US-Iran ceasefire and Africa

This episode of Focus on Africa explores the ripple effects of the US-Iran ceasefire on African economies and humanitarian challenges in refugee communities. While the two-week truce has reopened the Strait of Hormuz and eased global energy tensions, African nations are increasingly leveraging the disruption to boost regional trade and value addition in commodities like oil, fertilizer, and agricultural products. Pan-African economist Dumebi Oluwole highlights how Africa’s energy resources are now in higher demand from Europe and Asia, and regional integration efforts—such as the Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline and Lobito corridor—are gaining momentum. However, she cautions that short-term gains are limited by structural issues: weak governance, corruption, and a persistent reliance on raw exports. Meanwhile, the episode shifts to a poignant human story from northern Uganda, where Congolese and South Sudanese refugees struggle to bury their loved ones in marked graves due to land access restrictions and cultural erasure. Refugees who leave designated settlements for urban areas often face isolation and trauma, unable to maintain burial traditions or access basic services. Mental health advocate Joanne Aleng explains that while some settlements like Palabek have functional burial sites, urban refugees are left vulnerable, with many graves unmarked and bodies sometimes exhumed when land leases expire. The episode underscores both Africa’s economic potential amid global crises and the urgent need for inclusive policies to protect displaced people’s dignity and rights.