Global Pulse

标签： Africa

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  • As East Africa’s oceans change, coastal women build new livelihoods

    As East Africa’s oceans change, coastal women build new livelihoods

    Along the sunbaked Indian Ocean coastline of East Africa, generations of small-scale fishing communities have built their lives around the sea. But today, rapidly warming waters, rampant overfishing, and illegal industrial fishing operations have pushed traditional livelihoods to the breaking point, forcing coastal residents — and women in particular — to reimagine their relationship with the ocean through conservation-led enterprises that offer both hope and stability.

    In Malindi, a coastal town northeast of Kenya’s major port Mombasa, 54-year-old Nuru Mohamed is putting the final touches on her new beachside restaurant, where fishing nets hang as rustic decor while her daughter sweeps away construction sand. For most of her life, Mohamed was one of the region’s rare female artisanal fishers, but she has faced declining catches, stolen boats, and unfair competition from large-scale industrial trawlers that operate illegally in nearshore waters. A nearby Chinese-owned fish processing facility stands as a stark reminder of how the local industry has shifted beyond the reach of small-scale operators. “I can’t compete with that kind of power or scale,” she says. “I fought to remain a fisherwoman. But I think it’s a fight I can no longer win.” For Mohamed and the women working with her on the restaurant, the new business is more than just a construction project — it is a lifeline. “For us women, this is hope,” she says. “It will help support many families that have depended on the ocean for decades.”

    This shift is not an isolated case. Across East Africa’s entire coastal belt, communities are turning to tourism, mangrove and seagrass restoration, and other conservation-focused ventures to build sustainable incomes as traditional fishing becomes increasingly unviable. In Kenya, women have turned restored mangrove forests into income streams through beekeeping and ecotourism; in Tanzania’s Zanzibar archipelago, fishing communities run locally managed coral reef protected areas to reverse ecosystem damage; in Mozambique, seagrass restoration projects create jobs while reviving critical marine habitats. Far from abandoning the ocean that has sustained their families for generations, these initiatives redefine resilience as restoring the marine ecosystem while building long-term livelihoods that work with, not against, the ocean’s natural health.

    Ten kilometers from Mohamed’s restaurant, where the Sabaki River flows into the Indian Ocean, Beatrice Mwanyiro manages both a mangrove nursery and a community restaurant, run by a 30-member women’s self-help group called ReSea that receives funding from the Canadian government. “We have to adapt to the changing times,” Mwanyiro says. “The number of fish coming into the shallow waters are falling every year. Without another source of income, we won’t be able to feed our families.”

    Critical coastal ecosystems — mangroves, coral reefs, seagrass meadows, and nearshore fisheries — provide far more than food: they buffer coastlines from destructive storm surges, support biodiversity, and store massive amounts of carbon that help slow global climate change. Yet these habitats are increasingly threatened by warming oceans, plastic pollution, habitat destruction, and overfishing. In Lamu, Kenya’s UNESCO World Heritage coastal site, veteran fishery leader Mohamed Somo notes that where boats once brought in up to 100 kilograms of fish per trip, today catches often top out at less than 30 kilograms. While Kenyan law restricts industrial trawlers to operating at least 5 nautical miles offshore, Somo says many vessels flout the rules, moving into shallow, nearshore waters where small-scale fishers work overnight to strip the remaining fish stocks. “By morning, there’s very little left for us,” he says.

    This crisis is not unique to Kenya. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing costs the global economy roughly $23 billion annually, while threatening marine biodiversity and the food security of billions of people who rely on fish as their primary source of protein.

    As coastal communities fight to survive, growing pressure has pushed ocean conservation higher up the global political agenda. Conservation leaders emphasize that the communities that depend on the ocean are also its most effective protectors, particularly when women lead local efforts. “Communities that depend on the ocean are also its best stewards,” says Andreane Martel, ReSea’s project director. “When local people, especially women, lead conservation, they protect biodiversity while creating more resilient and inclusive livelihoods.”

    Jerry Mang’ena, co-founder and executive director of Tanzania-based conservation group Action for Ocean, which restores mangrove habitats along the country’s coast, echoes this view. “Coastal communities are on the frontlines of climate change and declining ocean health, but they are also among the strongest drivers of resilience,” he says. “Supporting sustainable livelihoods, from aquaculture and eco-tourism to ecosystem restoration, helps families adapt while reducing pressure on the ocean. If we’re serious about protecting our seas, we must invest in the people who have cared for them for generations.”

