In pictures: Africa this week

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On Wednesday, Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) rangers piled up elephant ivory onto a pyre on April at Nairobi's national park in preparation for a historic burning of tonnes of ivory, rhino-horn and other confiscated wildlife trophies. Kenya on April 30, 2016 will burn approximately 105 tonnes of confiscated ivory, almost all of the country's total stockpile. Several African heads of state, conservation experts, high-profile philanthropists and celebrities are slated to be present at the event which they hope will send a strong anti-poaching message.

The day before, also in Kenya, the national rugby 7's team captain Andrew Amonde (C) held the trophy aloft as he and teammates disembarked from the plane upon arrival at the Jomo Kenyatta Airport near Nairobi, two days after Kenya had pulled off a stunning 30-7 upset victory over Fiji in the final of the Singapore Sevens to capture their first World Series event.

 On Sunday, Jockey Daniel Tanui rode his horse on his way to win the Million Shilling Kenya Derby at the Ngong racetrack in Nairobi as part of the Kenya Derby, the country's biggest race.

The following day, on Monday, a Zambian Policeman apprehended an alleged looter in the Zingalume Compound where residents had attacked, broken and looted foreign-run shops in the capital Lusaka. Zambian authorities arrested more than 200 people for rioting and ransacking Rwandan-owned shops in Lusaka over allegations that foreigners were behind a string of ritual killings, a minister said.

Three days later, foreign nationals, who fled their homes after the recent waves of xenophobic attacks against them, reacted as they registered with the Zambian Police after taking shelter at the St. Ignatius Parish Catholic Church. Hundreds of mainly Rwandan immigrants who own shops in the slums around the capital Lusaka fled their homes after their businesses were ransacked by mobs who accused them of ritual killings.

Up north in Burundi, some of the defendants faced a policewoman from the Burundi Police (PNB) on Thursday upon their arrival for their hearing before the Bujumbura Supreme Court sitting in Gitega's Appeal Court, in the trial of the failed May 13, 2015 coup attempt.
 Some 28 individuals are accused of participating in the failed coup. The small central African country descended into bloodshed in April 2015 when President Pierre Nkurunziza announced his intention to run for a controversial third term, sparking the failed coup in May.

Here on the same day, African Union observers are seen getting through security checks as a police officer of the Burundi National Police (PNB) looks on prior to the hearing before the Bujumbura Supreme Court sitting in Gitega's Appeal Court, for the trial of the May 13, 2015 coup attempt.

On Wednesday, two participants from Imatong and Terekeka counties took part in the South Sudan National Wrestling Competition for peace at Juba Stadium. South Sudan held a "wrestling for peace" tournament, bringing together athletes from around the country. The last big tournament was canceled when civil war broke out in December 2013.

Wrestlers took each other on during the competition.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, these survivors of a deadly shipwreck, Ismam Mowlid of Somalia (L) and Mahmud Muaz of Ethiopia reacted during a press conference in Athens.
The UN refugee agency fears around 500 migrants from Africa had drowned in the Mediterranean, in what could be one of the worst tragedies since the start of the migrant crisis in Europe. The 41 survivors (37 men, three women and a three-year-old child) were rescued by a merchant ship and taken to Kalamata, in the Peloponnese peninsula of Greece on April 16. Those rescued include 23 Somalis, 11 Ethiopians, 6 Egyptians and a Sudanese.

The same day, these two women carried fish to sell in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo.

Also on Thursday, health official took the blood sample of a woman for malaria testing at Ajah in Eti Osa East district of Lagos where dozens of patients and community members received malaria testing and treatment from the non-governmental organisation Development Africa, which in collaboration with Total company distributes treated mosquito nets and other actions to prevent malaria attacks to mark this year's World Malaria Day.

And back to this adorable picture of a Uruguayan Monusco Major Marcelo Techera sharing a moment with toddler at the Tulizeni center orphanage during a farewell party for the Uruguayan MONUSCO soldiers in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo on Thursday.
The Franciscan Missionaries Sisters of Mary orphanage gives shelter to almost 70 children, some of the living with their mothers - adolescent victims of rapes.