Touting a world first for "rewilding", an animal charity said Tuesday it was set to fly a herd of elephants from a British zoo to a new home in Kenya.

The Aspinall Foundation said it would use specially built crates aboard a Boeing 747, dubbed the Dumbo jet, to take the 13 pachyderms from their current home near Canterbury in Kent, southeast England. 
 
The charity said it would work with anti-poaching teams to help ensure the long-term survival of the herd -- which includes three babies -- once it reaches one of two sites under consideration in southern Kenya.

The charity's head of communications is Carrie Johnson, wife of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who said the plan would also support Kenya's economy after the coronavirus pandemic.

"Life in Kent is pretty good for these elephants, all things considered. But Africa is where they belong," she said in an article for The Sun newspaper, co-written with foundation chairman Damian Aspinall.

It is the first time a breeding herd of elephants will have been rewilded, they said, adding that the operation is planned for next year.

"In time, their descendants will number in the hundreds -- and then the thousands -- and form part of the incomparable ecosystem that helps drive the Kenyan tourist economy."

The Aspinall Foundation operates two wildlife parks in Kent. While the attempt to rewild elephants is a first, last year it transported two cheetahs back to their native territory in South Africa.

Touting a world first for "rewilding", an animal charity said Tuesday it was set to fly a herd of elephants from a British zoo to a new home in Kenya. The Aspinall Foundation said it would use specially built crates aboard a Boeing 747, dubbed the Dumbo jet, to take the 13 pachyderms from their current home near Canterbury in Kent, southeast England.

Touting a world first for "rewilding", an animal charity said Tuesday it was set to fly a herd of elephants from a British zoo to a new home in Kenya. The Aspinall Foundation said it would use specially built crates aboard a Boeing 747, dubbed the Dumbo jet, to take the 13 pachyderms from their current home near Canterbury in Kent, southeast England. The charity said it would work with anti-poaching teams to help ensure the long-term survival of the herd -- which includes three babies -- once it reaches one of two sites under consideration in southern Kenya. The charity's head of communications is Carrie Johnson, wife of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who said the plan would also support Kenya's economy after the coronavirus pandemic. "Life in Kent is pretty good for these elephants, all things considered. But Africa is where they belong," she said in an article for The Sun newspaper, co-written with foundation chairman Damian Aspinall. It is the first time a breeding herd of elephants will have been rewilded, they said, adding that the operation is planned for next year. "In time, their descendants will number in the hundreds -- and then the thousands -- and form part of the incomparable ecosystem that helps drive the Kenyan tourist economy." The Aspinall Foundation operates two wildlife parks in Kent. While the attempt to rewild elephants is a first, last year it transported two cheetahs back to their native territory in South Africa.

As part of world's first 'rewilding' efforts, UK elephants head to the wild in Kenya

What was supposed to be a heartfelt speech at the funeral of Zambia’s founding president, turned out to be a nightmare for UK's minister.<o:p></o:p>

James Duddridge, the UK's minister for Africa, confused Zambia and Zimbabwe while giving a speech at the funeral of Kenneth Kaunda, Zambia’s founding president.<o:p></o:p>

Kaunda served as the country’s president from 1964 after the British rule ended in 1991. Respected throughout the country for his fight against colonial rule, Kaunda was one of Africa’s last surviving liberation leaders.

<o:p>Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/watch-i-havent-been-paid-news-anchor-demands-his-salary-on-live-tv-in-zambia-393611">'I haven't been paid': News anchor demands his salary on live TV in Zambia</a></o:p>

Talking about Kaunda, Duddridge said he was a "great man, an African hero, and a highly respected friend of the United Kingdom who helped end apartheid in South Africa and was firmly committed to the Commonwealth."<o:p></o:p>

"Today the United Kingdom mourns Dr Kaunda’s passing alongside his family, the people of Zimbabwe and indeed the wider world," he added without realising his mistake.

<o:p></o:p>

Not just this, he also struggled to pronounce the name of Zambia’s present leader, Edgar Lungu. <o:p></o:p>

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A Minister for Africa who doesn't know which country is mourning between Zambia and Zimbabwe and yet he's on Zambian soil delivering a speech citing Zimbabwe 💀🥴
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His confusion has led to massive criticism as some social media users highlighted this as proof of colonial-era attitude in British government officials towards African countries.<o:p></o:p>

What was supposed to be a heartfelt speech at the funeral of Zambia’s founding president, turned out to be a nightmare for UK's minister. James Duddridge, the UK's minister for Africa, confused Zambia and Zimbabwe while giving a speech at the funeral of Kenneth Kaunda, Zambia’s founding president.

What was supposed to be a heartfelt speech at the funeral of Zambia’s founding president, turned out to be a nightmare for UK's minister. James Duddridge, the UK's minister for Africa, confused Zambia and Zimbabwe while giving a speech at the funeral of Kenneth Kaunda, Zambia’s founding president. Kaunda served as the country’s president from 1964 after the British rule ended in 1991. Respected throughout the country for his fight against colonial rule, Kaunda was one of Africa’s last surviving liberation leaders. Also read | 'I haven't been paid': News anchor demands his salary on live TV in Zambia Talking about Kaunda, Duddridge said he was a "great man, an African hero, and a highly respected friend of the United Kingdom who helped end apartheid in South Africa and was firmly committed to the Commonwealth." "Today the United Kingdom mourns Dr Kaunda’s passing alongside his family, the people of Zimbabwe and indeed the wider world," he added without realising his mistake. Not just this, he also struggled to pronounce the name of Zambia’s present leader, Edgar Lungu. A Minister for Africa who doesn't know which country is mourning between Zambia and Zimbabwe and yet he's on Zambian soil delivering a speech citing Zimbabwe 💀🥴 — Martha (@AfricasMartha) July 2, 2021 × His confusion has led to massive criticism as some social media users highlighted this as proof of colonial-era attitude in British government officials towards African countries.

'Colonial-era attitude': UK minister confuses Zambia with Zimbabwe

With unprecedented hospital admissions and health facilities getting pushed to the brink by a rising number of fatalities, Africa is facing a resurgence of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">coronavirus</a>.

Although the continent is falling behind in the global <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">COVID-19&nbsp;vaccination</a> drive, after Oceania it is still the world’s least affected continent. For a population of 13 billion, Africa has had just under 5.3 million reported cases and around 139,000 deaths.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/south-africa-enters-third-wave-of-coronavirus-positivity-rate-reaches-157-390705">South Africa enters third wave of coronavirus; positivity rate reaches 15.7%</a>

The continent has escaped a fate similar to India or Brazil, but the pandemic is resurging fast.

Matshidiso Moeti, Africa director for World Health Organization (WHO) warned that "The third wave is picking up speed, spreading faster, hitting harder," and "The latest surge threatens to be&nbsp;Africa's worst yet".

While John Nkengasong, the director of Africa&nbsp;Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa&nbsp;CDC) uses the words "extremely brutal" and "very devastating" to describe the third wave.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/africas-covid-19-cases-surpass-443-million-africa-cdc-378916">Africa's COVID-19 cases surpass 4.43 million: Africa CDC</a>

George Weah, Liberia's president, warned that as the hospitals continue to overflow in his country, the wave appears to be "far more alarming than a year ago".

The spread of more transmissible variants like Delta, immunisation hitches along with winter in the southern hemisphere, are aggravating Africa's third wave.

First detected in India, the Delta variant has been reported in 14 African countries&nbsp;so far, and according to WHO, it makes up the bulk of new cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-to-set-up-vaccine-tech-transfer-hub-in-south-africa-393132">WHO to set up vaccine tech transfer hub in South&nbsp;Africa</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;

Doctors in South&nbsp;Africa are struggling with an unprecedented rise in patients' numbers. The country accounts for around 35 per cent of all reported cases.

However, unlike past waves, this time "the hospital system is not coping," said doctors' association chief Angelique Coetzee.

With hospital admissions increasing by approximately 60 per cent since early April, South&nbsp;Africa's average new daily infections have increased 15 times.

'Unprecedented' deaths in Zambia

The countries Namibia and Zambia are also witnessing steep infection curves.

While Africa CDC says that the country is overwhelmed. An "unprecedented" number of COVID-19 deaths have been piling pressure on mortuaries says Zambia's health ministry.

With similar trends in Uganda, Health Minister Jane Ruth Acheng blamed highly infectious variants for the new spread, "different from the second wave" with a large number of young people hospitalised.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/south-africa-battles-the-pandemic-covid-19-alert-raised-to-level-3-391953/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Civil societies report that the country is facing an oxygen shortfall amounting to 24.5 million litres per day, an allegation denied by Acheng. However, the fact remains, Uganda is facing oxygen shortages.

Governments are once again tightening restrictions. Uganda has imposed a new nationwide lockdown and 13 Kenyan counties have adopted&nbsp;a tougher curfew.

At the same time, the pace of vaccinations is struggling to get off the ground.

According to the WHO, in the lowest ratio worldwide, only about one per cent of the continent's population is fully vaccinated and90 per cent of African nations are expected to miss a target to inoculate a tenth of their populations by September.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/south-africa-pulls-two-million-doses-of-johnson-johnson-vaccine-391175">South Africa pulls two million doses of Johnson &amp; Johnson vaccine</a>

"We are running a race behind time, the pandemic is ahead of us. We are not winning in&nbsp;Africa&nbsp;this battle against the virus," said&nbsp;Africa&nbsp;CDC's Nkengasong.

"It's frightening what is going on on the continent," he added.

Vaccination failures

While recently western leaders have pledged to donate one billion vaccine doses to poorer countries, the process has been too slow.&nbsp;

Cases are "outpacing vaccinations", Moeti said. "Africa&nbsp;urgently needs a million more vaccines. We need a sprint".

Due to vaccine hesitancy and logical failures, several countries failed to administer jabs from the UN-backed Covax scheme before their use-by date.

In May, Malawi destroyed almost 20,000 expired AstraZeneca doses, and now just as thousand were due for their second shot the country exhausted its vaccine stocks last week.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/how-many-covid-variants-are-dominant-in-south-africa-392368/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

DRC and South Sudan had to return about two million shots to the UN to avoid facing this scenario like Malawi.

Chinese vaccines face a slow take-up and a surge in AstraZeneca's main supplier country, India, has delayed Covax deliveries to&nbsp;Africa.

After Harare’s mail vaccination centre ran out of shots last month hundreds of frustrated Zimbabweans staged a protest.

Even as South&nbsp;Africa&nbsp;says that it has secured enough Johnson &amp; Johnson and Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines to immunise 67 per cent of its 59 million inhabitants, due to rollout setbacks so far only 2.2 million people, mostly healthcare workers and over 60s, have received a jab so far.

"The lack of vaccines in a region with high levels of poverty and inequality means many people feel they are just waiting to die," said Amnesty International's regional director Deprose Muchena.

(With inputs from agencies)

With unprecedented hospital admissions and health facilities getting pushed to the brink by a rising number of fatalities, Africa is facing a resurgence of coronavirus.