    At the recent Our Ocean Conference held in Mombasa, conservation groups called on African governments to quickly ratify the landmark UN Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement, also known as the High Seas Treaty. The global pact, which entered into force in January this year, establishes frameworks to create marine protected areas in international waters and ensure equitable sharing of marine genetic resources. As of April, 145 countries have signed the agreement, and 81 have fully ratified it. For small-scale fishers like Mohamed, the outcome of global ratification efforts could reshape their future, reducing the pressure of unregulated fishing on nearshore stocks and creating more stable conditions for their new conservation-led livelihoods.

    “The BBNJ Agreement gives African governments a historic opportunity to protect the high seas and safeguard the future of our fisheries,” says Aliou Ba, oceans campaign lead at Greenpeace Africa. “But protecting the ocean also means confronting illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing that is stripping African waters of marine life and robbing coastal communities of food and income. Governments cannot afford to delay.”

    This reporting on climate and environment by The Associated Press is supported by funding from multiple private foundations, with AP retaining full editorial control over all content.

  • The African fishermen who blame Chinese trawlers for their woes

    The African fishermen who blame Chinese trawlers for their woes

    On sun-baked beaches along Sierra Leone’s Sherbo Island, 120 kilometers south of the capital Freetown, the age-old ritual of collective shore fishing unfolds much as it has for generations. A dozen villagers strain against thick ropes, shouting in coordinated bursts as they haul a heavy net bulging with snapper, mackerel, barracuda and rays out of the Atlantic surf. But where this communal work once yielded enough to feed local families and earn steady incomes, today’s hauls tell a story of growing crisis: small-scale local fishermen across the country say their catches have plummeted in recent years, and they point to one clear culprit – large, unregulated foreign trawlers operating illegally inside protected coastal waters.

    Marie Pierre, one of the local workers sorting sardines from discarded jellyfish after the net comes ashore, says illegal international vessels have been violating the country’s official seven-mile exclusion zone – an area reserved exclusively for small-scale domestic fishing – in growing numbers. For many fishermen, the incursions go far beyond just stealing fish. Musa Gassimo, a local Sherbo Island fisherman, alleges that foreign trawlers deliberately cut the lines of small-scale fishing nets when local crews return to shore overnight. Each replacement net costs up to $250, a catastrophic expense for low-income artisanal fishermen who rely on their gear to make a living.

    West Africa has long been recognized as the global epicenter of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. A 2024 global analysis estimates that 40% of the world’s unlicensed fishing catch is harvested from the region’s waters, costing West African governments a combined $10 billion in lost annual revenue while putting the food security of more than 30 million people who depend on local fishing at risk. Industry observers note that little progress has been made to reverse the crisis in the two years since the report was published.

    Thomas Turay, president of Sierra Leone’s Fishermen’s Union, confirms the severity of the decline, saying average catches for local members have dropped by roughly 40% since illegal incursions surged. Speaking from Tombo Harbour near Freetown, Turay points to large foreign vessels anchored just outside the exclusion zone, saying these ships slip into protected coastal waters almost every night under cover of darkness. Multiple local fishermen who spoke with reporters shared personal accounts of damage and loss: 70-year-old Abou Waisissé described an incident where dozens of small local boats had their nets cut in a single incursion, while 55-year-old Mohamedi Kamara said his small fishing craft was badly damaged in a collision with a large international trawler.

    When asked about the nationalities of the illegal vessels operating off Sierra Leone’s coast, Steve Trent, CEO and co-founder of the global advocacy group Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF), says the vast majority are flagged to China. While vessels from South Korea, Taiwan and European countries have operated illegally in the region in the past, Trent says Chinese trawlers now overwhelmingly dominate unlicensed fishing activity across West Africa.

    Local fishermen say they have repeatedly reported illegal incursions to Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Fisheries, but their complaints have gone unanswered. Turay blames systemic corruption for the lack of enforcement, saying operators of illegal trawlers bribe government officials to avoid penalties. “I know that somebody who is doing this illegal business has the money to bribe and pay,” he says. “Government authorities are afraid to help the local fishermen.”

    These allegations of widespread unenforced regulation are strenuously denied by Sheku Sei, director of Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Fisheries. Sei acknowledges that illegal fishing was once a major problem, but argues that new regulatory measures have reduced incursions significantly. He says all international vessels operating in Sierra Leone’s waters are now required to carry transponders to track their movements, and government inspectors conduct routine checks on foreign fleets. When asked about the common global practice of vessels turning off transponders to avoid detection of illegal activity, Sei claimed this does not happen in Sierra Leone’s waters. He also argued that steep financial penalties for violating the seven-mile exclusion zone act as a strong deterrent, but could not name a single instance where penalties had actually been applied over the past 10 years.

    The Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Sierra Leone did not respond to BBC requests for comment on the allegations. Last month, however, the Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a blanket denial after similar claims of illegal Chinese fishing in Latin American waters, saying “China is a responsible fishing nation, strictly enforcing the regulation of its distant-water fishing activities and engaging in mutually beneficial fisheries cooperation with relevant countries in accordance with international law.”

    Trent from EJF rejects this claim, arguing the Chinese government has adopted a deliberate “head-in-the-sand” approach to the crisis. “It’s simply not credible for them to carry on in this way. China, to date, still is not doing nearly enough to control its fleet. In fact, I would say they’re enabling it, through subsidies, through a lack of oversight and control.”

    Trent says the solution to the crisis requires two key changes: improved global tracking of commercial fishing vessels, and increased international pressure on the Chinese government to enforce regulations on its distant-water fleet. He notes that fish illegally harvested from West African waters are sold to consumers around the world, giving everyday shoppers the power to drive change by choosing only legally and sustainably sourced seafood, a choice that protects the livelihoods of vulnerable small-scale fishermen in poor coastal nations.

  • Queiroz leaves Ghana following World Cup exit

    Queiroz leaves Ghana following World Cup exit

    Veteran football manager Carlos Queiroz has ended his tenure as head coach of Ghana’s men’s national team, stepping down just three months after accepting the role following the Black Stars’ early elimination from the 2026 FIFA World Cup at the round of 32 stage.

    The 73-year-old coach was appointed to lead Ghana back in April this year, and steered the side to a third-place finish in their Group L during the group stage, which earned them a spot in the knockout round. Their run in the tournament was cut short, however, after a narrow 1-0 defeat to Colombia in the first knockout fixture, which saw the Ghanaian side exit the competition.

    Queiroz boasts an extensive resume in elite football management, including a notable spell as assistant manager to Sir Alex Ferguson at English Premier League giants Manchester United. He held the assistant position at Old Trafford across two stints: first from 2002 to 2003, before returning to the club from 2004 to 2008, where he contributed to multiple major trophy wins during his time at the club. This World Cup marks the fifth consecutive major tournament where Queiroz has held a head coaching position at the competition; he previously led the national teams of Iran, Portugal, and Egypt at World Cup finals.

    Queiroz was not the only head coach to part ways with his national team on the day of the announcement. Following his departure, it was also confirmed that the Jordan Football Association had split with head coach Jamal Sellami, after Jordan finished the tournament in fourth place in their Group J bracket. The dual departures add to the wave of post-tournament coaching changes that typically follow early elimination from the FIFA World Cup.

  • Cape Verde’s soccer team returns home to huge welcome. The basketball team also has World Cup hopes

    Cape Verde’s soccer team returns home to huge welcome. The basketball team also has World Cup hopes

    For a tiny West African island nation of just 500,000 people, what was already set to be a landmark Independence Day celebration turned into a once-in-a-generation moment of national joy this Sunday, as two of its national teams delivered historic achievements that captured global sports attention.

    Cape Verde’s men’s national soccer team arrived home to a hero’s welcome after a breakout maiden World Cup run that saw the side advance to the tournament’s round of 32, and push global powerhouse Argentina led by Lionel Messi into a tense extra-time battle. To make the weekend even sweeter, the country’s men’s national basketball team locked in a spot in the second round of 2027 FIBA World Cup qualifying over the weekend, wrapping up the milestone with a comfortable win over Libya in a qualifying match hosted in Cameroon on Sunday.

