Lebo Diseko
BBC News, Johannesburg

Image source, Getty Images

There is growing pressure on countries across Africa to buy Covid-19 vaccines from South Africa’s Aspen Pharmacare, the first company to produce the vaccines on the continent.

It follows warnings from the company that it may have to stop producing Covid vaccines.

The head of the continent’s leading public health body, the Africa CDC, is now urging Covax - the international scheme which many African states rely on for Covid vaccines - to buy from the plant.

Meanwhile South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa says he’s working with his counterparts in four African countries to try and save Aspen’s Covid vaccine production.

Aspen’s group senior executive told the BBC that Covax had not bought a single vaccine made in Africa.

While he welcomes President Ramaphosa’s efforts to increase orders from other countries on the continent, Stavros Nicolau told the BBC it’s not enough.

The head of the Africa CDC says that choosing to buy from Africa “is a political decision”.

John Nkengansong argued that production on the continent is key to the world’s health security.

Covax has said that it is "committed to diversifying global supply - specially in Africa".

But it argues that lack of demand means it is not in a position to buy large quantities of vaccines.

The deal which allowed Aspen to produce and sell Aspenovax was seen as an important step in helping to improve equal access to Covid vaccines.

Just 15% of adults in Africa were fully vaccinated in March, according to figures from the WHO - and there is growing concern about a decline in the number of people getting inoculated around the world

Ghana will take on reigning champions Japan in the group stages at the Women's Under-20 World Cup in Costa Rica in August.

BBC Monitoring
The world through its media

A Moroccan government spokesman says that a pipeline project with Nigeria is "on the right track", amid a spat with Algeria and Spain over gas supplies.

Moroccan official news agency MAP quoted Mustapha Baitas as saying that the project was progressing in line with the vision of both countries' leaders.

He said the project was part of "a strategic partnership" between the two countries.

The remarks follow a recent dispute between Spain and Algeria over gas supplies to Morocco.

Last week, Algeria threatened to cut off its gas supply to Spain if any of it ends up in another country - following Madrid's decision to supply gas to Morocco in a reverse flow through a pipeline that links Spain to Morocco.

Tensions between Morocco and Algeria have been worsening in recent months.

The two countries have long had a fractious relationship - especially over the disputed territory of Western Sahara.

The Morocco-Nigeria gas project was initiated by the Moroccan king and the Nigerian president and a cooperation agreement was signed in May 2017, according to MAP.

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah says it will be "revenge time" when the Reds face Real Madrid in the Champions League final.

The US Senate has confirmed Dr John Nkengasong to lead Pepfar, the United States public health programme aimed at combatting HIV/Aids.

Dr Nkengasong, who has been heading Africa CDC, the agency leading Africa's response to the coronavirus pandemic, was nominated by the US president last year.

The UN Aids agency has congratulated Dr Nkengasong while welcoming his confirmation, saying he “will provide outstanding leadership” of the programme.

The African Union Commission chairperson, Moussa Faki, praised Dr Nkengasong’s “exceptional leadership to the continent” following the confirmation.

The AU commission chief said Dr Nkengasong’s co-ordination of the AU’s response to the Covid pandemic “will stand him in exceptional good stead” in his new role.

Read more:

• Africa Covid chief John Nkengasong says vaccine saved his life

Jose Tembe
BBC News, Maputo

The Mozambican government has ruled out subsidies on bread and fuels amid a rise in cost of living.

Prime Minister Adriano Maleiane said such measures were unsustainable and would end up benefitting people who do not need them.

There have been calls for government's intervention over escalating prices of essential commodities.

“We have to know how we manage the crisis of rising fuel prices. Some say that the state should pay a subsidy, but let’s be honest, there is no sustainable subsidy because to give it, it has to come from tax," Mr Maleiane told business owners in Nampula province during a visit.

“The state wants to give the subsidy to those who actually need it. The same also applies to bread, because of the wheat price. Subsidising the bakery is not sustainable because everyone will buy that subsidised bread, but that is not what the government wants. The government wants to subsidise [only] those who cannot pay,” he added.

In 2010, Mozambique witnessed deadly demonstrations following a rise in fuel and bread prices.

BBC Monitoring
The world through its media

Burkina Faso's army says it has lost at least seven soldiers and killed 20 "terrorists" following militant attacks on two military bases in the north of country.

Four volunteers aiding the army in the fight against militants were also killed in the attacks on Thursday in Loroum and Sanmatenga provinces, according to a military statement.

The army said it seized or destroyed weapons, vehicles and communication equipment used by the attackers.

The violence came a day after a soldier was killed and another wounded in a roadside blast in northern Burkina Faso.

More people in Kenya are moving out of the capital Nairobi to a simpler life in the countryside.

Emmanuel Igunza
BBC News, Nairobi

Image source, AFP

A Muslim cleric has asked a Kenyan court not to release him from prison despite being acquitted of terrorism charges.

Sheikh Guyo Gorsa Buru was arrested in January 2018 in northern Kenya and charged with possessing material promoting a terrorist group and for collaborating with al-Shabab militant group.

But this week, the court released him saying the state had failed to prove their case.

He however refused to leave the notorious Kamiti prison saying he feared for his life.

