Abidjan is in the spotlight as Ivory Coast returns a historic sacred drum from France, signaling restitution and cultural ties. Ivory Coast’s largest city (pop ~6.3M) and former capital.
Ivory Coast has received back the Djidji Ayokwè, a 400kg carved wooden drum looted by French colonial authorities in 1916. The drum, used to alert locals to forced labor and mobilize fighters, was displayed at the Quai Branly Museum in Paris. Its return marks a significant step in cultural restitution efforts.
A new leadership training program launched in Florence aims to equip policymakers, business leaders, and civil society with skills to address global governance challenges. The program emphasizes practice-based learning and cross-sector collaboration, reflecting a shift towards more integrated, reform-oriented leadership development.
The United States has moved to shrink Africa’s visa-processing network from about 50 embassies and consulates to 20 designated regional hubs, with implementation expected in June. Non-hub countries will face travel to hubs for visa processing, while hubs will handle full services and local consulates will offer limited support.