With unprecedented hospital admissions and health facilities getting pushed to the brink by a rising number of fatalities, Africa is facing a resurgence of coronavirus. Although the continent is falling behind in the global COVID-19 vaccination drive, after Oceania it is still the world’s least affected continent. For a population of 13 billion, Africa has had just under 5.3 million reported cases and around 139,000 deaths. Also read | South Africa enters third wave of coronavirus; positivity rate reaches 15.7% The continent has escaped a fate similar to India or Brazil, but the pandemic is resurging fast. Matshidiso Moeti, Africa director for World Health Organization (WHO) warned that "The third wave is picking up speed, spreading faster, hitting harder," and "The latest surge threatens to be Africa's worst yet". While John Nkengasong, the director of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) uses the words "extremely brutal" and "very devastating" to describe the third wave. Also read | Africa's COVID-19 cases surpass 4.43 million: Africa CDC George Weah, Liberia's president, warned that as the hospitals continue to overflow in his country, the wave appears to be "far more alarming than a year ago". The spread of more transmissible variants like Delta, immunisation hitches along with winter in the southern hemisphere, are aggravating Africa's third wave. First detected in India, the Delta variant has been reported in 14 African countries so far, and according to WHO, it makes up the bulk of new cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Also read | WHO to set up vaccine tech transfer hub in South Africa Doctors in South Africa are struggling with an unprecedented rise in patients' numbers. The country accounts for around 35 per cent of all reported cases. However, unlike past waves, this time "the hospital system is not coping," said doctors' association chief Angelique Coetzee. With hospital admissions increasing by approximately 60 per cent since early April, South Africa's average new daily infections have increased 15 times. 'Unprecedented' deaths in Zambia The countries Namibia and Zambia are also witnessing steep infection curves. While Africa CDC says that the country is overwhelmed. An "unprecedented" number of COVID-19 deaths have been piling pressure on mortuaries says Zambia's health ministry. With similar trends in Uganda, Health Minister Jane Ruth Acheng blamed highly infectious variants for the new spread, "different from the second wave" with a large number of young people hospitalised. Civil societies report that the country is facing an oxygen shortfall amounting to 24.5 million litres per day, an allegation denied by Acheng. However, the fact remains, Uganda is facing oxygen shortages. Governments are once again tightening restrictions. Uganda has imposed a new nationwide lockdown and 13 Kenyan counties have adopted a tougher curfew. At the same time, the pace of vaccinations is struggling to get off the ground. According to the WHO, in the lowest ratio worldwide, only about one per cent of the continent's population is fully vaccinated and90 per cent of African nations are expected to miss a target to inoculate a tenth of their populations by September. Also read | South Africa pulls two million doses of Johnson & Johnson vaccine "We are running a race behind time, the pandemic is ahead of us. We are not winning in Africa this battle against the virus," said Africa CDC's Nkengasong. "It's frightening what is going on on the continent," he added. Vaccination failures While recently western leaders have pledged to donate one billion vaccine doses to poorer countries, the process has been too slow. Cases are "outpacing vaccinations", Moeti said. "Africa urgently needs a million more vaccines. We need a sprint". Due to vaccine hesitancy and logical failures, several countries failed to administer jabs from the UN-backed Covax scheme before their use-by date. In May, Malawi destroyed almost 20,000 expired AstraZeneca doses, and now just as thousand were due for their second shot the country exhausted its vaccine stocks last week. DRC and South Sudan had to return about two million shots to the UN to avoid facing this scenario like Malawi. Chinese vaccines face a slow take-up and a surge in AstraZeneca's main supplier country, India, has delayed Covax deliveries to Africa. After Harare’s mail vaccination centre ran out of shots last month hundreds of frustrated Zimbabweans staged a protest. Even as South Africa says that it has secured enough Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines to immunise 67 per cent of its 59 million inhabitants, due to rollout setbacks so far only 2.2 million people, mostly healthcare workers and over 60s, have received a jab so far. "The lack of vaccines in a region with high levels of poverty and inequality means many people feel they are just waiting to die," said Amnesty International's regional director Deprose Muchena. (With inputs from agencies)

'Brutal' third wave hits Africa as vaccination slows

Thousands of people were lured to a South African village in hopes of finding expensive diamonds. But as the story unfolded, the stones which ignited mass-hysteria turned out to be ordinary quartz, far cheaper than what people were hoping to unearth.

People flocked to KwaHlathi village in eastern KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa, hoping to get a chance to amass a fortune through diamonds.&nbsp; Since 12 June, villagers had been digging into the ground after a precious-looking stone was discovered by a herder. Soon after the discovery, word spread like wildfire in the country.

To their disappointment, the stones turned out to be of little value. Officials&nbsp;on Sunday said that the stones were in fact very ordinary, much to the dismay of people who had been shovelling for days.

Ravi Pillay, the provincial executive council member for economic development and tourism on Sunday said that at least 3,000 people were at the site, from where samples were picked for further inspection.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/india-news/ring-with-over-12000-diamonds-from-india-sets-world-record-354313" hreflang="en">Ring with over 12,000 diamonds from India sets world record</a>

According to the tests, it was “conclusively revealed” that stones found in the area are “not diamonds as some had hoped”, The Guardian cited him as saying.

Even then, the value of these quartz crystals is yet to be ascertained. Meanwhile, Pillay added that it could be “very low compared to that of diamonds”. The immediate response of people highlights a problem faced by many people in South Africa - unemployment and poverty.

After the true nature of stones was revealed, less than 500 people still remain on the site still hoping to find something of value. Owing to minings, 5 hectares (12 acres) of land has&nbsp;undergone damage and is now covered in holes which pose a threat to nearby cattle. The official claims that those that decided to continue pursuing mining may be asked to leave by law enforcement agencies if necessary to prevent any spread of COVID-19.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/toilet-embedded-with-40000-diamonds-reached-dubai-278602" hreflang="en">Toilet embedded with 40,000 diamonds reached Dubai</a>

Thousands of people were lured to a South African village in hopes of finding expensive diamonds. But as the story unfolded, the stones which ignited mass-hysteria turned out to be ordinary quartz, far cheaper than what people were hoping to unearth.

Thousands of people were lured to a South African village in hopes of finding expensive diamonds. But as the story unfolded, the stones which ignited mass-hysteria turned out to be ordinary quartz, far cheaper than what people were hoping to unearth. People flocked to KwaHlathi village in eastern KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa, hoping to get a chance to amass a fortune through diamonds. Since 12 June, villagers had been digging into the ground after a precious-looking stone was discovered by a herder. Soon after the discovery, word spread like wildfire in the country. To their disappointment, the stones turned out to be of little value. Officials on Sunday said that the stones were in fact very ordinary, much to the dismay of people who had been shovelling for days. Ravi Pillay, the provincial executive council member for economic development and tourism on Sunday said that at least 3,000 people were at the site, from where samples were picked for further inspection. Also read: Ring with over 12,000 diamonds from India sets world record According to the tests, it was “conclusively revealed” that stones found in the area are “not diamonds as some had hoped”, The Guardian cited him as saying. Even then, the value of these quartz crystals is yet to be ascertained. Meanwhile, Pillay added that it could be “very low compared to that of diamonds”. The immediate response of people highlights a problem faced by many people in South Africa - unemployment and poverty. After the true nature of stones was revealed, less than 500 people still remain on the site still hoping to find something of value. Owing to minings, 5 hectares (12 acres) of land has undergone damage and is now covered in holes which pose a threat to nearby cattle. The official claims that those that decided to continue pursuing mining may be asked to leave by law enforcement agencies if necessary to prevent any spread of COVID-19. Also read: Toilet embedded with 40,000 diamonds reached Dubai

'Diamonds' that caused mass-hysteria in South Africa turn out to be quartz

French forces killed an Al Qaeda leader in Sahel region of Africa, France's armed forces minister said on Friday. He vowed to keep substantial military presence in the region. These words have come just a day after French President Emmanuel Macron ordered a drawdown of French forces from Sahel.

Speaking in an impromptu address, Florence Parly said that Baye ag Bakabo, who she said was responsible for the death of two French reporters in Mali in 2013, was killed on June 5. Three other militants were also killed.

"An operation was then launched against an armed terrorist group which was about to unleash mortar fire on a base held by a Chadian battalion of MINUSMA," Parly said, referring to the United Nations mission in Mali. "Four people were neutralised in the mission."

Radio journalists Claude Verlon and Ghislaine Dupont were abducted and shot dead after interviewing a member of the MNLA Tuareg separatist group in northern Mali in November 2013, six month after French troops drove back al-Qaeda-linked groups that had seized cities and towns in northern Mali.

Families of the journalists have sought numerous legal avenues to bring the killers to justice.

Paris prosecutors as early as 2013 had named Bakabo, a Touareg rebel and drug trafficker linked to al Qaeda’s north African wing, as the chief suspect after his pick-up truck was found abandoned in the desert near the bodies of the journalists.

Florence Parly was speaking after Macron said his country's operation battling Islamist militants in Sahel would come to an end with troops now operating as part of broader international efforts in the region.

France, the former colonial power, has hailed some success against Sahel militants in recent months. However, the situation is extremely fragile and Paris has grown frustrated with no apparent end in sight to its operations, political turmoil, especially in Mali, and some regional governments directly negotiating with militants Paris has been fighting.

(With inputs from agencies)

French forces killed an Al Qaeda leader in Sahel region of Africa, France's armed forces minister said on Friday. He vowed to keep substantial military presence in the region.

French forces killed an Al Qaeda leader in Sahel region of Africa, France's armed forces minister said on Friday. He vowed to keep substantial military presence in the region. These words have come just a day after French President Emmanuel Macron ordered a drawdown of French forces from Sahel. Speaking in an impromptu address, Florence Parly said that Baye ag Bakabo, who she said was responsible for the death of two French reporters in Mali in 2013, was killed on June 5. Three other militants were also killed. "An operation was then launched against an armed terrorist group which was about to unleash mortar fire on a base held by a Chadian battalion of MINUSMA," Parly said, referring to the United Nations mission in Mali. "Four people were neutralised in the mission." Radio journalists Claude Verlon and Ghislaine Dupont were abducted and shot dead after interviewing a member of the MNLA Tuareg separatist group in northern Mali in November 2013, six month after French troops drove back al-Qaeda-linked groups that had seized cities and towns in northern Mali. Families of the journalists have sought numerous legal avenues to bring the killers to justice. Paris prosecutors as early as 2013 had named Bakabo, a Touareg rebel and drug trafficker linked to al Qaeda’s north African wing, as the chief suspect after his pick-up truck was found abandoned in the desert near the bodies of the journalists. Florence Parly was speaking after Macron said his country's operation battling Islamist militants in Sahel would come to an end with troops now operating as part of broader international efforts in the region. France, the former colonial power, has hailed some success against Sahel militants in recent months. However, the situation is extremely fragile and Paris has grown frustrated with no apparent end in sight to its operations, political turmoil, especially in Mali, and some regional governments directly negotiating with militants Paris has been fighting. (With inputs from agencies)

France kills Al Qaeda leader in Sahel region of Africa

French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday announced major drawdown of country's military presence in Sahel region of Africa. He also announced end of existing Barkhane operation.

"The time has come: Our commitment in the Sahel will not continue in the same way," Macron told a press conference.

"We will undertake a profound transformation of our military presence in the Sahel," he added. "The framework will be made clear in the weeks to come."

Macron said that he saw France's future presence as being part of the so-called Takuba international task force in the Sahel in which "hundreds" of French soldiers would form the "backbone."

This would mean the closure of French bases and would also lead to use of special forces who would be focused on anti-terror operations and military training, he added.

France currently has 5100 troops in the arid and volatile Sahel region which stretches across Africa south of the Sahara desert and spans half a dozen countries.

The Barkhane operation dates back to an initial deployment undertaken from January 2013 as Paris intervened to stop the advance of jihadists in Mali.

Macron said the French drawdown had been decided because the "longstanding presence of France... cannot be a substitute for political stability".

For years Macron has tried to get Western allies to help shoulder the burden of an anti-terror fight in the Sahel where France, the former colonial power in the region, is the lead foreign presence.&nbsp;

The killing in April of the veteran leader of Chad, a close Paris ally, and a coup in Mali last month have also underlined the threat posed by continued political instability in the region.

(With inputs from agencies)

French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday announced major drawdown of country's military presence in Sahel region of Africa. He also announced end of existing Barkhane operation.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday announced major drawdown of country's military presence in Sahel region of Africa. He also announced end of existing Barkhane operation. "The time has come: Our commitment in the Sahel will not continue in the same way," Macron told a press conference. "We will undertake a profound transformation of our military presence in the Sahel," he added. "The framework will be made clear in the weeks to come." Macron said that he saw France's future presence as being part of the so-called Takuba international task force in the Sahel in which "hundreds" of French soldiers would form the "backbone." This would mean the closure of French bases and would also lead to use of special forces who would be focused on anti-terror operations and military training, he added. France currently has 5100 troops in the arid and volatile Sahel region which stretches across Africa south of the Sahara desert and spans half a dozen countries. The Barkhane operation dates back to an initial deployment undertaken from January 2013 as Paris intervened to stop the advance of jihadists in Mali. Macron said the French drawdown had been decided because the "longstanding presence of France... cannot be a substitute for political stability". For years Macron has tried to get Western allies to help shoulder the burden of an anti-terror fight in the Sahel where France, the former colonial power in the region, is the lead foreign presence. The killing in April of the veteran leader of Chad, a close Paris ally, and a coup in Mali last month have also underlined the threat posed by continued political instability in the region. (With inputs from agencies)

Macron announces major troop drawdown from Sahel region in Africa

Senegal could begin producing COVID-19 vaccines next year under an agreement with Belgian biotech group Univercells aimed at boosting Africa's drug-manufacturing ambitions, a source involved in funding the project said. 
 
