted roles as painter, printmaker, writer, curator and activist. In this episode we hear from the artist and from Hoor Al-Qasimi, director of the Sharjah Art Foundation and the president of the Africa Institute, Sharjah, UAE, who helped organise the London retrospective. Jantjes's formative years in Cape Town coincided with the early years of South African apartheid, and his journey has since embodied a quest for artistic emancipation, with a freedom not bound by the Eurocentric gaze or expectations of black creativity. For Jantjes, this quest has meant a life of itinerant exile manifesting in multiple careers. Structured into chapters, To Be Free! explores his engagement with anti-apartheid activism from the 1970s to the mid-1980s, his transformative role at art institutions in Europe, his compelling figurative portrayals of the global black struggle for freedom, and his recent transition to non-figurative painting. This retrospective also provides insights into Jantjes’ curatorial initiatives, written contributions, and wider advocacy, which had a significant impact on both African and African diaspora art on the global contemporary art scene. It coincides with the 30th anniversary of the end of apartheid in South Africa. The exhibition is at the Whitechapel Gallery, London (12 June – 1 September 2024), after opening at the Sharjah Art Foundation from 18 November 2023 to 10 March 2024, and was organised in collaboration with The Africa Institute, Sharjah. Episode mixed by Erwan Rome. Spotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale.

The Paris Olympics are officially open, and athletes from Africa are competing in a broad range of disciplines. In this episode of the podcast, we look at what to expect from the African teams. In total, more than 200 delegations and 10,000 athletes are participating in 36 sports at the Paris Games. RFI's sport editor Paul Myers discusses how African athletes from all over the continent are likely to perform. Who are the African athletes to watch out for at Paris Olympics? Episode mixed by Erwan Rome. Spotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale.

2024 is a big election year for the world and especially for Africa, and in July all eyes are on Rwanda. Rwandans will cast their ballots on Monday in an election where President Paul Kagame is expected to secure another term, facing the same opponents he defeated in 2017. Kagame, who has effectively led Rwanda since the 1994 genocide, confronts challenges from two other candidates: Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda (DGPR) and independent candidate Philippe Mpayimana. The 66-year-old incumbent is lauded for steering Rwanda's economic resurgence post-genocide, with GDP growth averaging 7.2 percent from 2012 to 2022. However, his administration faces criticism for suppressing political dissent domestically and alleged involvement in neighbouring Congo's conflicts. Kagame's previous electoral victories have been overwhelming, securing over 93 percent of votes in 2003, 2010, and 2017, with his last win nearing an unprecedented 99 percent. In contrast, his current rivals Habineza and Mpayimana garnered less than one percent each in the previous election. Rwanda's National Electoral Commission received a total of nine presidential candidacy applications. Phil Clark, Professor of International Politics at the School of Oriental and African Studies, SOAS University of London talks to Spotlight on Africa about what's at stake in the election. Episode mixed by Nicolas Doreau. Spotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale.

Displacement takes many forms, from refugees forced into exile to returnees who find themselves strangers in what was once home. In this episode, we speak to aid workers about the very different experiences of refugees in Sudan and Mauritania, and hear from an artist who draws inspiration from his own migrations between France, Algeria and beyond. According to the UN's refugee agency, UNHCR, more than 120 million people are forcibly displaced today by war, violence and persecution. It is an unprecedented number, one the organisation calls a "terrible indictment on the state of the world". Sudan alone has 9.9 million internally displaced people, as well as South Sudanese refugees who escaped civil war and now find themselves caught up in conflict once again. Aaron Adkins of the International Organisation for Migration discusses the complex needs of people repeatedly forced to flee. Meanwhile Maribeth Black from the UN's World Food Programme describes how Mauritania has successfully managed to integrate refugees, providing an example for other countries in Africa and beyond. Finally, we head to the Mo.Co museum of modern art in Montpellier, in the south of France, to meet the French-Algerian artist Kader Attia at his new exhibition, "Descent into Paradise". He is inspired by his own story of migration, multiple identities, and his main theme: how to repair past traumas through art. Episode mixed by Nicolas Doreau. Spotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale.