Stars, stitches and stripes: Africa's top shots

Natasha Booty

BBC News

6 June 2025

A selection of the week's best photos from across the African continent and beyond:

A painting on a wall shows a woman standing in front of a Congolese flag. She is depicted holding a sign that reads "the poisonous apple is killing our children" and "get away from our cobalt". — Image caption,
Wall art criticising the effects of cobalt mining is seen in Senegal's capital city on Thursday. Apple, Google and others deny using cobalt mined by child labour.

Men walk past a mural depicting people with the flags of Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Palestinian territories. — Image caption,
Another mural at the same site reads "nobody is free until we all are free" and shows the flags of Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Palestinian territories.

Women dressed in red and blue dance in unison on stage. — Image caption,
On Sunday, cast members perform at the opening night of Sarafina The Musical in Johannesburg, South Africa.

A girl reads aloud pointing at the letter on the the wall using a stick. — Image caption,
The next day, this girl reads the letter of the alphabet at her primary school in Zanzibar.

A man cuts around the outside of a colourful motif stitched in threads of multiple colours. — Image caption,
On Tuesday in Ivory Coast, a tailor handles embroidered fabric at his workshop.

A man holds a ram faces and looks at its mouth and eyes. — Image caption,
The following day in Lagos, Nigeria, a market trader inspects a ram he is selling ahead of Eid al-Adha celebrations.

A farm worker reaches up to cut large bunches of grapes from the vine [on Saturday]. — Image caption,
Days earlier in Egypt, it's time to harvest grapes at this farm in Wadi El Natrun. The country's grape exports have grown steadily in recent years.

A woman dressed in white with a coral-coloured necklace stands inside a cloistered building in Rome. — Image caption,
Nigerian fashion designer Sandrah Tubobereni attends an event in Italy on Thursday.

A women dressed in the Nigeria kit waves the Nigerian flag from the stands in the stadium. — Image caption,
A Nigeria fans cheers her team to victory against Jamaica in the Unity Cup football final which ended 5-4 in the UK on Saturday.

People dressed in red, tasselled costumes dance as a part of a masquerade. — Image caption,
On the same day in Senegal close the Gambian border, these dancers take part in the Niumi Badiya Festival...

A man crouches on the ground playing a saxophone. People dancing near him. They all wear blue and yellow clothing. — Image caption,
The event emphasises the shared cultural heritage of the wider region, often referred to as Senegambia.

A man dressed in a white boubou walks past men dressed in matching blue clothing. — Image caption,
On the same day a few hours' drive north, people on Joal-Fadiouth island line the streets to watch the crowning of the 25th Sacuur (centre), a customary leader.

A man dressed in white embroidered clothing rides a horse wearing ornate tack. — Image caption,
Riders display their mastery in the saddle as well as their ornate styling at the Hassan II Trophy of Tbourida in Morocco on Friday.

Two men dressed in racing lycra, helmets and sunglasses stand side by side. One of them waves. — Image caption,
On the same day in France, the Eritrean cycling champion Biniam Girmay waves to fans ahead of Boucles de la Mayenne race.

Three women run across the finish line on an athletics track. Two on the left are dressed in black and represent Liberia. The woman to their right is dressed in red and represents the USA. — Image caption,
Liberia's Maia McCoy triumphs in the Women's 100m race, at the Kip Keino Classic - World Continental Tour in Kenya on Saturday.

A woman jests as her photo is taken in the voting queue at a primary school in the capital, Gitega. She is holding several ballot papers in one hand. — Image caption,
People queue up to vote in Burundi's legislative elections on Thursday, with which the governing CNDD-FDD party hopes to tighten its grip on power.

A man fishes from the shore. Behind him are large rocks and concrete wave breakers. — Image caption,
And on Saturday a lone fisherman tries his luck off Morocco's Atlantic coast in Casablanca.

From the BBC in Africa this week:

A woman looking at her mobile phone and the graphic BBC News Africa

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