As wealthy countries begin to reopen after securing vaccine supplies early, African nations are still struggling to acquire shots. On a continent of 1.3 billion, only about 7 million have been fully vaccinated. 
 
The collaboration highlights the opportunities created by a global push to channel money and technology towards production on a continent that makes only 1% of the vaccines it requires. 
 
Univercells announced the signing of a letter of intent for collaboration with the Institut Pasteur in Senegal's capital Dakar in April. The source shared details of the proposal, which were not made public. 
 
Under the agreement, the Institut Pasteur would use vaccine production technology developed by Univercells to supply COVID-19 vaccine shots to countries across West Africa. 
 
The institute would initially begin packaging and distributing vaccines produced by Univercells in Belgium early next year, the source involved in securing financing for the collaboration said. 
 
Univercells would transfer its full production line to Senegal in the second half of 2022, the source said, adding that the company would train local staff so they could eventually run the operation. 
 
Univercells chief investment officer Kate Antrobus, when asked about the timeframe for the project, confirmed that it could send vaccine doses to Senegal early next year. 
 
She declined to comment on the exact date for a full vaccine production line in Senegal but of the timelines referenced she said: "I do not think they are unreasonable." 
 
Timing depends on Univercells securing regulatory approval for a vaccine production site in Belgium. Antrobus said that was expected "any day now". 
 
Institut Pasteur director Amadou Sall declined to comment on the timeline or size of the project but said the facility was working with donors to secure financial backing. 
 
"There is a lot of political will, I am optimistic. But it is not about momentum, it is about creating a real opportunity," he said. 
 
It is not clear yet what vaccine will be supplied to Senegal, but Antrobus said the site in Belgium would be able to manufacture a class of so-called viral vector COVID-19 vaccine, such as those developed by Johnson &amp; Johnson, AstraZeneca, Russia's Sputnik V and China's Cansino. 
 
"If COVID-19 amazingly subsides over the next year....that same capacity could be used for other viruses," Antrobus said. 
 
Univercells also has its own COVID-19 vaccine candidate, being developed with Germany's Leukocare and Italian firm ReiThera, which has completed Phase II trials. It is seeking financing to carry out Phase III, which the Italian government said it is ready to fund.

(With inputs from agencies)

Senegal could begin producing COVID-19 vaccines next year under an agreement with Belgian biotech group Univercells aimed at boosting Africa's drug-manufacturing ambitions, a source involved in funding the project said.

Senegal could begin producing COVID-19 vaccines next year under an agreement with Belgian biotech group Univercells aimed at boosting Africa's drug-manufacturing ambitions, a source involved in funding the project said. As wealthy countries begin to reopen after securing vaccine supplies early, African nations are still struggling to acquire shots. On a continent of 1.3 billion, only about 7 million have been fully vaccinated. The collaboration highlights the opportunities created by a global push to channel money and technology towards production on a continent that makes only 1% of the vaccines it requires. Univercells announced the signing of a letter of intent for collaboration with the Institut Pasteur in Senegal's capital Dakar in April. The source shared details of the proposal, which were not made public. Under the agreement, the Institut Pasteur would use vaccine production technology developed by Univercells to supply COVID-19 vaccine shots to countries across West Africa. The institute would initially begin packaging and distributing vaccines produced by Univercells in Belgium early next year, the source involved in securing financing for the collaboration said. Univercells would transfer its full production line to Senegal in the second half of 2022, the source said, adding that the company would train local staff so they could eventually run the operation. Univercells chief investment officer Kate Antrobus, when asked about the timeframe for the project, confirmed that it could send vaccine doses to Senegal early next year. She declined to comment on the exact date for a full vaccine production line in Senegal but of the timelines referenced she said: "I do not think they are unreasonable." Timing depends on Univercells securing regulatory approval for a vaccine production site in Belgium. Antrobus said that was expected "any day now". Institut Pasteur director Amadou Sall declined to comment on the timeline or size of the project but said the facility was working with donors to secure financial backing. "There is a lot of political will, I am optimistic. But it is not about momentum, it is about creating a real opportunity," he said. It is not clear yet what vaccine will be supplied to Senegal, but Antrobus said the site in Belgium would be able to manufacture a class of so-called viral vector COVID-19 vaccine, such as those developed by Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca, Russia's Sputnik V and China's Cansino. "If COVID-19 amazingly subsides over the next year....that same capacity could be used for other viruses," Antrobus said. Univercells also has its own COVID-19 vaccine candidate, being developed with Germany's Leukocare and Italian firm ReiThera, which has completed Phase II trials. It is seeking financing to carry out Phase III, which the Italian government said it is ready to fund. (With inputs from agencies)

In boost for Africa, Senegal aims to make COVID-19 shots next year

A suspected Jihadist attack in Mali has claimed lives of four civilians and a police officer. The attack took place in the country's southern region. Southern Mali has been mostly spared from Islamist unrest in the country.

Unidentified men attacked a checkpoint near Bougouni town between 3:30 am and 4 am (local time). A local lawmaker told AFP that an outpost used by police and forest rangers was attacked.

The checkpoint sits on a key route between Mali and Ivory Coast.&nbsp;

The attack came as West African leaders from ECOWAS regional bloc prepared to meet in Ghana on Sunday. The meet is to discuss response to political turmoil in Mali. The country has witnessed second military coup in nine months.

New president Colonel Assimi Goita, who led the coup last August and was installed after transitional president Bah Ndaw and prime minister Moctar Ouane were stripped of the powers this week, is attending the ECOWAS talks in Accra.&nbsp;

Mali's elected president, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, was forced out by young army officers led by Goita last August over perceived corruption and his failure to quell a bloody jihadist insurgency.

The jihadist conflict first emerged in northern Mali in 2012 and has since spread to Burkina Faso and Niger, leaving swathes of the vast nation of 19 million people outside government control.

(With inputs from agencies)

A suspected Jihadist attack in Mali has claimed lives of four civilians and a police officer. The attack took place in the country's southern region. Southern Mali has been mostly spared from Islamist unrest in the country.

A suspected Jihadist attack in Mali has claimed lives of four civilians and a police officer. The attack took place in the country's southern region. Southern Mali has been mostly spared from Islamist unrest in the country. Unidentified men attacked a checkpoint near Bougouni town between 3:30 am and 4 am (local time). A local lawmaker told AFP that an outpost used by police and forest rangers was attacked. The checkpoint sits on a key route between Mali and Ivory Coast. The attack came as West African leaders from ECOWAS regional bloc prepared to meet in Ghana on Sunday. The meet is to discuss response to political turmoil in Mali. The country has witnessed second military coup in nine months. New president Colonel Assimi Goita, who led the coup last August and was installed after transitional president Bah Ndaw and prime minister Moctar Ouane were stripped of the powers this week, is attending the ECOWAS talks in Accra. Mali's elected president, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, was forced out by young army officers led by Goita last August over perceived corruption and his failure to quell a bloody jihadist insurgency. The jihadist conflict first emerged in northern Mali in 2012 and has since spread to Burkina Faso and Niger, leaving swathes of the vast nation of 19 million people outside government control. (With inputs from agencies)

Mali: Five killed in suspected Jihadist attack

Emmanuel Macron has asked for forgiveness, in an attempt to reset ties with Rwanda. The French President has announced debt relief to the Sudan. He is promising vaccines and a "new deal" to Africa. Palki Sharma tells you more about Macron's pivot to Africa.

Gravitas: Emmanuel Macron's Africa outreach

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday a summit in Paris on Africa financing had agreed to work towards persuading rich nations by October to reallocate $100 billion in IMF special drawing rights monetary reserves to African states.&nbsp;

Impoverished African economies must not be left behind in the post-pandemic economic recovery and a substantial financial package is needed to provide much-needed economic stimulus, African and European leaders concluded at a summit in Paris.&nbsp;

In the immediate term, that meant accelerating the COVID-19 vaccine rollout and creating the fiscal breathing room for African nations, which will face a spending shortfall of some $285 billion over the next two years, the summit communique showed.&nbsp;

The communique set out a two-pronged response based on addressing financing needs to support a sustainable, green recovery and the underpinning of private-sector-driven growth, but it was light on concrete commitments.&nbsp;

"This is a new start, a new deal for Africa," Senegalese President Macky Sall told reporters.&nbsp;

International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief Kristalina Georgieva said it was time to stem the 'dangerous divergence between advanced economies and developing countries, especially (in) Africa’. &nbsp;

Georgieva said the African continent's economic output would increase by only 3.2% in 2021, compared with 6% in the rest of the world.&nbsp;

Central to the talks was the question of how to reallocate IMF reserves (SDRs) that were earmarked for developed countries towards developing economies. &nbsp;

World finance chiefs agreed in April to boost SDRs by $650 billion and extend a debt-servicing freeze to help developing countries deal with the pandemic, although only $34 billion was to be allocated to Africa.&nbsp;

Macron said France had decided to redirect its SDRs and that there had been an accord to try to get rich nations by October to reallocate $100 billion to Africa.&nbsp;

"Our work in the next few weeks will be to make the same rate of effort as France, starting with the United States of America, and I know all the work that we will have to do with Congress and the executive, but I am confident," he told reporters.&nbsp;

Georgieva pledged to come up with a new allocation proposal by August.&nbsp;

"On the $100 billion, is it enough? Let's be very clear, no it is not enough. We have a financial gap just to catch up with the impact of Covid for the continent of Africa of $285 billion, she said. "It is genuinely an all-hands-on-deck situation."&nbsp;

"We have to make the private sector attracted to go into a risky environment by de-risking investments."&nbsp;

The summit was part of Macron's efforts to recast France's engagement in Africa, where it was once a colonial power, at a time when the continent faces a near $300 billion deficit by the end of 2023 while trying to recover from the downturn.&nbsp;

The African Development Bank forecasts that up to 39 million people could fall into poverty this year, with many African countries at risk of debt distress because of the pandemic.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday a summit in Paris on Africa financing had agreed to work towards persuading rich nations by October to reallocate $100 billion in IMF special drawing rights monetary reserves to African states.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday a summit in Paris on Africa financing had agreed to work towards persuading rich nations by October to reallocate $100 billion in IMF special drawing rights monetary reserves to African states. Impoverished African economies must not be left behind in the post-pandemic economic recovery and a substantial financial package is needed to provide much-needed economic stimulus, African and European leaders concluded at a summit in Paris. In the immediate term, that meant accelerating the COVID-19 vaccine rollout and creating the fiscal breathing room for African nations, which will face a spending shortfall of some $285 billion over the next two years, the summit communique showed. The communique set out a two-pronged response based on addressing financing needs to support a sustainable, green recovery and the underpinning of private-sector-driven growth, but it was light on concrete commitments. "This is a new start, a new deal for Africa," Senegalese President Macky Sall told reporters. International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief Kristalina Georgieva said it was time to stem the 'dangerous divergence between advanced economies and developing countries, especially (in) Africa’. Georgieva said the African continent's economic output would increase by only 3.2% in 2021, compared with 6% in the rest of the world. Central to the talks was the question of how to reallocate IMF reserves (SDRs) that were earmarked for developed countries towards developing economies. World finance chiefs agreed in April to boost SDRs by $650 billion and extend a debt-servicing freeze to help developing countries deal with the pandemic, although only $34 billion was to be allocated to Africa. Macron said France had decided to redirect its SDRs and that there had been an accord to try to get rich nations by October to reallocate $100 billion to Africa. "Our work in the next few weeks will be to make the same rate of effort as France, starting with the United States of America, and I know all the work that we will have to do with Congress and the executive, but I am confident," he told reporters. Georgieva pledged to come up with a new allocation proposal by August. "On the $100 billion, is it enough? Let's be very clear, no it is not enough. We have a financial gap just to catch up with the impact of Covid for the continent of Africa of $285 billion, she said. "It is genuinely an all-hands-on-deck situation." "We have to make the private sector attracted to go into a risky environment by de-risking investments." The summit was part of Macron's efforts to recast France's engagement in Africa, where it was once a colonial power, at a time when the continent faces a near $300 billion deficit by the end of 2023 while trying to recover from the downturn. The African Development Bank forecasts that up to 39 million people could fall into poverty this year, with many African countries at risk of debt distress because of the pandemic. (With inputs from agencies)

France, African leaders push to redirect $100 billion in IMF SDR reserves by October 

France President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday (May 18) welcomed African leaders for a summit in Paris. The summit is aimed at finding ways to finance African economies that are hurt by COVID-19 pandemic.