    At roughly 4,033 square kilometers of total land area, Cape Verde is the smallest country by land mass to ever qualify for the FIFA World Cup — a historic feat that has already cemented this team’s place in global soccer history. Sunday marked the 49th anniversary of the nation’s independence from Portuguese rule, so nationwide celebrations were already planned across the archipelago off West Africa’s coast long before the two teams’ landmark wins. The soccer team’s return from their World Cup campaign in Miami, Florida, only amplified the electric national mood to extraordinary levels.

    In footage captured by the team’s starting goalkeeper Vozinha, ground crew workers at the international airport dropped to their knees and bowed in reverence as the team’s plane taxied to its arrival gate, a raw display of how deeply the squad’s run resonated across the small nation. After clearing the terminal, where players spent hours greeting supporters, posing for selfies, exchanging hugs and high-fives with thousands of cheering well-wishers and speaking with local media, the squad was loaded onto the back of an open flatbed truck for a public parade through crowded city streets.

    Thousands of fans lined the route, waving the nation’s iconic blue, red and white flag that fluttered in the warm weekend breeze. Local drummers performed traditional rhythms along the parade route, and cultural dance troupes joined the procession to turn the homecoming into a full national street party.

    “We gave it all for Cape Verde,” said defender Pico Lopes, summing up the team’s pride in representing the small nation on the world’s biggest soccer stage.

    Emanuel Trovoada, head coach of the national basketball team, echoed the celebratory tone after his side locked in their qualifying milestone. The Cape Verde basketball team made their own historic first World Cup appearance in 2023, and are now targeting a second consecutive berth at the 2027 tournament, with their next set of qualifying matches set to kick off in late August.

    “Viva Cape Verde,” Trovoada declared after the team’s win over Libya, a statement that summed up the entire nation’s mood over the weekend. “This is historic. This is important. Our soccer team has returned to the country — for a party.”

  • Newcastle sign Toure for £43m – what will he bring to club?

    Newcastle sign Toure for £43m – what will he bring to club?

    English Premier League side Newcastle United has finalized a £43 million transfer deal for 20-year-old Ivory Coast international winger Bazoumana Toure, capping off a whirlwind rise for a young player who has long dreamed of competing in England’s top flight. Fresh off an impressive 18-month spell with Bundesliga club Hoffenheim, Toure landed on Tyneside via private jet, bringing with him not just elite attacking statistics, but a relentless positive energy that has left a lasting mark on every former teammate and coach he has worked with.

    Former Hammarby teammate Nahir Besara, who shared a dressing room with Toure when the forward first moved to Europe in 2024, highlighted the young winger’s consistent upbeat attitude that sets him apart from other rising prospects. “It doesn’t matter if it is a good day or a bad day, he always goes into the locker room with a smile, ready to work,” Besara explained. Beyond his on-pitch talent, Besara also recalled a heartfelt gesture from Toure ahead of his exit from the Swedish club: Toure sent Besara a monetary gift to thank him for his support early in his European career, a gesture Besara called “amazing” despite returning the money.

    Toure’s rapid ascent through European football is one of the most compelling stories in modern transfer markets. He only joined Sweden’s Hammarby in 2024, moved to Hoffenheim a year later, and now steps into the Premier League less than two years after arriving in Europe from Ivorian domestic side ASEC Mimosas. Mikael Hjelmberg, Hammarby’s sporting director who first scouted and signed Toure, said he immediately fell in love with the young winger after watching him play in his home country, singling out his unshakable positivity as a defining trait.

    That positive energy translates directly to his performance on the pitch. During the 2025-26 Bundesliga campaign, Toure posted elite numbers among all league forwards: he ranked first for successful crosses with 39, joint-second for assists with nine, joint-third for completed dribbles with 48, and fourth for total chances created at 45, including 11 big scoring chances. Defensively, he also held his own, winning 152 duels and regaining possession 127 times throughout the season, helping Hoffenheim narrowly miss out on a Champions League qualification spot.

    Contrary to assumptions that young fast wingers are uncoachable mavericks, former colleagues repeatedly emphasized Toure’s rare adaptability and willingness to implement tactical guidance. Besara recalled an early example during his time at Hammarby: after coach Kim Hellberg instructed Toure to target the first post for headed chances ahead of a match, Toure went on to score two headers that same game, despite never having notched a headed goal prior to that fixture. This ability to quickly adjust to new instructions has been central to his rapid improvement all over the pitch, even in defensive phases of play.

