Focus on Africa - January 1: birthday for the undocumented
Download January 1: birthday for the undocumented
January 1 isn’t just the start of a new year. For a significant number of Africans, it’s also the birthday written on official documents, often by default, not fact. This episode explores how missing birth records, colonial systems and migration shaped identity on paper, through voices from Somalia, France and Morocco.
We then turn to Mali, where new US travel restrictions have taken effect, affecting several African countries. We hear reactions from the streets of Bamako and unpack what the bans mean for diplomacy, mobility and power in the Sahel.
Presenter : Charles Gitonga
Producers: Keikantse Shumba, Basma El Atti, Bella Twine, Blessing Aderogba
Technical Producer: Terry Chege
Senior Producer: Daniel Dadzie
Editors: Samuel Murunga and Maryam Abdalla
Published on Thursday, 1st January 2026.
Available Podcasts from Focus on Africa
We are not the BBC, we only list available podcasts. To find out more about the programme including episodes available on BBC iPlayer, go to the Focus on Africa webpage.