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Africa's week in pictures: 29 December 2023-4 January 2024

A selection of the best photos from the African continent and beyond.

News imageRogan Ward/Reuters Performers arrive ahead of the Ingoma yase eMaChuwini annual dance competition held in eMaChuwini, Msinga, South Africa - Friday 29 December 2023Rogan Ward/Reuters
Women dress up on Friday, as the year comes to a close, for a song and dance festival in South Africa's remote area of Msinga...
News imageRogan Ward/Reuters Dancers perform during the Ingoma yase eMaChuwini annual dance competition held in eMaChuwini, Msinga, South Africa - Friday 29 December 2023Rogan Ward/Reuters
The event aims to promote harmony among villagers and good behaviour among young people.
News imageTiksa Negeri/Reuters Revellers take a selfie photograph during the New Year's Eve celebrations at the Meskel Square, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia December 31, 2023Tiksa Negeri/Reuters
During New Year's Eve celebrations at Meskel Square in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, on Sunday, these revellers take a selfie.
News imageTemilade Adelaja/Reuters A woman plays with her baby around light decorations in Lagos, Nigeria December 30, 2023.Temilade Adelaja/Reuters
The day before, a woman plays with her baby amid festive lights in Nigeria's main city Lagos.
News imageMonicah Mwangi/Reuters A worshipper holds a child during a New Year's prayer at the St Joanes, Legio Maria of African Church Mission within Fort Jesus in Kibera district of Nairobi, Kenya - Monday 1 January 2024Monicah Mwangi/Reuters
This child is finding it difficult to stay up during a New Year's prayer service at a church in the Kibera district of Kenya's capital, Nairobi, on Monday.
News imageEsa Alexander/Reuters A participant has his face painted in preparation for the Cape Minstrel Carnival, in Cape Town, South Africa - Tuesday 2 January 2024Esa Alexander/Reuters
The next day, in the South African city of Cape Town, someone has their face painted for the Cape Minstrel Carnival, which marks Tweede Nuwe Jaar, Afrikaans for Second New Year...
News imageHalden Krog/EPA A minstrel performs during the minstrels parade in Cape Town, South Africa - Tuesday 2 January 2024Halden Krog/EPA
Minstrels parade through the city's streets - a 300-year-old tradition that was started when slaves were given the day off work on 2 January and is still celebrated each year.
News imageIhsaan Haffejee/Getty Images People wearing similar clothes of soldiers during World War One, deliver various performance during the Diturupa Festival in Mabopane township of Gauteng, South Africa - Tuesday 2 January 2024Ihsaan Haffejee/Getty Images
On the same day in the Mabopane township in South Africa's economic heartland of Gauteng, people take part in a parade in honour of African soldiers who fought in World War One.
News imageFredrik Lerneryd/Getty Images Supporters dance and chant in between matches during a traditional bullfighting tournament in Malinya Stadium, near Kakamega - Monday January 2024Fredrik Lerneryd/Getty Images
Sporting events also take centre stage over the New Year. On Monday, crowds chant and dance at a bullfighting tournament in Malinya stadium near Kakamega in western Kenya.
News imageCamille Laffont/AFP Wrestlers fight during semi final of the National Sabre, a traditional wrestling competition in Agadez, Niger - Sunday 31 December 2023Camille Laffont/AFP
In the Niger city of Agadez on Sunday, two men fight in a wrestling competition held annually for the past 44 years.
News imageJustin Makangara/Reuters Supporters of President Felix Tshisekedi of Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), celebrate his win after the announcement of provisional results of the December presidential election, in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo - Sunday 31 December 2023Justin Makangara/Reuters
This man's mind is on politics on Sunday in the Democratic Republic of Congo's capital, Kinshasa, as he celebrates the victory of President Félix Tshisekedi in elections rejected by the opposition as a sham.
News imageFeisal Omar/Reuters A man jumps as he plays at the Hamarweyne Beach in Mogadishu, Somalia - Friday 29 December 2023Feisal Omar/Reuters
While politics is far from this man's thoughts as he dives into the ocean in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, on Friday.
News imageFeisal Omar/Reuters Somali lawmakers applaud after President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud addressed parliament regarding the Ethiopia-Somaliland port deal in Mogadishu, Somalia - Tuesday 2 January 2024Feisal Omar/Reuters
But it is back on the agenda on Tuesday when Somali MPs applaud the president in parliament after he denounced a deal that Ethiopia has struck with the breakaway state of Somaliland to gain access to a port.

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