"Africa has all it takes to succeed. It has a youth, a productive force, and the ability to take on challenges, such as the climate and food emergencies in particular, if we, collectively, decide to propose a new deal," Macron said.

The summit is part of Macron's efforts to recast France's engagement in Africa, where it was once a colonial power, at a time the continent faces a near 300 billion dollar deficit by the end of 2023 while trying to recover from the downturn.

About 30 African and European heads of state, as well as heads of financial institutions like International Monetary Fund have come together in the summit.

"We are gathered here to reverse what has developed as a very dangerous divergence between advanced economies and developing countries, especially Africa," IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva. "We have to go back to the strong development Africa had before COVID, for Africa and for the rest of the world."

The African Development Bank estimates that as many as 39 million people could fall below the poverty line this year with many African countries at risk of debt distress because of the pandemic.

Macron has said he believes Africa needs a "New Deal" to give the continent a breath of fresh air.

World finance chiefs agreed in April to boost reserves (SDR) at the International Monetary Fund by $650 billion and extend a debt-servicing freeze to help developing countries deal with the pandemic, although only $34 billion will be allocated to Africa.

The replenishment of the World Bank's International Development Association, which provides emergency aid, private sector investment, and the broader question of how to treat the debt crisis will be discussed.

(With inputs from agencies)

France President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday (May 18) welcomed African leaders for a summit in Paris. The summit is aimed at finding ways to finance African economies that are hurt by COVID-19 pandemic.

France President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday (May 18) welcomed African leaders for a summit in Paris. The summit is aimed at finding ways to finance African economies that are hurt by COVID-19 pandemic. "Africa has all it takes to succeed. It has a youth, a productive force, and the ability to take on challenges, such as the climate and food emergencies in particular, if we, collectively, decide to propose a new deal," Macron said. The summit is part of Macron's efforts to recast France's engagement in Africa, where it was once a colonial power, at a time the continent faces a near 300 billion dollar deficit by the end of 2023 while trying to recover from the downturn. About 30 African and European heads of state, as well as heads of financial institutions like International Monetary Fund have come together in the summit. "We are gathered here to reverse what has developed as a very dangerous divergence between advanced economies and developing countries, especially Africa," IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva. "We have to go back to the strong development Africa had before COVID, for Africa and for the rest of the world." The African Development Bank estimates that as many as 39 million people could fall below the poverty line this year with many African countries at risk of debt distress because of the pandemic. Macron has said he believes Africa needs a "New Deal" to give the continent a breath of fresh air. World finance chiefs agreed in April to boost reserves (SDR) at the International Monetary Fund by $650 billion and extend a debt-servicing freeze to help developing countries deal with the pandemic, although only $34 billion will be allocated to Africa. The replenishment of the World Bank's International Development Association, which provides emergency aid, private sector investment, and the broader question of how to treat the debt crisis will be discussed. (With inputs from agencies)

Paris Summit: Macron calls for investment, good governance in Africa

A child no older than three laid to rest sideways in an earthen grave 78,000 years ago, legs carefully tucked up against its tiny chest, is the earliest known human burial in Africa, researchers reported Wednesday.

The sunken pit, in a cave complex along the coast of Kenya, was bereft of ornaments, offerings or ochre-coloured clay carvings found in the region's more recent Stone Age graves, they detailed in the journal Nature.&nbsp;

But "Mtoto" - Swahili for "child" -&nbsp;had been wrapped in a shroud with her or his head resting on what was probably a pillow, "indicating that the community may have undertaken some form of funerary rite", said lead author Maria Martinon-Torres, director of the National Research Centre on Human Evolution, in Burgos, Spain.

The extraordinary find highlights the emergence of both complex social behaviour among Homo sapiens, and cultural differences across populations of modern humans in Africa and beyond.

Fragments of the child's bones were dug up at the Panga ya Saidi caves in 2013, but it wasn't until five years later that the shallow, circular grave -- three metres below the cave floor -- was fully exposed, revealing a tight cluster and decomposed bones.

"At this point, we weren't sure what we had found," said Emmanuel Ndiema of the National Museum of Kenya. "The bones were just too delicate to study in the field." &nbsp;

Archaeologists stabilised and plastered them into a bundle and transported them, first to the museum and then to the research centre in Spain.

"We started uncovering parts of the skull and face," Martinon-Torres said.&nbsp;

"The articulation of the spine and the ribs was also astonishingly well preserved, even conserving the curvature of the thorax cage."

Subsequent microscopic analysis and luminescence dating confirmed that Mtoto's tiny body had been carefully covered with dirt from around the pit, and had rested undisturbed for nearly 80,000 years.

<h2>'Culturally embedded'&nbsp;</h2>

Homo sapiens originated in Africa, but little is known about mortuary practices on the continent compared to Europe and the Middle East, where even older human burial sites have been unearthed, including one in Israel thought to be 120,000 years old.

Intriguingly, infant and child burials make up nearly half of all known interments from that time until the end of the Middle Stone Age, about 30,000 years ago.

The same holds for our genetic cousins the Neanderthals, whose ritual burials in Eurasia go back at least a half-a-million years.

"Burials where the body is in a flexed position are very common, it's difficult to know exactly why," said Martinon-Torres.&nbsp;

"Some researchers have argued that it is for practical reasons, to put the bodies in a smaller space, but one can also see it as putting the child in a sleeping position," she continued.

"Being wrapped, while lying in this foetal position, could be somehow a way to transfer some human warmth in such a cold moment."

The limited number of known early human burial sites in Africa could reflect the relative paucity of archaeological research, experts say.&nbsp;

Or environmental conditions: the ones located so far are bunched in the dry north and temperate southern Africa, climates more favourable to preservation.

Stone Age burial sites often reveal the beginnings of culture, especially when they point to "a departure from purely practical motivations toward a more meaningful treatment of the dead", noted Louse Humphrey, a researcher at the Centre for Human Evolution at the Natural History Museum in London.&nbsp;

"Such actions include careful placement of the corpse in the grave to achieve a desired body position or orientation, the wrapping or binding of the body for reasons other than to aid transportation, or the deliberate incorporation of items of value in the grave," she wrote in a commentary, also in Nature.

Mtoto's final resting place fulfilled the first two of these criteria, and possibly the third.

The new finding, along with a child burial site in South Africa dating back nearly as far, "suggest that a tradition of symbolically significant burials, at least for the very young, might have been culturally embedded in parts of Africa in the later part of the Middle Stone Age," she wrote. 
&nbsp;

A child no older than three laid to rest sideways in an earthen grave 78,000 years ago, legs carefully tucked up against its tiny chest, is the earliest known human burial in Africa, researchers reported Wednesday.

A child no older than three laid to rest sideways in an earthen grave 78,000 years ago, legs carefully tucked up against its tiny chest, is the earliest known human burial in Africa, researchers reported Wednesday. The sunken pit, in a cave complex along the coast of Kenya, was bereft of ornaments, offerings or ochre-coloured clay carvings found in the region's more recent Stone Age graves, they detailed in the journal Nature. But "Mtoto" - Swahili for "child" - had been wrapped in a shroud with her or his head resting on what was probably a pillow, "indicating that the community may have undertaken some form of funerary rite", said lead author Maria Martinon-Torres, director of the National Research Centre on Human Evolution, in Burgos, Spain. The extraordinary find highlights the emergence of both complex social behaviour among Homo sapiens, and cultural differences across populations of modern humans in Africa and beyond. Fragments of the child's bones were dug up at the Panga ya Saidi caves in 2013, but it wasn't until five years later that the shallow, circular grave -- three metres below the cave floor -- was fully exposed, revealing a tight cluster and decomposed bones. "At this point, we weren't sure what we had found," said Emmanuel Ndiema of the National Museum of Kenya. "The bones were just too delicate to study in the field." Archaeologists stabilised and plastered them into a bundle and transported them, first to the museum and then to the research centre in Spain. "We started uncovering parts of the skull and face," Martinon-Torres said. "The articulation of the spine and the ribs was also astonishingly well preserved, even conserving the curvature of the thorax cage." Subsequent microscopic analysis and luminescence dating confirmed that Mtoto's tiny body had been carefully covered with dirt from around the pit, and had rested undisturbed for nearly 80,000 years. 'Culturally embedded' Homo sapiens originated in Africa, but little is known about mortuary practices on the continent compared to Europe and the Middle East, where even older human burial sites have been unearthed, including one in Israel thought to be 120,000 years old. Intriguingly, infant and child burials make up nearly half of all known interments from that time until the end of the Middle Stone Age, about 30,000 years ago. The same holds for our genetic cousins the Neanderthals, whose ritual burials in Eurasia go back at least a half-a-million years. "Burials where the body is in a flexed position are very common, it's difficult to know exactly why," said Martinon-Torres. "Some researchers have argued that it is for practical reasons, to put the bodies in a smaller space, but one can also see it as putting the child in a sleeping position," she continued. "Being wrapped, while lying in this foetal position, could be somehow a way to transfer some human warmth in such a cold moment." The limited number of known early human burial sites in Africa could reflect the relative paucity of archaeological research, experts say. Or environmental conditions: the ones located so far are bunched in the dry north and temperate southern Africa, climates more favourable to preservation. Stone Age burial sites often reveal the beginnings of culture, especially when they point to "a departure from purely practical motivations toward a more meaningful treatment of the dead", noted Louse Humphrey, a researcher at the Centre for Human Evolution at the Natural History Museum in London. "Such actions include careful placement of the corpse in the grave to achieve a desired body position or orientation, the wrapping or binding of the body for reasons other than to aid transportation, or the deliberate incorporation of items of value in the grave," she wrote in a commentary, also in Nature. Mtoto's final resting place fulfilled the first two of these criteria, and possibly the third. The new finding, along with a child burial site in South Africa dating back nearly as far, "suggest that a tradition of symbolically significant burials, at least for the very young, might have been culturally embedded in parts of Africa in the later part of the Middle Stone Age," she wrote.

Three-year old Mtoto, Africa's earliest known human burial from 78,000 years ago

Esther Wanjiru started using&nbsp;heroin&nbsp;at 16 to dull the pain after her baby died, first smoking, and now injecting the opioid which has become increasingly cheap and abundant in&nbsp;Kenya.

"I am a heavy junkie, I usually need two doses," said Wanjiru, 22, as she puts the needle to a damaged vein, surrounded by about 60 other addicts in a clearing behind a church in a Nairobi slum.

Once just a passing stop on the trafficking route to Europe,&nbsp;Kenya&nbsp;is becoming a major destination in itself for&nbsp;heroin, with addiction rising as tonnes of powder pass through East Africa.

These days a hit costs as little as 120 shillings (USD$1.10/0.90 euros), creating a devastating path to dependence for poor, troubled Kenyans like Wanjiru.

Wanjiru says she will do anything, even crime or prostitution, to get hold of the drug.

Heroin&nbsp;once reached Europe via the "Balkan Route": smuggled from the poppy fields of Afghanistan overland through the Middle East to capitals in the west.

But the Syrian conflict and border controls that tightened as waves of migrants sought refuge in Europe forced traffickers to change tack.&nbsp;

They turned to the sea to get around the problem.&nbsp;Heroin&nbsp;was put on ships and sailed across the Indian Ocean to the porous eastern coast of Africa, and mulled northward to Europe.

The&nbsp;Kenya&nbsp;connect&nbsp;

Mombasa became the main port of arrival.&nbsp;Kenya, a beacon of security in a volatile region, but rife with corruption and lacking oversight, offered smugglers a reliable place to offload their product. &nbsp;

"Narcotraffickers are really identifying&nbsp;Kenya&nbsp;as being one of the most stable countries in the region," said Amado De Andres, a former regional director for East Africa at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

The lion's share of the&nbsp;heroin&nbsp;hauled ashore, estimated by UNODC at 42 tonnes annually, was earmarked for distant markets.&nbsp;

But in time, local interest steadily grew.

