https://www.nytimes.com/section/world/africa en-us Copyright 2026 The New York Times Company Thu, 21 May 2026 16:16:11 +0000 Thu, 21 May 2026 14:22:13 +0000 https://static01.nyt.com/images/misc/NYT_logo_rss_250x40.png https://www.nytimes.com/section/world/africa https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/21/world/africa/uganda-ebola-clinics-congo-us.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/21/world/africa/uganda-ebola-clinics-congo-us.html The State Department said it would fund up to 50 clinics in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. “I don’t know the ones they are talking about,” a top Ugandan official said. Matthew Mpoke Bigg and Lynsey Chutel Thu, 21 May 2026 13:12:10 +0000 Ebola Virus Epidemics Humanitarian Aid Federal Aid (US) World Health Organization United States Agency for International Development Badru Katumba/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Checking a traveler’s temperature at a border crossing between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo in Bundibugyo, Uganda, on Monday. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/21/world/africa/air-france-ebola-flight.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/21/world/africa/air-france-ebola-flight.html An Air France plane was sent to Montreal because a passenger from the Democratic Republic of Congo was on board. The U.S. has closed its borders to recent visitors to the African country. Amelia Nierenberg Thu, 21 May 2026 14:22:13 +0000 Ebola Virus Air France Congo, Democratic Republic of (Congo-Kinshasa) United States Africa Airlines and Airplanes Montreal (Quebec) https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/21/movies/arie-chuko-esiri-virginia-woolf-cannes-clarissa.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/21/movies/arie-chuko-esiri-virginia-woolf-cannes-clarissa.html Arie and Chuko Esiri take a team approach to their filmmaking, and the results with their Nigerian-set adaptation “Clarissa” have wowed the festival. Manohla Dargis Thu, 21 May 2026 09:05:33 +0000 Movies Cannes International Film Festival Books and Literature Esiri, Arie Esiri, Chuko Clarissa (Movie) Eyimofe (This Is My Desire) (Movie) Woolf, Virginia Mrs Dalloway (Book) Julie Sebadelha/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Chuko, left, and Arie Esiri at Cannes this week. Present-day Nigeria and 1920s England “are eerily similar,” Chuko said of their decision to adapt Virginia Woolf’s “Mrs. Dalloway.” https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/20/health/ebola-congo-united-states-trump.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/20/health/ebola-congo-united-states-trump.html Aid cuts by the Trump administration have shut down crucial disease surveillance networks and medical supply chains in East Africa. Apoorva Mandavilli and Stephanie Nolen Wed, 20 May 2026 20:43:47 +0000 Ebola Virus Foreign Aid Humanitarian Aid Congo, Democratic Republic of (Congo-Kinshasa) Uganda Medicine and Health Epidemics Protective Clothing and Gear World Health Organization United States Agency for International Development Centers for Disease Control and Prevention State Department Africa United States International Relations Trump, Donald J Jospin Mwisha/Agence France-Presse via Getty Images Monitoring visitors in Goma, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where Ebola cases have been confirmed, on Monday. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/20/world/africa/ebola-virus-outbreak-africa.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/20/world/africa/ebola-virus-outbreak-africa.html To some Africans, the claim that the continent’s largest health agency had already bungled its response scratched a familiar wound. Matthew Mpoke Bigg Wed, 20 May 2026 21:14:29 +0000 Africa Congo, Democratic Republic of (Congo-Kinshasa) Medicine and Health Disease Rates Ebola Virus Deaths (Fatalities) Epidemics Quarantines Marburg Virus International Relations Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Centers for Disease Control and Prevention World Health Organization Moses Sawasawa/Associated Press Red Cross workers carry the coffin of a person who died of Ebola at a health center in Rwampara, the Democratic Republic of Congo, on Wednesday. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/20/world/africa/ebola-congo-tedros-rubio.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/20/world/africa/ebola-congo-tedros-rubio.html Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the World Health Organization’s director general, said the outbreak in central Africa was “not a pandemic emergency.” Lynsey Chutel, Nick Cumming-Bruce and Ephrat Livni Thu, 21 May 2026 01:42:55 +0000 Foreign Aid Epidemics Ebola Virus United States Politics and Government Deaths (Fatalities) Medicine and Health Humanitarian Aid United States International Relations World Health Organization State Department Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Chin-Hong, Peter Rubio, Marco Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus Congo, Democratic Republic of (Congo-Kinshasa) Uganda internal-open-access-from-nl Fabrice Coffrini/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director-general of the World Health Organization, speaking in Geneva on Wednesday. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/19/world/africa/ebola-outbreak-deaths-congo-who.