The cleric alleged that he could be abducted and killed by the state once he is free.

The chief magistrate ordered that he could stay at the prison for a period not exceeding 30 days after which he would be set free.

He however has to pay the government for his stay at the facility.

Mr Buru has filed a different case at the high court seeking to have state protection once he is freed.

His case has reignited debate about enforced disappearances in Kenya.

A recent report by Amnesty International and other human rights groups blamed police for an increase in brutality and extrajudicial killings and abductions in Kenya. The police deny the allegations.

In 2013, Muslim cleric Ibrahim Rogo Omar was shot dead in the port city of Mombasa.

Image source, AFP

A Sudanese protester was killed when an armoured vehicle ran him over during Thursday’s rally against the country’s military rulers.

The 23-year-old activist was hit by a "vehicle belonging to the coup forces during rallies in Khartoum" as it was heading towards the presidential palace, the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors said on Twitter., external

Sudanese people have continued to demonstrate since the coup in October last year, with dozens of civilians killed in the crackdown by the security forces.

The latest death brings the total number of people of killed in the protests to 95, the doctors’ group said.

Emery Makumeno
BBC News, Kinshasa

Image source, Getty Images

Belgium's King Philippe and Queen Mathilde will make an official visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo in June.

The visit will take place from Tuesday 7 to Monday 13 June, according to a statement from presidential aide Guylain Nyembo.

The royals will be accompanied by Belgian government ministers.

They will visit the capital Kinshasa, Lubumbashi and Bukavu.

The trip was initially scheduled for March 2022, but was cancelled because of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

In June 2020, King Philippe expressed his "deepest regrets" to the Democratic Republic of Congo for his country's colonial abuses.

It was the first time a Belgian monarch had formally expressed remorse for what happened during the country's colonial rule.

Belgium controlled the central African country from the 19th Century until it won its independence in 1960. Millions of Africans died during the bloody colonial rule.

Read more:

• Belgium 'wakes up' to its bloody colonial history

Image source, Getty Images

US authorities have arrested and charged a Liberian man alleged to have served as a general in a Liberian rebel group involved in brutal wars decades ago.

Laye Sekou Camara, 43, who was also known as the “Dragon Master”, is accused of immigration fraud, according to a statement by the US Department of Justice., external

He is alleged to have falsely indicated that he had never been a member any insurgent group, among other misrepresentations, while applying for a visa in 2011 and 2012.

“As alleged in the indictment, this defendant attempted to evade accountability for his horrific involvement in Liberia’s brutal civil wars by fraudulently obtaining US immigration documents,” said attorney Jennifer Williams in the statement.

Mr Camara is alleged to have served as a high-ranking general for the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy group in the country’s 1999-2003 civil wars.

The rebel group is accused of "employing tactics of unimaginable brutality, including the recruitment of child soldiers”.

It fought unsuccessfully to overthrow the government of Charles Taylor, who had been elected president in 1997.

Mr Camara has been assigned a public defender. He has not commented on the charges facing him.

If convicted, Mr Camara faces a maximum possible sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 (£200,000) fine.

The piece will mark the 50th anniversary of thousands of fleeing Ugandan Asians reaching Leicester.

Samba Cyuzuzo
BBC Great Lakes

Image source, Rwanda government

Rwandan President Paul Kagame has suspended his minister for youth and culture, the authorities have said.

Edouard Bamporiki's suspension was as a result of "matters of accountability under investigations", a statement, external from the prime minister's office said.

He has also been put under house arrest while being investigated for "serious cases of corruption", the Rwanda Investigation Bureau tweeted, external.

Mr Bamporiki, 39, was previously a vigorous supporter of President Kagame and the ruling party.

He has a heavy presence on social media and is considered a controversial politician in some quarters.

The poet, film producer and famous radio drama actor had been in cabinet since 2019 and was previously a member of parliament.

He is yet to comment on the corruption allegations against him.

Our proverb of the day:

Click here to send us your African proverbs.

A selection of the best photos from across Africa this week.

Eritrean rider Biniam Girmay says it would be one of cycling's "best moments" when the first black African rider wins a Grand Tour stage.

That's all for now from the BBC Africa Live team but we'll be back on Friday morning.

Until then you can find the latest updates on the BBC News website, or listen to our Africa Today podcast.

A reminder of our wise words of the day:

Click here to send us your African proverbs.

And we leave you with this photo from a farm in South Sinai, Egypt:

Jose Tembe
BBC News, Maputo

Image source, Image supplied

Five young people attempting to skate from Mozambique’s northernmost province of Cabo Delgado province to Maputo in the south have already covered 500km (310 miles) - with the main objective of promoting skating, and sports in general, in all provinces of the country.

Welcoming the team of in-line skaters to Pemba, Governor of Cabo Delgado Valige Tauabo expressed satisfaction at them arriving safe and sound after touring the north and central areas of the province, which has been wracked by a jihadist insurgency.

After resting in Pemba, the group is scheduled to head south to Nampula province, and eventually arrive in the country’s capital city Maputo on Independence Day which is 25 June.

Astou Sokhna died after reportedly being refused a Caesarean, sparking a national outcry.