Traffickers kept around five tonnes aside for regional sale as demand for&nbsp;heroin&nbsp;flourished into a $150-million (125-million-euro) business, with most buyers in&nbsp;Kenya.

"Kenya&nbsp;was formerly a transit route, and has increasingly become a destination for&nbsp;heroin," said Victor Okioma, the head of the government-run National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA).

In 2018, the Ministry of Health estimated 27,000 people were injecting or smoking&nbsp;heroin&nbsp;in a survey of one-third of&nbsp;Kenya's counties.&nbsp;

The Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, a Geneva-based NGO, estimated 55,000 injectors alone, pointing to a higher overall figure.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/myanmar-drug-surge-worry-for-neighbours-including-india-381602">Myanmar drug surge worry for neighbours including India</a>

It is now the second-most consumed drug in the country of nearly 50 million behind cannabis, NACADA says.

Around 1 per cent of teenagers aged 14-18 years had admitted using the highly addictive drug, Okioma said.&nbsp;

"Heroin&nbsp;is being consumed even in primary schools," he said.

Covid curse

Kenya&nbsp;created a coastguard in 2018, bolstered container checks at Mombasa's ports, and recently began participating in an Interpol-led drug detection program at its international airport in Nairobi.

Seizures of&nbsp;heroin&nbsp;and morphine have increased tenfold in Africa between 2008 and 2018 and the majority were made in East Africa, according to the UNODC.&nbsp;

But&nbsp;heroin&nbsp;still finds its way to users like Wanjiru, and others facing hard times.

"I can assure you, the number of users is growing also because now of the situation of Covid," John Kimani, the executive director of KeNPUD, a Kenyan harm reduction program.

"There's depression....&nbsp;people lost jobs," and turned to drugs.

Kenya&nbsp;has been expanding access to methadone, a&nbsp;heroin&nbsp;substitute, which helps keeps withdrawal symptoms at bay and allows addicts to wean off the drug.

The UNODC says there are around 10 clinics serving an estimated 7,000&nbsp;heroin&nbsp;addicts in&nbsp;Kenya, but they can't reach all in need.

The nearest clinic to James Kwenga is on the other side of Nairobi, and transport costs about 150 shillings ($1.30, 1.16 euros).

"I can't afford that every day, because I don't have a job," said the homeless man. "If they can't come near here, many people can't beat this drug."

Esther Wanjiru started using heroin at 16 to dull the pain after her baby died, first smoking, and now injecting the opioid which has become increasingly cheap and abundant in Kenya.

Esther Wanjiru started using heroin at 16 to dull the pain after her baby died, first smoking, and now injecting the opioid which has become increasingly cheap and abundant in Kenya. "I am a heavy junkie, I usually need two doses," said Wanjiru, 22, as she puts the needle to a damaged vein, surrounded by about 60 other addicts in a clearing behind a church in a Nairobi slum. Once just a passing stop on the trafficking route to Europe, Kenya is becoming a major destination in itself for heroin, with addiction rising as tonnes of powder pass through East Africa. These days a hit costs as little as 120 shillings (USD$1.10/0.90 euros), creating a devastating path to dependence for poor, troubled Kenyans like Wanjiru. Wanjiru says she will do anything, even crime or prostitution, to get hold of the drug. Heroin once reached Europe via the "Balkan Route": smuggled from the poppy fields of Afghanistan overland through the Middle East to capitals in the west. But the Syrian conflict and border controls that tightened as waves of migrants sought refuge in Europe forced traffickers to change tack. They turned to the sea to get around the problem. Heroin was put on ships and sailed across the Indian Ocean to the porous eastern coast of Africa, and mulled northward to Europe. The Kenya connect Mombasa became the main port of arrival. Kenya, a beacon of security in a volatile region, but rife with corruption and lacking oversight, offered smugglers a reliable place to offload their product. "Narcotraffickers are really identifying Kenya as being one of the most stable countries in the region," said Amado De Andres, a former regional director for East Africa at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The lion's share of the heroin hauled ashore, estimated by UNODC at 42 tonnes annually, was earmarked for distant markets. But in time, local interest steadily grew. Traffickers kept around five tonnes aside for regional sale as demand for heroin flourished into a $150-million (125-million-euro) business, with most buyers in Kenya. "Kenya was formerly a transit route, and has increasingly become a destination for heroin," said Victor Okioma, the head of the government-run National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA). In 2018, the Ministry of Health estimated 27,000 people were injecting or smoking heroin in a survey of one-third of Kenya's counties. The Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, a Geneva-based NGO, estimated 55,000 injectors alone, pointing to a higher overall figure. Also read | Myanmar drug surge worry for neighbours including India It is now the second-most consumed drug in the country of nearly 50 million behind cannabis, NACADA says. Around 1 per cent of teenagers aged 14-18 years had admitted using the highly addictive drug, Okioma said. "Heroin is being consumed even in primary schools," he said. Covid curse Kenya created a coastguard in 2018, bolstered container checks at Mombasa's ports, and recently began participating in an Interpol-led drug detection program at its international airport in Nairobi. Seizures of heroin and morphine have increased tenfold in Africa between 2008 and 2018 and the majority were made in East Africa, according to the UNODC. But heroin still finds its way to users like Wanjiru, and others facing hard times. "I can assure you, the number of users is growing also because now of the situation of Covid," John Kimani, the executive director of KeNPUD, a Kenyan harm reduction program. "There's depression.... people lost jobs," and turned to drugs. Kenya has been expanding access to methadone, a heroin substitute, which helps keeps withdrawal symptoms at bay and allows addicts to wean off the drug. The UNODC says there are around 10 clinics serving an estimated 7,000 heroin addicts in Kenya, but they can't reach all in need. The nearest clinic to James Kwenga is on the other side of Nairobi, and transport costs about 150 shillings ($1.30, 1.16 euros). "I can't afford that every day, because I don't have a job," said the homeless man. "If they can't come near here, many people can't beat this drug."

Formerly a transit route to Europe, Kenya becomes heroin hub

Sixteen Niger soldiers have been killed and another is missing after an ambush against a patrol in the Tahoua region near the Mali border, local officials said Sunday.

During the attack by "bandits" on Saturday the toll was "16 dead, six injured and one missing," Tahoua department secretary general Ibrahim Miko said on public television.

He attended the funeral of Lieutenant Maman Namewa, commander of the patrol which was attacked.

The vast desert area of Tahoua in the west of the country sits close to the borders of both Mali and Burkina Faso and has been plagued by jihadist violence since 2012.&nbsp;

In March an attack by suspected jihadists on three villages near Niger's border with Mali left a total of 141 people dead, according to the official toll.

They were the worst attacks committed by suspected jihadists in Niger in recent years.

The world's poorest nation according to the UN's development rankings for 189 countries, Niger is also struggling with Islamist insurgencies that have spilled over from Mali and Nigeria.&nbsp;

The attacks in western Niger are often attributed to groups affiliated to the Al-Qaeda and Islamic State groups.

Such attacks against civilians have multiplied this year, with over 300 people killed in villages and encampments in western Niger.

Sixteen Niger soldiers have been killed and another is missing after an ambush against a patrol in the Tahoua region near the Mali border, local officials said Sunday.

Sixteen Niger soldiers have been killed and another is missing after an ambush against a patrol in the Tahoua region near the Mali border, local officials said Sunday. During the attack by "bandits" on Saturday the toll was "16 dead, six injured and one missing," Tahoua department secretary general Ibrahim Miko said on public television. He attended the funeral of Lieutenant Maman Namewa, commander of the patrol which was attacked. The vast desert area of Tahoua in the west of the country sits close to the borders of both Mali and Burkina Faso and has been plagued by jihadist violence since 2012. In March an attack by suspected jihadists on three villages near Niger's border with Mali left a total of 141 people dead, according to the official toll. They were the worst attacks committed by suspected jihadists in Niger in recent years. The world's poorest nation according to the UN's development rankings for 189 countries, Niger is also struggling with Islamist insurgencies that have spilled over from Mali and Nigeria. The attacks in western Niger are often attributed to groups affiliated to the Al-Qaeda and Islamic State groups. Such attacks against civilians have multiplied this year, with over 300 people killed in villages and encampments in western Niger.

16 soldiers killed, one missing in Niger ambush: official

The raging state of the&nbsp;COVID-19&nbsp;pandemic is India is a&nbsp;wake-up&nbsp;call&nbsp;for&nbsp;Africa&nbsp;that its governments and citizens must not let their guards down, the&nbsp;African Union's disease control agency warned on Thursday.

African nations generally do not have sufficient numbers of health care workers, hospital beds, oxygen supplies, and the continent of 1.3 billion would be even more overwhelmed than India if cases surged in a similar way, said John Nkengasong, head of the&nbsp;Africa&nbsp;Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="India records biggest-ever surge of 386,452 COVID-19 cases, 3498 deaths in a day">India records biggest-ever surge of 386,452 COVID-19 cases, 3498 deaths in a day</a>

"We are watching with total disbelief...What is happening in India cannot be ignored by our continent," he told reporters.

Nkengasong urged&nbsp;Africans to wear masks and avoid large gatherings, warning: "We cannot and should not find ourselves in (India's) scenario because of the very fragile nature of our health systems."

The AU will convene a meeting with all&nbsp;African ministers of health on May 8, Nkengasong said, to "put everybody on alert".

India, with 1.35 billion people, has a similar population size to the&nbsp;African continent, yet&nbsp;Africa&nbsp;has even weaker health systems, and unlike India does not manufacture significant quantities of drugs or vaccines, he added.

Heeding public health guidance is critical in&nbsp;Africa&nbsp;at the moment because the continent's rollout of&nbsp;COVID-19&nbsp;vaccines is hindered by the crisis in India, Nkengasong said.

The bulk of the vaccines supplied so far to&nbsp;Africa&nbsp;via the global vaccine-sharing facility COVAX have been AstraZeneca shots manufactured by the Serum Institute of India. India suspended its exports of the shot in March to cope with rising domestic demand.

It remains unclear when exports will resume, Nkengasong said on Thursday, warning the situation in India could impact the predictability of&nbsp;Africa's vaccine rollout "for the weeks and perhaps months to come".

Africa&nbsp;could benefit from additional supplies if two Chinese-made vaccines secure approval from the World Health Organisation next week, a WHO&nbsp;Africa&nbsp;official said.

"If we have more vaccines that have been approved for WHO pre-qualification, we know that more of these candidates can enter into our continent without any further issues," Phionah Atuhebwe told an online weekly briefing.

Africa&nbsp;recorded nearly 76,000 new&nbsp;COVID-19&nbsp;infections from April&nbsp;19-25, a 8% decline from the previous week, according to&nbsp;Africa&nbsp;CDC data.

India reported more than 379,000 new&nbsp;COVID-19&nbsp;cases and 3,645 new deaths on Thursday alone. It was the highest number of deaths reported in a single day in the world's second most populous country since the start of the pandemic.

The raging state of the COVID-19 pandemic is India is a wake-up call for Africa that its governments and citizens must not let their guards down, the African Union's disease control agency warned on Thursday.

