Cape Town, South Africa | AFP | South Africa’s opposition demanded Thursday that the ruling ANC party end confusion over President Jacob Zuma’s expected departure from office, as tense transition talks continued in Cape Town. ANC party officials met with Zuma over the weekend to request his resignation, but he …
Read More »Chad suspends 10 parties for ‘disturbing public order’
N’Djamena, Chad | AFP | The government of Chad on Wednesday suspended 10 opposition parties for “disturbing public order” and “inciting violence” after they backed trade union calls for a mass protest over austerity measures. The parties’ activities “have been suspended for a duration of two months,” Security Minister Ahmat …
Read More »UN hopes for Libya elections ‘by end of 2018’
Tripoli, Libya | AFP | UN envoy Ghassan Salame said Wednesday he hoped for elections in Libya by the end of 2018 but that conditions in the strife-torn country were not yet ready for polling. “There are several conditions. For the time being, we have only achieved one: the start of …
Read More »GLOBAL COMMENT: Africa’s arrival
The latest African Development Bank (AfDB) Economic Outlook for 2018 predicts 4.1% average growth COMMENT | KAUSHIK BASU | The African Development Bank (AfDB) has just published its African Economic Outlook for 2018. This year’s revamped publication – shorter than usual, analytically well-structured, and written in lucid prose, without hyperbole – …
Read More »Gabon fights elephant poachers with hi-tech tracker collars
elephant Libreville, Gabon | AFP | Ever tried to put a GPS real-time tracking collar on a five-tonne animal? Well in Gabon conservationists have begun trying to use the devices on elephants; tracking and drugging the animals, before attaching the high-tech gadgets in a bid to stop poachers and ivory …
Read More »Mozambique plans constitution changes to bolster peace
Maputo, Mozambique | AFP | Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi vowed Wednesday to introduce constitutional changes to decentralise power as part of peace efforts between his Frelimo party and the opposition Renamo group. Renamo rebels fought a 16-year war against the ruling Frelimo party until 1992, and unrest again boiled over …
Read More »African Union head calls China spying report ‘lies’
Beijing, China | AFP | The African Union’s chairman dismissed during a visit to Beijing on Thursday a French newspaper report alleging that China had spied on the continental body as “lies” intended to derail cooperation. The report published by Le Monde in January claimed technicians at the AU’s Chinese-built …
Read More »Six children die in Nigeria boat crash: emergency services
Kano, Nigeria | AFP | Six children drowned when two boats collided and capsized in northwest Nigeria, the emergency services said on Wednesday. A passenger boat on the River Niger collided head-on with another vessel carrying onions to a market in the fishing town of Yauri in Kebbi state on …
Read More »Guinea appeals for calm after 7 killed in post-electoral violence
Conakry, Guinea | AFP | A Guinean minister and the international community appealed for calm on Wednesday after seven people were killed, including five young children, in violence linked to fraud allegations that marred local elections at the weekend. Sunday’s vote was the first of its kind since the end …
Read More »UN urges fair trial for anti-Kabila army rebel
Kinshasa, DR Congo | AFP | The UN mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Monusco) on Wednesday urged a fair trial for an army officer who deserted and is accused of rebellion. “We are calling for the holding of a fair trial for Mr (John) Tshibangu,” Monusco spokeswoman Florence …
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