Tundu Lissu, a prominent member of Tanzania's opposition, was driving home in 2017 when gunmen sprayed his car with over 30 bullets. He barely survived, and went into exile. Now he is returning to Tanzania; but he has not lost any of his vehemence that Tanzania needs to change course, accusing President Magufuli of wanting to drag the country back to the days of dictatorship.

The number of COVID-19 infections across Africa surpassed half a million on 8 July said the World Health Organization, as it flagged growing concern of countries in the continent experiencing a sharp rise in cases. Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO director for Africa, raised the alarm bells when she added: "With more than a third of countries in Africa doubling their cases over the past month, the threat of COVID-19 overwhelming fragile health systems on the continent is escalating." To further...

The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, or GERD, is due to start filling the dam in the coming weeks. Egypt has tried in vain to put the breaks on the project that it claims will negatively impact its access to water. At the start of last week, it took the matter before the UN Security Council. Meanwhile the African Union concluded after an Extraordinary Meeting of the Bureau of the GERD on 26 June, 2020, that problem must be given "African solutions to an African problem." And throughout all...

Today, many compare the political confrontation and economic meltdown in Zimbabwe with the position of the country a decade ago.  Blighted by drought and lack of farming inputs, more than half the country’s 16 million people are food insecure, the latest version of the Zimbabwe dollar is rapidly losing its value against the us dollar and inflation is running at over 780%. Added to which, the country is threatened by the spread of the coronavirus. To make some sense of this, we speak to Dr...

For the 14 heads of state that Tony Blair advises across the continent, the coronavirus pandemic has sharpened the need to overhaul government. But Blair also points to the need for reform at the international level; our global institutions, like the WHO, need to be re-examined to face the challenges of the 21st century.

The death of George Floyd at the hands of police officers, has once again reignited the on-going fight across the United States for equality and the end of racism against the African-American community. It has also shone a spotlight on police brutality, particularly rampant against persons of colour. Are those topics relevant today across Africa? How are Africans seeing this global movement and what importance does it play? Discussion with Nana-Ama Danquah, Zukisa Wanner, and Veronique...

Tensions spike between Ethiopia and Egypt, as the commencement of the filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance dam approaches. We speak to William Davison of the International Crisis Group to find out where an agreement might be found.

Fred Swaniker, the Ghanaian co-creator and Chairman of the African Leadership Group is well known for not just complaining about the lack of leadership in Africa, but actually doing something about it. "Development will be driven by the sum total of the skills, knowledge and experience that a society possesses", says Swaniker, who want to take our current moment to think about what the continent can do differently.

As the coronavirus lockdown eases in South Africa and Nigeria, how are governments and companies coping? We talk to our correspondents on the ground to find out. + a discussion on the US attack on the WHO, how Ghana is testing smart, and much much more.

Bill Gates has been pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into the fight against COVID-19. He wants an army of innovators to hit the problem, and focus on the longterm rebuilding of African healthcare systems. Not enough for you? He also wants to rehabilitate our global institutional architecture to take on the challenges of the 21st century.

The global pandemic of coronavirus may be waning in Asia and Europe, but it's hasn't quite peaked across Africa, and in particular North Africa. How is the region dealing with a sudden drop from tourism, oil and investment? Are governments trusted by their people to make the right decisions? We talk about North Africa and Egypt with Mohamed el Dahshan, devlopment economist and founder of Oxcon to find out more. Join us at www.theafricareport.com, @theafricareport, and on our Facebook...

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has sounded a dire warning for the continent: “The region’s economy is set to shrink by 1.6% in 2020, and real per capita income to fall by even more -- 3.9% on average.” We spoke to the Director of the IMF's Africa department, Abebe Selassie, to find out what can be done. Join us at www.theafricareport.com, @theafricareport, and on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/theafricareport/

Francophone Africa is set to cut its colonial ties through the introduction of a new regional currency, the Eco. That would put to rest the CFA franc currency that has been supported by France since 1945. The Eco was set to roll out this year, but with the arrival of coronavirus, what impact will it have on the region, and ultimately on the timing of this new currency?

There are cataclysmic warnings about the impact of coronavirus on Africa's economy. But Citibank's chief economist for Africa David Cowan thinks some of this is overblown. Most of Africa's economy today, for example, is subsistence agriculture; unlikely to be too badly affected. That doesn't mean that oil exporters and tourist hubs will be spared.

Thomas Piketty believes that times of crisis can reveal the fragility of dominant ideologies. The shock delivered by coronavirus is no exception. He says African countries should quickly roll out social safety nets to protect the population; and in the conversation about how to pay for them, much could change.

As Lagos, Nairobi and Johannesburg fall silent, how do informal workers survive? How are governments coping? What are the geopolitics of the moment, the international response and the local fightback? We speak to our correspondents on the ground -- RECORDED 27 MARCH

When Ebola hit Liberia in 2014, Gyude Moore was working as deputy chief of staff for President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf. He had a frontrow seat as the administration battled the virus; and he has important messages for policy-makers in Africa as they confront the coronavirus pandemic.

In conjunction with Invest Africa, we map out the political and economic impact of coronavirus on the continent. From spiking bond premiums, to the collapse in oil prices, to the state of readiness of Africa's healthcare systems, and what the longterm implications might be. For more on future Invest Africa webinars, head to investafrica.com

Are African politicians taking the triple whammy of coronavirus, locusts and debt levels seriously? Not seriously enough, argues Aly-Khan Satchu.

Tito Mboweni has given the crime-fighters and tax collectors more money. Is it enough to turn around South Africa's economy?

For author, businessman and analyst Moeletsi Mbeki, South Africa's ruling party is part of the problem, not part of the solution. He is critical of the inaction of President Cyril Ramaphosa, and says that the ruling ANC is now just a job distribution machine. Are the conditions uniting for a South African Spring?

We speak to Trump's top Africa diplomat about the new US drive to engage economically with Africa, great power competition from China and others, Sudan, Ethiopia, Congo and much more.

Ethiopia is asking itself some tough political questions at the moment. We speak to writer Maaza Mengiste, whose powerful historical fiction may be just the tonic to heal festering wounds. Especially those surrounding the 'what' and the 'who' of a nation ...

The UK-Africa Investment Summit is gathering political and business to London to debate the continent's relationship with Britain, on 20th January. We talk to Emma-Wade Smith, Her Majesty's Trade Commissioner for Africa, about potential and priorities.

Ethiopia is heading into a tricky political moment. Prime Minister Abiy has to navigate elections in 2020, the push for self determination by various regions, a tough set of security challenges, and an economic liberalisation programme. To help decode it for us, the International Crisis Group senior analyst for Ethiopia, William Davison