The raging state of the COVID-19 pandemic is India is a wake-up call for Africa that its governments and citizens must not let their guards down, the African Union's disease control agency warned on Thursday. African nations generally do not have sufficient numbers of health care workers, hospital beds, oxygen supplies, and the continent of 1.3 billion would be even more overwhelmed than India if cases surged in a similar way, said John Nkengasong, head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. Also read: India records biggest-ever surge of 386,452 COVID-19 cases, 3498 deaths in a day "We are watching with total disbelief...What is happening in India cannot be ignored by our continent," he told reporters. Nkengasong urged Africans to wear masks and avoid large gatherings, warning: "We cannot and should not find ourselves in (India's) scenario because of the very fragile nature of our health systems." The AU will convene a meeting with all African ministers of health on May 8, Nkengasong said, to "put everybody on alert". India, with 1.35 billion people, has a similar population size to the African continent, yet Africa has even weaker health systems, and unlike India does not manufacture significant quantities of drugs or vaccines, he added. Heeding public health guidance is critical in Africa at the moment because the continent's rollout of COVID-19 vaccines is hindered by the crisis in India, Nkengasong said. The bulk of the vaccines supplied so far to Africa via the global vaccine-sharing facility COVAX have been AstraZeneca shots manufactured by the Serum Institute of India. India suspended its exports of the shot in March to cope with rising domestic demand. It remains unclear when exports will resume, Nkengasong said on Thursday, warning the situation in India could impact the predictability of Africa's vaccine rollout "for the weeks and perhaps months to come". Africa could benefit from additional supplies if two Chinese-made vaccines secure approval from the World Health Organisation next week, a WHO Africa official said. "If we have more vaccines that have been approved for WHO pre-qualification, we know that more of these candidates can enter into our continent without any further issues," Phionah Atuhebwe told an online weekly briefing. Africa recorded nearly 76,000 new COVID-19 infections from April 19-25, a 8% decline from the previous week, according to Africa CDC data. India reported more than 379,000 new COVID-19 cases and 3,645 new deaths on Thursday alone. It was the highest number of deaths reported in a single day in the world's second most populous country since the start of the pandemic.

India's COVID-19 emergency is a wake-up call to Africa: African Union health chief

Chad's new military junta on Monday named former prime minister Albert Pahimi Padacke, who was runner-up in the Sahel country's April 11 presidential election, as interim premier.

Pahimi Padacke was the last prime minister under president Idriss Deby Itno, whose shock death in battle against northern rebels triggered the creation of a so-called Transitional Military Council (TMC) headed by his 37-year-old son, Mahamat Idriss Deby.

Deby, who himself came to power in 1990 at the head of a rebel force, had gone to the region to lead the fighting against the Libya-based Front for Change and Concord in Chad (FACT).

The military council took power last week, pledging to hold elections in 18 months.

Pahimi Padacke is to head a transitional government whose members will be named or revoked by the new junta leader, the decree said.

The younger Deby, a four-star general who previously commanded the elite Republican Guard, was named president and head of the TMC and parliament was dissolved -- a move branded an "institutional coup" by the opposition.

The junta on Sunday vowed to root out FACT leader Mahamat Mahadi Ali, accusing him of "war crimes" and seeking help from neighbouring Niger to track him down along with his fighters.

The army has "located the enemy spread out in small groups, now regrouping in Niger territory," said junta spokesman Azem Bermandoa Agouna.

Chad's new military junta on Monday named former prime minister Albert Pahimi Padacke, who was runner-up in the Sahel country's April 11 presidential election, as interim premier.

Chad's new military junta on Monday named former prime minister Albert Pahimi Padacke, who was runner-up in the Sahel country's April 11 presidential election, as interim premier. Pahimi Padacke was the last prime minister under president Idriss Deby Itno, whose shock death in battle against northern rebels triggered the creation of a so-called Transitional Military Council (TMC) headed by his 37-year-old son, Mahamat Idriss Deby. Deby, who himself came to power in 1990 at the head of a rebel force, had gone to the region to lead the fighting against the Libya-based Front for Change and Concord in Chad (FACT). The military council took power last week, pledging to hold elections in 18 months. Pahimi Padacke is to head a transitional government whose members will be named or revoked by the new junta leader, the decree said. The younger Deby, a four-star general who previously commanded the elite Republican Guard, was named president and head of the TMC and parliament was dissolved -- a move branded an "institutional coup" by the opposition. The junta on Sunday vowed to root out FACT leader Mahamat Mahadi Ali, accusing him of "war crimes" and seeking help from neighbouring Niger to track him down along with his fighters. The army has "located the enemy spread out in small groups, now regrouping in Niger territory," said junta spokesman Azem Bermandoa Agouna.

Chad junta names presidential runner-up as interim PM

Rebels in Chad who launched a major incursion into the north of the country two weeks ago and have been accused by the Chadian army of killing veteran ruler Idriss Deby Itno, are "prepared to observe a ceasefire", their chief told AFP on Saturday.

"We have affirmed our availability to observe a truce, a ceasefire... but this morning we were bombarded again", Mahamat Mahadi Ali, head of the Front for Change and Concord in Chad (FACT) said when contacted by AFP from Libreville in Gabon.&nbsp;

But Mahadi Ali warned that the ceasefire had to be observed by both sides.

"We cannot respect the truce unilaterally. A truce must be made on both sides. We will not fold our arms and let ourselves be massacred," he said.

In response, a spokesman for the military council headed by Idriss Deby's son and successor, Mahamat Idriss Deby, said: "They are rebels, which is why we are bombing them. We are waging war, that's all."&nbsp;

On Friday, Chad staged a state funeral for Idriss Deby Itno, a linchpin in the fight against the Sahel's jihadist insurgency, and France and regional allies voiced backing for Mahamat Idriss Deby.&nbsp;

French President Emmanuel Macron, in his tribute to the fallen president, said: "You lived as a soldier, you died as a soldier, weapons in your hands".

"France will never let anyone, either today or tomorrow, challenge Chad's stability and integrity," Macron pledged.

But Macron also called on the newly-appointed military government to foster "stability, inclusion, dialogue, democratic transition".

Rebels in Chad who launched a major incursion into the north of the country two weeks ago and have been accused by the Chadian army of killing veteran ruler Idriss Deby Itno, are "prepared to observe a ceasefire", their chief told AFP on Saturday.

Rebels in Chad who launched a major incursion into the north of the country two weeks ago and have been accused by the Chadian army of killing veteran ruler Idriss Deby Itno, are "prepared to observe a ceasefire", their chief told AFP on Saturday. "We have affirmed our availability to observe a truce, a ceasefire... but this morning we were bombarded again", Mahamat Mahadi Ali, head of the Front for Change and Concord in Chad (FACT) said when contacted by AFP from Libreville in Gabon. But Mahadi Ali warned that the ceasefire had to be observed by both sides. "We cannot respect the truce unilaterally. A truce must be made on both sides. We will not fold our arms and let ourselves be massacred," he said. In response, a spokesman for the military council headed by Idriss Deby's son and successor, Mahamat Idriss Deby, said: "They are rebels, which is why we are bombing them. We are waging war, that's all." On Friday, Chad staged a state funeral for Idriss Deby Itno, a linchpin in the fight against the Sahel's jihadist insurgency, and France and regional allies voiced backing for Mahamat Idriss Deby. French President Emmanuel Macron, in his tribute to the fallen president, said: "You lived as a soldier, you died as a soldier, weapons in your hands". "France will never let anyone, either today or tomorrow, challenge Chad's stability and integrity," Macron pledged. But Macron also called on the newly-appointed military government to foster "stability, inclusion, dialogue, democratic transition".

Chad rebels 'prepared to observe ceasefire', chief tells AFP

500 Elephants have been put on sale in Zimbabwe for 'trophy hunting'. Tourism authorities say they need money. Activists say the mammal is already getting extinct. Who will help the world's most empathetic species?WION’s Palki Sharma gets you a report.

Gravitas: 500 Elephants put on sale for hunting

According to a report by a team of researchers from the University of Oxford and their partners, R21/Matrix-M, a malaria&nbsp;vaccine which was in its Phase IIb trial, showed an efficacy of 77 per cent over a period of 12 months. This efficacy rate makes this vaccine the first ever to achieve the World Health Organisation (WHO) specified 75 per cent efficacy goal.

The team behind the vaccine hopes that it will be approved for use within the next two years. "With the commitment by our commercial partner, the Serum Institute of India, to manufacture at least 200 million doses annually in the coming years, the vaccine has the potential to have a major public health impact if licensure is achieved.", said Adrian Hill, director of the Jenner Institute, co-author of the paper.

Hill also said that "we and others have found that if you vaccinate just before the malaria season, you get maybe a 10 per cent improvement or something like that in efficacy - that's not published yet but will be coming out fairly soon from another group", adding that he was "pretty confident" that the proven 77 per cent efficacy could be replicated in the upcoming phase of the trial.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/drug-resistant-malaria-making-inroads-in-africa-study-377979">Drug-resistant malaria making inroads in Africa: Study</a>

Prof Adrian Hill said that the vaccine is&nbsp;in his opinion the world’s most effective vaccine against malaria “in the sense that no other vaccine has had a primary endpoint with over 75 per cent&nbsp;efficacy”. Talking about his team’s excitement over this, he added that there is still a final phase of testing for the vaccine to go through.

Malaria leads to the fatality of hundreds of thousands of children each year all over the world and is a disease that just last year was the cause of death for approximately four times the number of people killed by COVID-19.

According to a report by a team of researchers from the University of Oxford and their partners, R21/Matrix-M, a malaria vaccine which was in its Phase IIb trial, showed an efficacy of 77 per cent over a period of 12 months.

According to a report by a team of researchers from the University of Oxford and their partners, R21/Matrix-M, a malaria vaccine which was in its Phase IIb trial, showed an efficacy of 77 per cent over a period of 12 months. This efficacy rate makes this vaccine the first ever to achieve the World Health Organisation (WHO) specified 75 per cent efficacy goal. The team behind the vaccine hopes that it will be approved for use within the next two years. "With the commitment by our commercial partner, the Serum Institute of India, to manufacture at least 200 million doses annually in the coming years, the vaccine has the potential to have a major public health impact if licensure is achieved.", said Adrian Hill, director of the Jenner Institute, co-author of the paper. Hill also said that "we and others have found that if you vaccinate just before the malaria season, you get maybe a 10 per cent improvement or something like that in efficacy - that's not published yet but will be coming out fairly soon from another group", adding that he was "pretty confident" that the proven 77 per cent efficacy could be replicated in the upcoming phase of the trial. Also read | Drug-resistant malaria making inroads in Africa: Study Prof Adrian Hill said that the vaccine is in his opinion the world’s most effective vaccine against malaria “in the sense that no other vaccine has had a primary endpoint with over 75 per cent efficacy”. Talking about his team’s excitement over this, he added that there is still a final phase of testing for the vaccine to go through. Malaria leads to the fatality of hundreds of thousands of children each year all over the world and is a disease that just last year was the cause of death for approximately four times the number of people killed by COVID-19.

World’s first malaria vaccine to achieve WHO-specified efficacy developed in UK

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Africa has reached 4,439,823 as of Tuesday evening, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said. 
 
The Africa CDC, the specialized healthcare agency of the 55-member African Union, said the death toll from the pandemic stands at 118,194, while 3,980,551 patients across the continent have recovered from the disease. 
 
South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia, Ethiopia and Egypt are the countries with the most cases in the continent, according to the Africa CDC. South Africa has recorded 1,567,513 COVID-19 cases, the highest among African countries, followed by Morocco with 505,949 and Tunisia with 287,061 cases, it said. 
 
African countries have so far received over 33.8 million COVID-19 vaccine doses from different sources, mainly from the COVAX facility and through bilateral agreements outside COVAX, according to the Africa CDC.

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Africa has reached 4,439,823 as of Tuesday evening, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said.

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Africa has reached 4,439,823 as of Tuesday evening, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said. The Africa CDC, the specialized healthcare agency of the 55-member African Union, said the death toll from the pandemic stands at 118,194, while 3,980,551 patients across the continent have recovered from the disease. South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia, Ethiopia and Egypt are the countries with the most cases in the continent, according to the Africa CDC. South Africa has recorded 1,567,513 COVID-19 cases, the highest among African countries, followed by Morocco with 505,949 and Tunisia with 287,061 cases, it said. African countries have so far received over 33.8 million COVID-19 vaccine doses from different sources, mainly from the COVAX facility and through bilateral agreements outside COVAX, according to the Africa CDC.

Africa's COVID-19 cases surpass 4.43 million: Africa CDC

When Ghana received 50,000&nbsp;COVID-19&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;doses from India last month, it hit a frustrating roadblock: it had not trained enough staff to distribute them.

The country was still rolling out shots received in late February from the global&nbsp;vaccine-sharing scheme COVAX, and didn't have the capacity to expand that operation, according to the head of Ghana's immunisation programme.

Rather than going straight into the arms of health workers, the additional doses were put in cold storage in the capital Accra, Kwame Amponsa-Achiano told Reuters, adding that his team had received two days' notice about the shipment.

"We were in the middle of the first campaign," Amponsa-Achiano said. "How do you plan for 50,000 when you already are doing another campaign?"