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/19/world/africa/ebola-outbreak-deaths-congo-who.html Health officials reported more than 130 suspected deaths and 540 cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, but experts say the figures could be much higher. Lynsey Chutel, Yan Zhuang and Ephrat Livni Wed, 20 May 2026 16:39:14 +0000 Ebola Virus Disease Rates Deaths (Fatalities) Congo, Democratic Republic of (Congo-Kinshasa) Uganda Ituri Province (Congo, Democratic Republic of) World Health Organization Quarantines Vaccination and Immunization internal-open-access-from-nl Jospin Mwisha/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images A visitor has their temperature checked before entering Kyeshero Hospital in Goma on Monday. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/18/world/africa/etienne-davignon-patrice-lumumba-belgium-congo.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/18/world/africa/etienne-davignon-patrice-lumumba-belgium-congo.html Étienne Davignon had been set to stand trial in connection with the murder of Patrice Lumumba, the first prime minister of what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo. Lynsey Chutel Mon, 18 May 2026 21:27:42 +0000 Lumumba, Patrice Davignon, Etienne Congo, Democratic Republic of (Congo-Kinshasa) Belgium Assassinations and Attempted Assassinations War Crimes, Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity Benoit Doppagne/BELGA, via Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Étienne Davignon in 2018. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/18/world/africa/congo-ebola-testing.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/18/world/africa/congo-ebola-testing.html Early surveillance and testing failed to identify the rare species of Ebola responsible for the current outbreak. An American doctor is among the confirmed cases. Ruth Maclean Tue, 19 May 2026 13:23:03 +0000 Ebola Virus Disease Rates Epidemics Deaths (Fatalities) Tests (Medical) Foreign Aid Humanitarian Aid World Health Organization Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention United States Agency for International Development Congo, Democratic Republic of (Congo-Kinshasa) Bunia (Congo, Democratic Republic of) Goma (Congo, Democratic Republic of) Ituri Province (Congo, Democratic Republic of) Uganda internal-open-access-from-nl Victoire Mukenge/Reuters At a hospital in Ituri Province, Democratic Republic of Congo, the center of a new Ebola outbreak. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/18/world/africa/us-airstrikes-isis-nigeria.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/18/world/africa/us-airstrikes-isis-nigeria.html U.S. military launched attack in coordination with Nigerian forces days after President Trump said a joint operation had killed Islamic State’s global leader. Saikou Jammeh and Eric Schmitt Mon, 18 May 2026 14:35:29 +0000 United States Defense and Military Forces Terrorism Defense and Military Forces United States International Relations Targeted Killings Defense Department Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) Islamic State West African Province United States Africa Command internal-open-access-from-nl https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/18/business/iran-war-somalia-usaid.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/18/business/iran-war-somalia-usaid.html The humanitarian relief system, decimated by cuts, faces a grave challenge as the Middle East war causes soaring costs for food, fuel and fertilizer. Peter S. Goodman and Finbarr O’Reilly Tue, 19 May 2026 00:45:50 +0000 Humanitarian Aid Foreign Aid Malnutrition Famine Developing Countries Africa Somalia Mogadishu (Somalia) Sudan Mercy Corps United States Agency for International Development Food Aid World Food Program Agriculture and Farming United Nations Children's Fund US and Israeli Attack on Iran (2026) Russian Invasion of Ukraine (2022) Trump, Donald J internal-open-access-from-nl Muslima Ibrahim Mohamed, 38, holding her 2-day-old son, Noor Mohamed. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/17/world/africa/what-to-know-ebola-africa.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/17/world/africa/what-to-know-ebola-africa.html More than 139 deaths and nearly 600 cases are suspected. The United States restricted entry for people who have been to three African countries after a global health emergency was declared. Ephrat Livni Thu, 21 May 2026 13:48:54 +0000 Ebola Virus Congo, Democratic Republic of (Congo-Kinshasa) Uganda World Health Organization Disease Rates internal-open-access-from-nl Jospin Mwisha/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Outside a hospital in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, on Sunday. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/17/world/africa/ebola-congo-uganda-who-public-health-emergency.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/17/world/africa/ebola-congo-uganda-who-public-health-emergency.html The agency made the declaration just a day after Africa’s top public health agency first announced the outbreak. There is no approved vaccine for this species of Ebola. Yan Zhuang, Matthew Mpoke Bigg and Apoorva Mandavilli Mon, 18 May 2026 03:11:57 +0000 Ebola Virus Disease Rates Congo, Democratic Republic of (Congo-Kinshasa) Uganda Deaths (Fatalities) Vaccination and Immunization Humanitarian Aid Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention World Health Organization Africa Ituri Province (Congo, Democratic Republic of) Kampala (Uganda) Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of Congo) internal-open-access-from-nl Victoire Mukenge/Reuters A man is carried from an ambulance on Saturday as he arrives at a hospital after confirmation of an Ebola outbreak in the Ituri province of the Democratic Republic of Congo. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/16/world/africa/felicien-kabuga-dead.