Guinea holds talks in Conakry to prepare transition back to civilian rule

More than a week after a military coup ousted Guinean strongman Alpha Condé, junta boss Lieutenant-Colonel Mamady Doumbouya has requested talks to form a transitional government. FRANCE 24 reports from the capital, Conakry. Guinea is holding a four-day conference this week to prepare a transition back to civilian democratic rule following a September 5 military coup led by…

Tanzania gets first woman defence minister

Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu has announced the country’s first woman defence minister. Stergomena Tax replaces Elias Kwandikwa, who died in August. The president also revoked the appointment of three cabinet ministers and appointed a new attorney general. Those sacked are the Communication Minister Faustine Ndugulile, Leonard Chamuriho (transport) and Medard Kalemani (energy). President Suluhu brought…

Pandemic at risk of worsening with proliferation of variants in Africa, scientists say

The proliferation of Covid-19 variants in Africa, partly attributed to the low rates of vaccination, could lead to vaccine-evading mutations which could worsen the pandemic.  A study of genomes from 33 African nations and two “overseas territories,” published in the journal Science on Thursday, tracks the evolution of the pandemic across the continent. “If the…