    The transfer marks a key breakthrough for Newcastle this summer, coming amid a major squad reshuffle driven by financial fair play rules. The club has been in the market for a left winger ever since Anthony Gordon completed a £69.3m move to Barcelona in June. After missing out on alternative target Victor Munoz, who chose to join Liverpool from Osasuna, Newcastle’s need for a new wide player became even more urgent following the agreed sale of star midfielder Sandro Tonali to Tottenham Hotspur for up to £100m. That sale, while the departure of a key player, has opened up critical financial headroom under Premier League financial rules, allowing Newcastle to reinvest in multiple areas of their squad.

    Toure fits the exact profile of player the Magpies have targeted throughout this transfer window: he is young, hungry, and has repeatedly expressed his desire to play for the club, a welcome boost for a side that has faced multiple transfer setbacks over the past 12 months. While observers and the Newcastle coaching staff acknowledge that the 20-year-old is still a raw prospect who needs to refine areas of his game – most notably his finishing – and adapt to the greater physicality and intensity of the Premier League, as well as Eddie Howe’s specific system, his track record of rapid adaptation to new environments gives both the club and former colleagues confidence he will succeed. Besara put it simply: “I know he will be really successful. Mark my words.”

  • Thousand welcome home Cape Verde footballers after stunning World Cup run

    Thousand welcome home Cape Verde footballers after stunning World Cup run

    The small West African island nation of Cape Verde is celebrating two milestones this weekend: 51 years of independence from Portuguese colonial rule, and the unprecedented World Cup campaign that captured global football fans’ hearts. Tens of thousands of jubilant supporters packed the grounds of Praia’s international airport on Sunday to welcome home their beloved Blue Sharks, the lowest-ranked and second-smallest nation ever to compete at the men’s World Cup, after a historic run that ended just short of the knockout stage.

    Cape Verde, ranked 67th in the world heading into the tournament, defied every pre-tournament prediction to hold its own against global powerhouses. The side earned three draws across group stage play, including a stunning 0-0 shutout of European champions Spain in their opening World Cup match ever. Those results set up a dramatic final group clash with defending champions Argentina, where the underdog Blue Sharks pushed the heavily favored side to extra time before a late cruel deflection knocked them out of contention.

    In that thrilling match, Lionel Messi put Argentina ahead early, but Cape Verde equalized to level the score at 1-1 by full time. A second Argentina goal put them ahead once again in extra time, only for a stunning strike from Sidny Lopes Cabral to level the match for a second time. The game ended 2-2, but a deflection off Cape Verde defender Diney Borges from Cristian Romero’s late header sealed Argentina’s progression to the knockout round, ending Cape Verde’s dream run.

    Despite the heartbreaking exit, the mood back home was nothing short of celebratory when the team touched down in Praia. The entire airport area was transformed into a spontaneous carnival, with fans dancing, beating drums, chanting player names, and waving the national blue flag, turning the venue into a solid sea of the country’s signature color. Fans called out for star players including standout goalkeeper Vozinha — whose sharp performances drew global attention — and defender Pico Lopes, who notched several key plays across the tournament. Players, including captain Ryan Mendes, spent hours signing autographs and posing for photos with supporters who lined the arrival area for hours.

    Speaking to reporters after arriving, Vozinha, whose full name is Josimar José Évora Dias, said that while the team had hoped to advance further than the group stage, the moment of celebration with fans was not diminished. “We wanted something bigger but we didn’t go to the next stage. Now we just enjoy the moment and celebrate with our people,” he said, wearing a white tee printed with Cape Verde’s name.

    One local supporter who joined the homecoming crowd explained that she came to honor the team for what they achieved against far more highly ranked opponents. The Blue Sharks proved that even the second-smallest nation at the tournament, a side making their World Cup debut, could compete with the sport’s biggest names, including Spain and Uruguay, holding their own across 270 minutes of group play.
    Head coach Pedro Leitão Brito, widely known by his nickname Bubista, shared that pride, noting the team came within 10 minutes of forcing Argentina into a penalty shootout that could have produced the biggest upset in World Cup history. “We showed that we may be a small country but we can play against the best teams in the world,” he said. “That’s a reason for pride. We made history for our country. They can be proud for representing our country.”