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/16/world/africa/felicien-kabuga-dead.html One of his country’s richest businessmen, he fled arrest and escaped prosecution for allegedly financing and directing the bloodletting that cost 800,000 lives in 1994. Alan Cowell Sat, 16 May 2026 21:50:11 +0000 Kabuga, Felicien Deaths (Obituaries) Rwanda International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda War Crimes, Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity Civilian Casualties War and Armed Conflicts Africa internal-open-access-from-nl via Agence France-Presse — Getty Images A screen grab of Félicien Kabuga at a hearing in The Hague, where he faced charges of genocide and crimes against humanity, in 2022. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/16/world/africa/trump-isis-nigeria-al-minuki.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/16/world/africa/trump-isis-nigeria-al-minuki.html Abu Bilal al-Minuki, said to be the Islamic State’s second-ranking leader, was killed after a helicopter-borne assault by commandos from both countries on Friday night, two U.S. officials said. Francesca Regalado and Eric Schmitt Sat, 16 May 2026 21:03:30 +0000 Islamic State West African Province Targeted Killings Terrorism Nigeria Defense and Military Forces United States Africa Command United States Defense and Military Forces United States International Relations Trump, Donald J internal-open-access-from-nl Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times President Trump announced the operation in a late-night post on Truth Social, his social media platform. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/15/world/africa/congo-ebola-outbreak.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/15/world/africa/congo-ebola-outbreak.html Dozens of deaths and hundreds of infections are suspected, an African agency said. Health experts were alarmed that the outbreak hadn’t been announced sooner. Matthew Mpoke Bigg and Apoorva Mandavilli Fri, 15 May 2026 18:15:36 +0000 Ebola Virus Epidemics Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Congo, Democratic Republic of (Congo-Kinshasa) internal-open-access-from-nl Disease Rates Finbarr O'Reilly for The New York Times A Ebola treatment center in Mangima, Democratic Republic of Congo, in 2019. Congo and Uganda have seen a string of Ebola outbreaks in recent years. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/15/world/africa/deportation-congo-migrants-trump.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/15/world/africa/deportation-congo-migrants-trump.html They were shackled and sent to Kinshasa by the Trump administration. Now they face a dangerous choice: Go back to Latin America or stay in Africa. Ruth Maclean, Emiliano Rodríguez Mega, Pranav Baskar and Justin Makangara Fri, 15 May 2026 04:01:14 +0000 Africa Colombia Congo, Democratic Republic of (Congo-Kinshasa) Latin America Immigration and Customs Enforcement (US) Illegal Immigration Deportation Immigration Detention International Relations internal-open-access-from-nl Trump, Donald J United States International Relations Justin Makangara for The New York Times Hugo Palencia was deported from the U.S. to Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo, last month. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/13/world/africa/congo-colombia-deportee-return.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/13/world/africa/congo-colombia-deportee-return.html The unusual ruling came after the judge found that the Trump administration had most likely violated the law by deporting the 55-year-old woman to the African country despite its refusal to take her. Pranav Baskar Thu, 14 May 2026 02:00:43 +0000 Congo, Democratic Republic of (Congo-Kinshasa) Deportation Immigration and Emigration Illegal Immigration Decisions and Verdicts Colombia United States United States Politics and Government Immigration and Customs Enforcement (US) Homeland Security Department Trump, Donald J International Relations United States International Relations Justin Makangara/Reuters The Colombian woman and other migrants are housed in a hotel outside Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/13/world/africa/cynthia-shange-dead.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/13/world/africa/cynthia-shange-dead.html She was the first Black South African to enter the Miss World contest, becoming an enduring symbol of glamour and resistance. Adam Nossiter Tue, 19 May 2026 14:56:49 +0000 Shange, Cynthia (1949-2026) Deaths (Obituaries) Beauty Contests Apartheid (Policy) Black People Actors and Actresses Movies Television Miss World Ltd South Africa ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock Cynthia Shange competing at a Miss World event in London in 1972. South Africa’s president praised the boldness of her ambitions “in an era when apartheid segregation was at its peak.” https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/12/world/africa/sudan-drones-civilian-deaths.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/12/world/africa/sudan-drones-civilian-deaths.html The U.N. documented 880 deaths from strikes carried out by Sudan’s military or its paramilitary enemy, the Rapid Support Forces, between January and April. Brian O. Otieno Tue, 12 May 2026 20:08:20 +0000 Africa Darfur (Sudan) El Fasher (Sudan) Sudan Khartoum (Sudan) Rapid Support Forces (Sudan) United Nations Drones (Pilotless Planes) Civilian Casualties War and Armed Conflicts War Crimes, Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity Deaths (Fatalities) International Relations Defense and Military Forces Refugees and Displaced Persons Joris Bolomey/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images A man injured by a drone strike near Um Baru, Sudan, received treatment at a hospital in Tine, Chad, in January.