The problems faced by Ghana, one of sub-Saharan&nbsp;Africa's more economically developed nations, illustrate how a continent with experience in battling deadly infectious diseases has found itself ill-prepared to inoculate people against this pandemic.

Many&nbsp;African countries, already facing a shortage of affordable&nbsp;vaccines, are being stunned by the unprecedented scale of the distribution&nbsp;challenge&nbsp;when doses do arrive.

Authorities do not have enough equipment like masks and cotton wool because of funding shortfalls that could total billions of dollars, according to more than a dozen health experts and some internal government documents seen by Reuters.

They also lack sufficient personnel and training to distribute&nbsp;vaccines at short notice.

While&nbsp;Africa&nbsp;has thus far been relatively unscathed by&nbsp;COVID-19, some experts fear stuttering rollouts could draw out the outbreak in the region, potentially leading to more deaths and economically damaging restrictions in a continent that is already the poorest in the world.

Benjamin Schreiber, COVAX coordinator at the UN&nbsp;children's agency UNICEF, said logistical problems could mount in the coming weeks and months as countries tried to get&nbsp;vaccines to their general populations.

"As we start rolling out bigger quantities, we are going to start seeing more issues," Schreiber said.

"The gaps in the healthcare systems will be the gaps that hinder the rollouts," he added. "My worry is that we miss complete communities."

NEEDED: MILLIONS OF DOLLARS

Ghana, where the novel coronavirus has infected more than 91,000 and killed over 750, is considered one of the better-prepared countries in&nbsp;Africa&nbsp;to carry out a mass vaccination drive because of its political stability and economic development.

The government aims to initially inoculate 17.6 million people - about half of its population - at a cost of $51.7 million, according to a national plan seen by Reuters.

It hopes to cover $7.9 million of that money with a World Bank loan but is short of $43.8 million, described as a "funding gap" in the internal government document.

Immunisation chief Amponsa-Achiano said he was not aware that the situation had changed since the plan was formulated in February.

The Ghanaian finance and health ministries did not respond to requests for comment.

Ghana was the first country in the world to receive a shipment from COVAX, taking delivery of 600,000 doses of the AstraZeneca/Oxford University&nbsp;vaccine, manufactured in India, on Feb. 24.

It started its&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;drive on March 1, and had vaccinated 599,000 people by April 7.

While that vaccination rate is better than many of its&nbsp;African peers - Ivory Coast vaccinated just over 53,000 people between March 1 and April 6 - it is far behind the fastest countries globally. Britain, for example, administered doses to about 2 million people in roughly the first month of its drive.

NEEDED: FRIDGES, COTTON WOOL

The Ghanaian national plan shows how even relatively prosperous&nbsp;African nations lack vital equipment.

Money is needed across the board, including $1.5 million for 11 walk-in cold rooms and over 650 fridges to keep&nbsp;vaccines at between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius.

About $25 million is needed for supplies and waste management, including 33,600 boxes of face masks, 240,000 bottles of hand sanitizer, and nearly 55,000 rolls of cotton wool, the plan says. About $21 million is needed to train over 171,000 health workers and volunteers.

To add to Ghana's&nbsp;challenge, its next COVAX shipments, expected in April and May, have been delayed until June, because India suspended major exports of&nbsp;vaccines manufactured there.

In its 2021 budget, outlined in mid-March, the Ghanaian government allotted 929,296,610 cedis ($160 million) for&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;acquisition and deployment.

Amponsa-Achiano said, though, it was not clear how much would go towards distribution, or when the funds would materialise.

It is a common problem in&nbsp;Africa, UNICEF's Schreiber said.

"The question is at what point will this funding hit the ground? Will it be in time?"

CONGO EBOLA OUTBREAKS

Some&nbsp;African authorities are familiar with deadly contagions. Since 2018, Congo has contained four Ebola outbreaks with a&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;which must be stored at between -60 and -80 degrees Celsius.

But the scale of the&nbsp;COVID-19 vaccination drive is new.

COVAX - the donor scheme co-led by the World Health Organisation (WHO) - has delivered over 18 million doses to 41&nbsp;African countries, according to Reuters data.

That's the first wave in a drive expected to deliver 600 million doses to&nbsp;Africa&nbsp;this year, enough to vaccinate 20 per cent of their populations. Russia, China and India have also donated some of their&nbsp;vaccines.

Funding is only one issue delaying&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;rollouts.

Another is patchy record-keeping in many public health systems, which experts say make it difficult to identify people who should be prioritised because of age or co-morbidities.

Demand for shots is also weak in some countries due to mistrust of health authorities, lack of education about the&nbsp;vaccines and worries about potential side effects.

Spotty electricity and poor transport links in some places add to the&nbsp;challenge, while medical teams will have to negotiate safe passage across parts of Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, Somalia and other places where insurgencies rage.

VACCINATING UNTIL END-2022?

John Nkengasong, who heads the&nbsp;Africa&nbsp;Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, says it could take until the end of 2022 to vaccinate 60 per cent of the continent's 1.3 billion people.

Take the task facing Mali, an impoverished country fighting an Islamist insurgency. It needs $14.7 million to deploy&nbsp;vaccines, including for gasoline,&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;storage and training, according to an internal government vaccination plan seen by Reuters.

The government will need funding support from the WHO, UNICEF, the GAVI&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;alliance and the World Bank, the plan says. Those organisations are all looking to provide funding to&nbsp;African nations facing shortfalls.

South Sudan, still racked by violence after a civil war ended in 2018, has seen&nbsp;COVID-19 infect at least 10,300 people and kill more than 100.

It began distributing 132,000&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;doses from COVAX on April 7. However, authorities won't start administering shots outside the capital Juba and its surrounding county until May at the earliest, said Kawa Tong, a member of a&nbsp;COVID-19 steering committee that advises the government.

"The key reason is the lack of funds for a rollout outside Juba. The transport of&nbsp;vaccines, training of health workers, community outreach - all these are tied to funding," Tong told Reuters.

Adding to the difficulties, by May the rainy season will be well underway, cutting off transport links to large parts of the country, she said. The vast majority of the 11 million-strong population live outside Juba county.

Atem Riek Anyom, director general for primary healthcare at South Sudan's health ministry, said the government had requested World Bank funding, adding that&nbsp;vaccines would soon be deployed across the country.

"There's no&nbsp;challenge&nbsp;in regards to the&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;rollout," he added. &nbsp;

The World Bank, which has a $12 billion fund to help developing countries around the world buy and distribute&nbsp;vaccines, said it was reviewing requests from Mali and South Sudan.

The bank said it has approved $2 billion to 17 countries, including seven in&nbsp;Africa: Ethiopia, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Eswatini, Tunisia, Rwanda and Gambia.

When Ghana received 50,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses from India last month, it hit a frustrating roadblock: it had not trained enough staff to distribute them. The country was still rolling out shots received in late February from the global vaccine-sharing scheme COVAX, and didn't have the capacity to expand that operation, according to the head of Ghana's immunisation programme.

When Ghana received 50,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses from India last month, it hit a frustrating roadblock: it had not trained enough staff to distribute them. The country was still rolling out shots received in late February from the global vaccine-sharing scheme COVAX, and didn't have the capacity to expand that operation, according to the head of Ghana's immunisation programme. Rather than going straight into the arms of health workers, the additional doses were put in cold storage in the capital Accra, Kwame Amponsa-Achiano told Reuters, adding that his team had received two days' notice about the shipment. "We were in the middle of the first campaign," Amponsa-Achiano said. "How do you plan for 50,000 when you already are doing another campaign?" The problems faced by Ghana, one of sub-Saharan Africa's more economically developed nations, illustrate how a continent with experience in battling deadly infectious diseases has found itself ill-prepared to inoculate people against this pandemic. Many African countries, already facing a shortage of affordable vaccines, are being stunned by the unprecedented scale of the distribution challenge when doses do arrive. Authorities do not have enough equipment like masks and cotton wool because of funding shortfalls that could total billions of dollars, according to more than a dozen health experts and some internal government documents seen by Reuters. They also lack sufficient personnel and training to distribute vaccines at short notice. While Africa has thus far been relatively unscathed by COVID-19, some experts fear stuttering rollouts could draw out the outbreak in the region, potentially leading to more deaths and economically damaging restrictions in a continent that is already the poorest in the world. Benjamin Schreiber, COVAX coordinator at the UN children's agency UNICEF, said logistical problems could mount in the coming weeks and months as countries tried to get vaccines to their general populations. "As we start rolling out bigger quantities, we are going to start seeing more issues," Schreiber said. "The gaps in the healthcare systems will be the gaps that hinder the rollouts," he added. "My worry is that we miss complete communities." NEEDED: MILLIONS OF DOLLARS Ghana, where the novel coronavirus has infected more than 91,000 and killed over 750, is considered one of the better-prepared countries in Africa to carry out a mass vaccination drive because of its political stability and economic development. The government aims to initially inoculate 17.6 million people - about half of its population - at a cost of $51.7 million, according to a national plan seen by Reuters. It hopes to cover $7.9 million of that money with a World Bank loan but is short of $43.8 million, described as a "funding gap" in the internal government document. Immunisation chief Amponsa-Achiano said he was not aware that the situation had changed since the plan was formulated in February. The Ghanaian finance and health ministries did not respond to requests for comment. Ghana was the first country in the world to receive a shipment from COVAX, taking delivery of 600,000 doses of the AstraZeneca/Oxford University vaccine, manufactured in India, on Feb. 24. It started its vaccine drive on March 1, and had vaccinated 599,000 people by April 7. While that vaccination rate is better than many of its African peers - Ivory Coast vaccinated just over 53,000 people between March 1 and April 6 - it is far behind the fastest countries globally. Britain, for example, administered doses to about 2 million people in roughly the first month of its drive. NEEDED: FRIDGES, COTTON WOOL The Ghanaian national plan shows how even relatively prosperous African nations lack vital equipment. Money is needed across the board, including $1.5 million for 11 walk-in cold rooms and over 650 fridges to keep vaccines at between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius. About $25 million is needed for supplies and waste management, including 33,600 boxes of face masks, 240,000 bottles of hand sanitizer, and nearly 55,000 rolls of cotton wool, the plan says. About $21 million is needed to train over 171,000 health workers and volunteers. To add to Ghana's challenge, its next COVAX shipments, expected in April and May, have been delayed until June, because India suspended major exports of vaccines manufactured there. In its 2021 budget, outlined in mid-March, the Ghanaian government allotted 929,296,610 cedis ($160 million) for vaccine acquisition and deployment. Amponsa-Achiano said, though, it was not clear how much would go towards distribution, or when the funds would materialise. It is a common problem in Africa, UNICEF's Schreiber said. "The question is at what point will this funding hit the ground? Will it be in time?" CONGO EBOLA OUTBREAKS Some African authorities are familiar with deadly contagions. Since 2018, Congo has contained four Ebola outbreaks with a vaccine which must be stored at between -60 and -80 degrees Celsius. But the scale of the COVID-19 vaccination drive is new. COVAX - the donor scheme co-led by the World Health Organisation (WHO) - has delivered over 18 million doses to 41 African countries, according to Reuters data. That's the first wave in a drive expected to deliver 600 million doses to Africa this year, enough to vaccinate 20 per cent of their populations. Russia, China and India have also donated some of their vaccines. Funding is only one issue delaying vaccine rollouts. Another is patchy record-keeping in many public health systems, which experts say make it difficult to identify people who should be prioritised because of age or co-morbidities. Demand for shots is also weak in some countries due to mistrust of health authorities, lack of education about the vaccines and worries about potential side effects. Spotty electricity and poor transport links in some places add to the challenge, while medical teams will have to negotiate safe passage across parts of Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, Somalia and other places where insurgencies rage. VACCINATING UNTIL END-2022? John Nkengasong, who heads the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, says it could take until the end of 2022 to vaccinate 60 per cent of the continent's 1.3 billion people. Take the task facing Mali, an impoverished country fighting an Islamist insurgency. It needs $14.7 million to deploy vaccines, including for gasoline, vaccine storage and training, according to an internal government vaccination plan seen by Reuters. The government will need funding support from the WHO, UNICEF, the GAVI vaccine alliance and the World Bank, the plan says. Those organisations are all looking to provide funding to African nations facing shortfalls. South Sudan, still racked by violence after a civil war ended in 2018, has seen COVID-19 infect at least 10,300 people and kill more than 100. It began distributing 132,000 vaccine doses from COVAX on April 7. However, authorities won't start administering shots outside the capital Juba and its surrounding county until May at the earliest, said Kawa Tong, a member of a COVID-19 steering committee that advises the government. "The key reason is the lack of funds for a rollout outside Juba. The transport of vaccines, training of health workers, community outreach - all these are tied to funding," Tong told Reuters. Adding to the difficulties, by May the rainy season will be well underway, cutting off transport links to large parts of the country, she said. The vast majority of the 11 million-strong population live outside Juba county. Atem Riek Anyom, director general for primary healthcare at South Sudan's health ministry, said the government had requested World Bank funding, adding that vaccines would soon be deployed across the country. "There's no challenge in regards to the vaccine rollout," he added. The World Bank, which has a $12 billion fund to help developing countries around the world buy and distribute vaccines, said it was reviewing requests from Mali and South Sudan. The bank said it has approved $2 billion to 17 countries, including seven in Africa: Ethiopia, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Eswatini, Tunisia, Rwanda and Gambia.