    The timing of the homecoming, overlapping with Cape Verde’s annual independence day celebrations, added an extra layer of national pride to the event, turning a regular homecoming into a landmark moment of unity and national celebration for the island nation.

  • ‘Very grateful’ – Cape Verde arrive home

    ‘Very grateful’ – Cape Verde arrive home

    After a historic World Cup run that captured global attention, the Cape Verde men’s national football team has touched back down on home soil, bringing an end to their dream tournament that was cut short by a knockout stage defeat to powerhouse Argentina.

    Goalkeeper Vozinha, one of the team’s standout performers throughout their unexpected campaign, opened up about the squad’s emotions in comments made upon arrival. Reflecting on the result, he shared that while the entire group was proud of how far they had come, they still harbored a hunger for more. ‘We wanted something bigger,’ Vozinha said, acknowledging the team’s ambition to progress even deeper into the competition than they ultimately managed. He also expressed gratitude for the widespread support the side received both at home and across the world during their time in the tournament. ‘Very grateful,’ he added of the outpouring of encouragement that carried the team through their World Cup journey.

    Widely ranked as one of the tournament’s biggest underdogs before kickoff, Cape Verde defied pre-tournament expectations to earn a spot in the knockout round, pulling off upset results that made them fan favorites among neutral football supporters around the globe. Even in exit, their tenacious style of play and giant-killing spirit has cemented their place in World Cup history, with the side already being remembered as the underdog that the world will not be forgetting anytime soon.

  • Celebrations in Morocco

    Celebrations in Morocco

    Thousands of jubilant Morocco football supporters have taken to the streets to celebrate their national team’s historic 3-0 victory over Canada, which secured the Atlas Lions a spot in the 2022 FIFA World Cup quarter-finals and extended their remarkable undefeated streak to 34 consecutive matches.

    The stunning win over Canada capped off an impressive group stage campaign for the North African side, which has now emerged as one of the most surprising and dangerous contenders in the tournament. Fans waving red and green flags set off fireworks, cheered, and sang team chants across cities in Morocco as they celebrated the nation’s deep run in the world’s biggest sporting event.

    Football analysts have turned their attention to Morocco’s unexpected success this tournament, questioning how the side has managed to maintain such an incredible long-term unbeaten run against top international competition. The team’s solid defensive organization, clinical finishing in attacking moments, and cohesive team chemistry have all been cited as key factors behind their rise from underdog to legitimate title contender. With their spot in the final eight now confirmed, Morocco is set to face off against another major tournament favorite as they continue their push for an unprecedented World Cup title.

  • Nigeria says 2 nationals were killed during anti-migrant violence in South Africa

    Nigeria says 2 nationals were killed during anti-migrant violence in South Africa

    In a formal announcement made public on Sunday, Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed the deaths of two Nigerian nationals killed last month in South Africa, amid a wave of violent anti-immigrant demonstrations targeting migrant workers from across the African continent. The two citizens were killed on June 28, just 48 hours before the expiration of an unofficial ultimatum issued by anti-immigrant protesters demanding all foreign nationals leave South African territory, according to the statement. Of the two fatalities, one Nigerian was allegedly killed by serving South African police officers, while the second was murdered by a group of unidentified attackers. The Associated Press confirmed that South African police services have not yet issued any formal response to requests for comment on the killings. The current wave of anti-immigrant unrest first erupted across South Africa in April and May, with demonstrators blaming foreign-born residents for the country’s persistently high national unemployment rate, rising violent crime rates, and growing strain on overstretched public infrastructure and social services. The outbreaks of violence targeting African migrants have already prompted diplomatic pushback from several affected nations: Nigeria, Ghana and Malawi have all organized repatriation operations to bring their vulnerable citizens home, and each nation has summoned South Africa’s senior diplomatic envoys to formally protest the attacks. In an official statement accompanying the announcement of the deaths, Nigerian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa emphasized the disturbing context of the two killings. “These two killings come at a time when foreigners are being unduly targeted in South Africa. This raises questions about deliberate attempt by some elements to wrongfully generalise and tag well-meaning, hard-working, and respectable Nigerians as criminals,” Ebienfa said. South Africa has a long, troubling history of xenophobic violence driven by public resentment toward migrant communities. The deadliest recorded outbreak occurred in 2008, when coordinated attacks on foreign residents left more than 60 people dead, a wave of violence that international human rights organizations universally labeled as targeted xenophobic attacks.

