DRC: Inside a mine controlled by M23

DRC: Inside a mine controlled by M23

Author: BBC World Service July 11, 2025 Duration: 34:45

A recent US-brokered peace deal may have raised hopes of stability in eastern DRC. However, miners have told the BBC that M23’s control of mineral-rich areas could keep the conflict going.

US aid cuts are forcing HIV clinics across Africa to shut down, with South Africa hit hardest. Experts are also warning that this could stall vaccine research and reverse years of progress.

And Uganda has overtaken Ethiopia as Africa’s top coffee exporter, shipping 47,000 tonnes in just one month. How did they do it?

Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Bella Hassan, Stefania Okereke and Nyasha Michelle Technical Producer: Pat Sissons Senior Journalist: Yvette Twagiramariya Editors: Alice Muthengi and Andre Lombard


Each weekday, as the afternoon draws to a close, Focus on Africa provides a thoughtful and necessary pause to understand the continent's dynamic pulse. Produced by the BBC World Service, this daily podcast goes beyond headlines, unpacking two essential stories with depth and context. The reporting doesn't just explain the major events shaping nations and communities; it deliberately highlights the individuals living through these changes, ensuring the human dimension of every story is heard. Furthermore, the program offers a vital African perspective on worldwide events, examining how global developments resonate locally. Under the steady guidance of host Nkechi Ogbonna, listeners are offered clarity and insight, making complex issues accessible. This reliable briefing is crafted to fit into your routine, arriving before the evening with the authority and nuance you expect. Tuning into this podcast means connecting with a nuanced portrait of a continent, its people, and its place in the world, all delivered with journalistic rigor five days a week.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 922

Focus on Africa
Podcast Episodes
Are Gen Z investing for vibes? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:57
Where do you get your financial advice from? A report says Gen Z are nearly five times more likely to turn to social media than people in their 40s. On TikTok, the hashtag FinTok has over four billion views, with trends…
Kenya downplays fuel shortage fears amid Iran war [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:58
Authorities in Kenya have assured the public that the country has enough fuel supply in the wake of global supply shortages caused by US-Israel Iran war. Kenya is among the African countries where buyers have been report…
Africans in Minnesota challenge deportation threat [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:59
Have you ever wondered what life is like for Africans in the US who are threatened with deportation? Africans from Somalia, Ethiopia, South Sudan and Cameroon recently won a temporary reprieve in an ongoing legal battle…
Controversy regarding Nigeria's Ozoro fertility festival [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:59
The Ozoro fertility festival, a long-standing tradition in Delta state, southern Nigeria, has come under scrutiny after several videos online appeared to show men chasing after and sexually harassing women. Local police…
Tunisian activist jailed for eight years [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:59
A Tunis court has jailed 66-year-old Saadia Mosbah, who leads a migrant rights and anti-racism group called Mnemty, which is a civil society organisation addressing issues linked to racism in Tunisia. Her sentencing come…
Rise in BBLs among young women [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:58
The Brazilian Butt Lift surgery is one of the fastest growing cosmetic surgeries in the world, but it is also one of the most dangerous. The risk of death from having a BBL is at least 10 times higher than many other pro…
Deadly blasts hit north-eastern Nigerian city [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:59
At least 23 people were killed and over 100 injured in multiple explosions in Maiduguri, north-eastern Nigeria, a long-time insurgency hotspot. We examine the effect of the attack on traumatised residents and how they ar…
Senegal stripped, Morocco awarded title [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:59
We examine the continent’s reaction after Senegal’s 1‑0 AFCON final win from 18 January was overturned, with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) instead awarding Morocco a 3‑0 victory. CAF's disciplinary committe…
Rise in White South Africans Returning Home [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:59
Thousands of white South Africans abroad, including in the US, are returning home despite President Donald Trump alleging that they’re being targeted, a claim the South African government denies. At least 12,000 have che…
Africa Eye: Somali soldiers fighting IS [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:59
The BBC’s Africa Eye embeds with Puntland forces in Somalia’s northeastern Al-Miskaad mountains as they fight Islamic State (IS) militants. Nearly a decade after its defeat in the Middle East, IS has spread across Africa…