Cash-strapped Africa overwhelmed by COVID vaccine challenge

Gunshots rang out late on Friday in Somalia's capital Mogadishu, witnesses said, when government troops approached the home of the city's former police commander who was sacked for opposing a move by the president to extend his term.

The stand-off reveals splits within Somalia's security services that threaten to see forces turn on each other, creating an opportunity for the al Qaeda linked al Shabaab insurgency to exploit.

"Somalia's long-running political crisis has entered a new, dangerous phase," said the International Crisis Group, a Brussels-based think-tank, in a briefing note on Saturday.

"The opposition is said to be considering forming a parallel government; cracks have deepened in a security apparatus long divided along clan lines; and the president's opponents have vowed to resist extension of his rule."

Somalia, riven by civil war since 1991, is trying to rebuild with international help, but the path to stability has been obstructed by a political crisis caused by a failure to hold elections that were due in February.

On Monday, lawmakers extended President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed's four year term by up to two years.

The resolution passed after then Mogadishu police chief Saadaq Omar Hassan announced parliament was suspended, triggering his sacking moments later.

Hassan retreated to his house in the Shirkole area of the city, which is guarded by 100 armed men who have been reinforced by clan fighters, his family and area residents said.

Calm returned after the burst of gunfire, but some Shirkole residents held street demonstrations in support of Hassan, burning tyres and shouting slogans against the president.

"If you are attacked, you have to defend yourself," said Mahad Mohamed Salad, a pro-Hassan lawmaker.

The government denied claims it wanted to attack Hassan.

"We have no interest attacking a civilian area where most inhabitants are children and women," interior security minister Hassan Hunbdubey said in an online address late Friday.

Donors, who have opposed the president's move to extend his term, fear the crisis could abet further attacks by Islamist al Shabaab militants, who have been trying for years to topple the government.

The militants on Friday killed Mohamed Abdi Hayle, the district commissioner for Hamarjajab on the edge of Mogadishu, the state news agency reported.

They also captured the Becaadweyn area of the central state of Galmudug without resistance on Thursday, after the Somali army left the area, residents said.

Gunshots rang out late on Friday in Somalia's capital Mogadishu, witnesses said, when government troops approached the home of the city's former police commander who was sacked for opposing a move by the president to extend his term.

Gunshots rang out late on Friday in Somalia's capital Mogadishu, witnesses said, when government troops approached the home of the city's former police commander who was sacked for opposing a move by the president to extend his term. The stand-off reveals splits within Somalia's security services that threaten to see forces turn on each other, creating an opportunity for the al Qaeda linked al Shabaab insurgency to exploit. "Somalia's long-running political crisis has entered a new, dangerous phase," said the International Crisis Group, a Brussels-based think-tank, in a briefing note on Saturday. "The opposition is said to be considering forming a parallel government; cracks have deepened in a security apparatus long divided along clan lines; and the president's opponents have vowed to resist extension of his rule." Somalia, riven by civil war since 1991, is trying to rebuild with international help, but the path to stability has been obstructed by a political crisis caused by a failure to hold elections that were due in February. On Monday, lawmakers extended President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed's four year term by up to two years. The resolution passed after then Mogadishu police chief Saadaq Omar Hassan announced parliament was suspended, triggering his sacking moments later. Hassan retreated to his house in the Shirkole area of the city, which is guarded by 100 armed men who have been reinforced by clan fighters, his family and area residents said. Calm returned after the burst of gunfire, but some Shirkole residents held street demonstrations in support of Hassan, burning tyres and shouting slogans against the president. "If you are attacked, you have to defend yourself," said Mahad Mohamed Salad, a pro-Hassan lawmaker. The government denied claims it wanted to attack Hassan. "We have no interest attacking a civilian area where most inhabitants are children and women," interior security minister Hassan Hunbdubey said in an online address late Friday. Donors, who have opposed the president's move to extend his term, fear the crisis could abet further attacks by Islamist al Shabaab militants, who have been trying for years to topple the government. The militants on Friday killed Mohamed Abdi Hayle, the district commissioner for Hamarjajab on the edge of Mogadishu, the state news agency reported. They also captured the Becaadweyn area of the central state of Galmudug without resistance on Thursday, after the Somali army left the area, residents said.

Somali government troops face off with forces loyal to sacked police boss

Cape Verde, a bastion of democracy in Africa, held parliamentary polls Sunday with no clear winner in sight after a campaign dominated by the Covid pandemic and its impact on a tourism-dependent economy.

Neither of the two traditional major parties is predicted to emerge the outright winner, giving four smaller parties a chance to have their say over the group of islands off the west coast of Africa.

In the capital Praia, queues of voters began forming early in the day in front of schools serving as polling stations, AFP journalists said.

"The priority for me is to re-elect the government, fight Covid and develop the economy and tourism," said Luis Leit, 44, after voting.

With foreign tourism accounting for roughly a quarter of the economy and visitors unable to come owing to global pandemic restrictions, Cape Verde, with a population of 550,000, was plunged into a historic recession in 2020, when output shrank by 14.8 percent.

Prime Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva nonetheless told reporters: "We are very confident. We hope to have an absolute majority."

But his Movement for Democracy (MpD) is being closely contested by the African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV), a socialist party led by Janira Hopffer Almada.&nbsp;

The 42-year-old lawyer and former youth minister hopes to become the first woman to lead the former Portuguese colony.

A supporter who presented himself as a jurist named Carla told AFP he wanted Almada to fight corruption, even if the country has a good reputation in that area.

After voting, Almada complained, "the state continued campaigning yesterday", (Saturday) after the official end of electioneering on Friday, calling it a "grave violation".

Virus surge despite isolation

Both major parties pledged measures to provide wide access to Covid-19 vaccinations and to diversify the economy.

Although it lies around 600 kilometres (375 miles) off the coast of Senegal, Cape Verde has witnessed a surge in coronavirus cases.

With 189 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, the country had the highest rate in Africa according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention for the period from April 5-11.

Voting began at 0800 GMT and polling stations were scheduled to remain open until 1900 GMT, with just over 392,000 people registered to vote.

In 1990, one-party rule in Cape Verde was swept away and the first multi-party elections were held the following year.

In 2016, the MpD ended the PAICV's 15-year run with a historic victory, gaining 40 of 72 seats in the single-chamber parliament, the National Assembly.

Cape Verde has a semi-parliamentary system in which the prime minister wields executive power while the president plays the part of arbitrator in the event of intractable disputes.

Elections for the presidency take place on October 17.&nbsp;

In a continent marked by political unrest, coups or monolithic rulers who have been in power for decades, the tiny Atlantic archipelago stands out.

It ranks just behind Mauritius as the most democratic country in sub-Saharan Africa in the Economist Intelligence Unit's 2020 Democracy Index.

Cape Verde, a bastion of democracy in Africa, held parliamentary polls Sunday with no clear winner in sight after a campaign dominated by the Covid pandemic and its impact on a tourism-dependent economy.

Cape Verde, a bastion of democracy in Africa, held parliamentary polls Sunday with no clear winner in sight after a campaign dominated by the Covid pandemic and its impact on a tourism-dependent economy. Neither of the two traditional major parties is predicted to emerge the outright winner, giving four smaller parties a chance to have their say over the group of islands off the west coast of Africa. In the capital Praia, queues of voters began forming early in the day in front of schools serving as polling stations, AFP journalists said. "The priority for me is to re-elect the government, fight Covid and develop the economy and tourism," said Luis Leit, 44, after voting. With foreign tourism accounting for roughly a quarter of the economy and visitors unable to come owing to global pandemic restrictions, Cape Verde, with a population of 550,000, was plunged into a historic recession in 2020, when output shrank by 14.8 percent. Prime Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva nonetheless told reporters: "We are very confident. We hope to have an absolute majority." But his Movement for Democracy (MpD) is being closely contested by the African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV), a socialist party led by Janira Hopffer Almada. The 42-year-old lawyer and former youth minister hopes to become the first woman to lead the former Portuguese colony. A supporter who presented himself as a jurist named Carla told AFP he wanted Almada to fight corruption, even if the country has a good reputation in that area. After voting, Almada complained, "the state continued campaigning yesterday", (Saturday) after the official end of electioneering on Friday, calling it a "grave violation". Virus surge despite isolation Both major parties pledged measures to provide wide access to Covid-19 vaccinations and to diversify the economy. Although it lies around 600 kilometres (375 miles) off the coast of Senegal, Cape Verde has witnessed a surge in coronavirus cases. With 189 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, the country had the highest rate in Africa according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention for the period from April 5-11. Voting began at 0800 GMT and polling stations were scheduled to remain open until 1900 GMT, with just over 392,000 people registered to vote. In 1990, one-party rule in Cape Verde was swept away and the first multi-party elections were held the following year. In 2016, the MpD ended the PAICV's 15-year run with a historic victory, gaining 40 of 72 seats in the single-chamber parliament, the National Assembly. Cape Verde has a semi-parliamentary system in which the prime minister wields executive power while the president plays the part of arbitrator in the event of intractable disputes. Elections for the presidency take place on October 17. In a continent marked by political unrest, coups or monolithic rulers who have been in power for decades, the tiny Atlantic archipelago stands out. It ranks just behind Mauritius as the most democratic country in sub-Saharan Africa in the Economist Intelligence Unit's 2020 Democracy Index.

Voters go to the polls in Cape Verde, Africa's model of democracy

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Africa has reached 4,408,245 as of Saturday, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said.

The Africa CDC, the specialized healthcare agency of the African Union (AU), said the death toll from the pandemic stood at 117,378, while 3,951,191 patients across the continent have recovered from the disease.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/global-coronavirus-deaths-cross-3-million-as-countries-observe-surge-378265" hreflang="en">Global coronavirus deaths cross 3 million as countries observe surge</a>

South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia, Ethiopia and Egypt are among the African countries with the most cases in the continent, according to the Africa CDC.

In terms of the number of cases, southern Africa is the most affected region, followed by northern Africa and eastern Africa regions, while central Africa is the least affected region in the continent, according to the African health agency.

South Africa has recorded 1,564,355 COVID-19 cases, the most among African countries.&nbsp;

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Africa has reached 4,408,245 as of Saturday, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said. The Africa CDC, the specialized healthcare agency of the African Union (AU), said the death toll from the pandemic stood at 117,378, while 3,951,191 patients across the continent have recovered from the disease.

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Africa has reached 4,408,245 as of Saturday, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said. The Africa CDC, the specialized healthcare agency of the African Union (AU), said the death toll from the pandemic stood at 117,378, while 3,951,191 patients across the continent have recovered from the disease. Also read | Global coronavirus deaths cross 3 million as countries observe surge South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia, Ethiopia and Egypt are among the African countries with the most cases in the continent, according to the Africa CDC. In terms of the number of cases, southern Africa is the most affected region, followed by northern Africa and eastern Africa regions, while central Africa is the least affected region in the continent, according to the African health agency. South Africa has recorded 1,564,355 COVID-19 cases, the most among African countries.

Africa's confirmed COVID-19 cases surpass 4.4 million

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