As the year ended, there arises a need to review the most significant events that Africa witnessed in 2024, which ranged from political transformations, cultural achievements, and sports successes to natural disasters. While some news from Africa brought joy, others carried sadness; however, the overall events did not differ much from those experienced in other parts of the world.

Summarizing the events of the year for a continent as vast as Africa poses a significant challenge, as the events included notable moments, such as the miraculous victory of the Ivory Coast national football team in the Africa Cup of Nations 2024, presidential elections that witnessed democratic changes, as well as an increase in natural disasters and the loss of prominent figures.

 The Triumph of the "Elephants" in the Africa Cup of Nations 2024

One of the most significant sports events in Africa this year was the Africa Cup of Nations, held in Ivory Coast with the participation of 24 teams. The 34th edition of the tournament kicked off on January 13 and continued until February 11, 2024, when the Ivorian team was crowned champion after defeating Nigeria in an exciting final match.

This victory was described as miraculous, especially following the tough start for the Ivorian team, which barely qualified for the Round of 16, finishing third in its group and needing help from the Moroccan team to overcome Zambia in the final moments. With only three points from three matches, and after a crushing defeat by Equatorial Guinea (0-4), the Ivorian team unexpectedly returned to the competition.

Following this achievement, the Ivorian team decided to change its coaching staff, replacing French coach Jean-Louis Gasset with local interim coach Emeris Foe, who led the team to the title. The team overcame major challenges during the tournament, including defeating the reigning champion Senegal in the Round of 16, overcoming Mali in the quarterfinals, and beating the Democratic Republic of Congo in the semi-finals, culminating in a significant victory over Nigeria in the final match.

This achievement reflects the willpower and spirit of challenge of the Ivorian team, marking it as one of the most important sports milestones on the continent this year.

 Africa's Struggles Between Droughts and Floods

Despite being one of the least contributing continents to greenhouse gas emissions, Africa remains the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The year 2024 witnessed an unprecedented series of natural disasters, where hurricanes, floods, and droughts mixed with heavy rains and torrents to deeply affect the daily lives of many countries on the continent. The extreme El Niño phenomenon served as a multiplier for these devastating events.

The continent faced a series of major hurricanes, including Cyclone Bilal in Mauritius, and Cyclone Jaman in Madagascar, as well as Cyclone Hidayah which swept through Kenya and Tanzania. Flooding affected numerous countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Niger, Mali, Sudan, Chad, Nigeria, and Cameroon. Meanwhile, Southern African countries, such as Zambia and Malawi, suffered from some of the worst droughts.

These disasters have caused severe human and material damage. According to the International Organization for Migration, the floods resulted in the deaths of more than 1,500 people in West and Central Africa. In Chad alone, one million people were affected by the floods, resulting in the deaths of 145 individuals, the destruction of 70,000 homes, and the loss of 30,000 head of livestock, in addition to damage to more than 250,000 hectares of agricultural land and crops.

Wide-ranging presidential elections and a changing democratic landscape

In 2024, Africa witnessed the organization of presidential elections in 14 countries, whether through direct or indirect voting, encompassing nations that represent about 25% of the continent's population. Although most presidents seeking re-election succeeded in doing so through questionable means, as happened in Algeria where it was announced that President Abdelmadjid Tebboune won with 84.30% of the votes after the electoral body had attributed 94.65% to him.

However, some countries were marked by unique democratic measures. In Botswana and Mauritius, the outgoing presidents were defeated by their opponents. Meanwhile, in Senegal and Ghana, where the constitution barred sitting presidents from running for a third term, their challengers won fair elections. Senegal and Ghana stand out as models of stable democracy in a region of West Africa experiencing a general decline in this area.

Among the 14 presidential elections held on the continent, four were characterized by democratic power transfer, which were in Senegal, Botswana, Mauritius, and Ghana. In Senegal, the elected president, Ousmane Sonko, emerged from prison to become the youngest president in the country’s history at the age of 44, winning 54.28% in the first round. He pledged to achieve radical change through policies based on transparency and integrity.

In another historic event, Namibia elected a woman as president for the first time, with Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, the deputy leader of the ruling party, winning with 57.31% of the votes in the first round, reflecting an important step towards equality and the empowerment of women in political leadership.

World Cup 2030 in Morocco with Spain and Portugal

The Kingdom of Morocco, considered a leader in organizing African football, announced its participation in hosting the 2030 World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal, in celebration of the centenary of the tournament's inception. This decision came after the unanimous approval of the FIFA Congress at a meeting on Wednesday, December 11, 2024. All 211 member associations of FIFA endorsed the joint bid by acclamation.

With this decision, Morocco will become the second African country to host the tournament after South Africa in 2010. For the first time in World Cup history, matches will be held across three continents: Africa (Morocco), Europe (Spain and Portugal), in addition to the three opening matches that will take place in South America, honoring the first edition held in Uruguay in 1930 with the participation of Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

Morocco's victory came after previous attempts to host the tournament in 1994, 1998, 2006, 2010, and 2026. For the 2030 edition, which will feature 48 teams, Morocco has already chosen six cities to host the matches: Casablanca, Rabat, Marrakech, Fes, Agadir, and Tangier.

Prominent African figures who passed away in 2024:

- Amadou Makhtar Mbow (Senegal): He died between the night of September 23 and 24 in Dakar at the age of 103. The Senegalese thinker served as the Secretary-General of UNESCO for 13 years (1974-1987). He was a teacher and a minister during the presidency of Léopold Sédar Senghor, and he was known for his advocacy of cultural plurality.

- Issa Hayatou (Cameroon): He passed away on August 8, 2024. He is associated with African football, having chaired the African Football Confederation (CAF) from 1988 to 2017. He also served as the interim president of FIFA between 2015-2016 during the corruption crisis that led to the suspension of Sepp Blatter.

- Toumani Diabaté (Mali): He died on July 19, 2024, at the age of 58. Known as the "King of the Kora," he was one of the foremost players of the traditional 21-string kora instrument, belonging to a family of griots who preserve the musical heritage and traditions of West Africa.

- Hage Geingob (Namibia): He passed away on February 4, 2024, at the age of 82. He was one of the most prominent political figures in Namibia's history, leading the country's struggle against apartheid and for independence, eventually serving as Prime Minister before becoming the country's President.

- Among other notable figures who passed away: Hama Amado Fo (Nigeria), the veteran politician nicknamed "the Phoenix," who died at the age of 74; Breyten Breytenbach (South Africa), the writer and anti-apartheid activist, who died at the age of 74; John Okafor (Nigeria), the Nollywood star known as "Mr. Ibu," who died on March 2, 2024; and the Congolese basketball legend Dikembe Mutombo, a member of the NBA Hall of Fame, who died on September 30 at the age of 58.

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Source: Analyses from the African Center for Research and Study of Policies (Afropolicy) 

African Center for Research and Study of Policies