  • Residents in eastern Congo cling to hope as a new Ebola treatment trial begins

    Residents in eastern Congo cling to hope as a new Ebola treatment trial begins

    In the heart of the expanding Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Ituri Province, local residents are clinging to new hope as international and Congolese health officials launch an urgent clinical trial of two experimental treatments for the rare Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus. The outbreak, which has already claimed more than 400 lives and infected over 1,400 people, has no approved vaccines or targeted therapies to date, making the new study a critical turning point in the public health response.

    The launch of the trial at Bunia’s Evangelical Medical Center Ebola treatment unit on Thursday proceeded with no fanfare, only quiet urgency. While ambulances ferried new suspected patients to the facility and healthcare workers suited up in multiple layers of heavy protective gear to enter isolated wards, the research initiative integrated seamlessly into the daily, life-or-death work of treating infected people. World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus confirmed the same day that the first trial participant had already been enrolled.

    The multi-partner trial, led by the WHO in collaboration with Congo’s National Biomedical Research Institute (INRB), Britain’s University of Oxford, the Antwerp Institute of Tropical Medicine, and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), is designed to test three treatment approaches: the standalone antiviral remdesivir, the experimental antibody therapy MBP134, and a combination of the two drugs. Researchers will track patient survival outcomes for 28 days following the start of treatment, explained WHO research advisor Dr. Vasee Moorthy.

    For the first phase of the trial, only confirmed Ebola patients receiving care at specialized treatment units will be eligible, according to Africa CDC emergency response head Professor Yap Boum. A second phase will expand eligibility to frontline healthcare workers, close contacts of confirmed cases, and other people at high risk of infection, who will also be able to access the experimental treatments. Placide Mbala, who coordinates laboratory operations for the outbreak response, noted that the trial could run between three and six months, with the timeline tied directly to how the outbreak progresses in the coming weeks.

    For many residents of Bunia, the launch of the trial has brought a rare glimmer of hope after weeks of rising fear and loss. Audrey Tengetenge, a local community member, described the research as a “light at the end of the tunnel,” saying “I hope everything moves very quickly so that we can find relief. We want nothing more than an end to this very dangerous disease, which continues to bring us grief.”

    Gladys Munguro, a Bunia resident who survived Ebola and was discharged from a treatment center just two weeks before the trial launched, shared that she watched multiple fellow patients die while receiving care herself. Now fully recovered, she says she is eager to contribute to the research: “This experimental phase is necessary for us. I will volunteer as soon as the next phase of the trials begins for high-risk individuals.” Munguro added that she hopes the new treatments will boost survival rates for current patients and help bring the worsening outbreak under control.

    Despite this widespread hope for progress, the trial and broader outbreak response still face significant barriers. Community mistrust of medical interventions runs deep in some pockets of the region: local shopkeeper Nelson Dhebi noted that while he supports scientific research and wants the outbreak to end, he worries the untested treatments could cause harm, and suggested that elected leaders should participate first. “Research should be carried out first and foremost on our elected representatives, as they are the ones who represent us,” he said.

    Mistrust is far from the only challenge. Overcrowded treatment facilities in the hardest-hit areas, delays in patients seeking care after developing symptoms, and ongoing regional violence that restricts access to conflict-affected communities continue to hamper response efforts. Nearly 75% of all Ebola deaths during this outbreak have occurred outside of formal health facilities, confirmed Pierre Akilimali, incident manager at Congo’s National Institute of Public Health, on Friday.

    For now, the trial is only being conducted at the Bunia treatment site, located in a region that has seen repeated violence targeting healthcare workers responding to the outbreak, which spreads through direct contact with infected patients’ bodily fluids. Officials have said they will expand the trial to additional locations once security conditions improve to allow safe operations. The report was filed by AP correspondent Banchereau from Dakar, Senegal, with on-the-ground contributions from Constant Same Bagalwa in Bunia. AP’s global health and development coverage for Africa is supported by funding from the Gates Foundation, with the AP retaining full editorial control over all content.