Africa’s week in pictures: 10-16 January 2025

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

OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP

On Monday, 31-year-old Ange Gnacadja rests on cotton harvested in Soclogbo, Benin.

KHALED DESOUKI / AFP

It’s time for the Egyptian Marathon on Saturday in Luxor.

FETHI BELAID / AFP

The next day in Tunisia’s capital city Tunis, dancers compete at the Juste Debout international contest.

ESA ALEXANDER / REUTERS

This diver in Cape Town throws shapes on a hot Saturday in South Africa.

ABDEL MAJID BZIOUAT / AFP

Monday marks the start of the year 2975 for members of north Africa’s Amazigh communities…

JALAL MORCHIDI / EPA

Celebrations in the Moroccan capital of Rabat include fashion shows and musical performances.

AMANUEL SILESHI / AFP

Earthquakes in the north of Ethiopia leave huge cracks in the road, causing this man trouble as he transports goods on Sunday.

MARCO LONGARI / AFP

Renowned chef Georgiana Viou – pictured on Sunday – trades a Michelin-starred restaurant in France for her new venture in Benin, called Restaurant L’Ami.

OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP

Also in Benin days earlier, Vodún worshippers approach the palace of King Kpodégbé Lanmanfan Toyi Djigla…

MARCO LONGARI / AFP

Swirling zangbetos in an array of colours are a familiar part of Vodún festivals…

MARCO LONGARI / AFP

Meanwhile this Vodún worshipper pauses for a portrait at the Mami Wata Temple in Ouidah.

LEON SADIKI / GETTY IMAGESKIM LUDBROOK/EPA

Left without food and supplies for weeks on end, many of the survivors were emaciated and had to be stretchered away from the site because they were too weak to walk.

JOSPIN MWISHA / AFP

This boy and the many people and families around him are among more than 100,000 people who have fled their homes in Masisi, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, in the past week alone because of deadly violence between M23 rebels and the army. Despite the cost of human misery, minerals from here are found in smartphones sold the world over.

PHILL MAGAKOE / AFP

Slick choreography for the inauguration of Mozambique’s new president, Daniel Chapo, includes the handing out of refreshments featuring his portrait…

ESTEVAO CHAVISSO / EPA

And on the same day, protesters against the election, who do not recognise Chapo as the rightful president, make their voices heard.

From the BBC in Africa this week:

Getty Images/BBC

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