Football before politics: Local elections have been brought forward to avoid clashing with the Africa Cup of Nations - but offer just as many fireworks.

The article focuses on the political and humanitarian challenges in Sudan, Côte d'Ivoire, and Malawi. In Sudan and South Sudan, ongoing civil conflict and delayed peace agreement implementation have led to widespread displacement, food insecurity, and human rights abuses, with the UN warning the country is unprepared to receive returnees. Côte d'Ivoire is preparing for crucial local elections ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations, highlighting intense competition among major political parties, including President Alassane Ouattara's RHDP, the Parti démocratique de Côte d'Ivoire (PDCI), and Laurent Gbagbo's Parti des peuples africains – Côte d'Ivoire (PPA-CI), amid controversies such as the exclusion of Gbagbo from the polls. In Malawi, former President Peter Mutharika is positioning for a 2025 comeback despite a presidency marked by corruption allegations, while the current administration faces its own governance challenges, with the next presidential election expected to be highly contested.