AFP Africa

Somaliland, a breakaway region of Somalia, holds a presidential election on Wednesday at a time of diplomatic tensions in the Horn of Africa. Here are some key facts about the territory: – Independence declaration -Somaliland declared independence from war-torn Somalia in 1991 after the fall of autocrat Siad Barre.But it remains unrecognised by any country or international …

Somaliland: breakaway region in quest for statehoodWed, 13 Nov 2024 07:21:25 GMT Read More »

When Armand Diangienda founded the Kimbanguist Symphony Orchestra — one of the most famous in Africa — in 1994, they had so few instruments that musicians had to share.They got to play them for only 15 minutes before handing them on to the next person.”When a string broke, we would replace it with bicycle (brake) …

Top Africa orchestra began with brake cables for stringsWed, 13 Nov 2024 07:15:29 GMT Read More »

Senegal will elect a new parliament Sunday, with the new leaders aiming for a clear majority to see through the promise of radical change that swept them to power eight months ago.Pledging economic transformation, social justice and a fight against corruption, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye won 54 percent of the vote in March and raised …

Senegal’s new leaders eye majority in parliamentary pollsWed, 13 Nov 2024 06:43:03 GMT Read More »

Mauritius opposition leader Navin Ramgoolam was confirmed as prime minister on Tuesday following a thumping election victory for his coalition that took every parliamentary seat on the main island. One of Africa’s most stable and prosperous democracies, the Indian Ocean island chain has been dominated by a handful of political dynasties since independence from Britain in …

Mauritius gets new PM after clean-sweep election winTue, 12 Nov 2024 18:12:18 GMT Read More »

The creation of a UN-backed global carbon market has taken a step closer to reality with governments approving new standards for the use of credits to meet climate targets.The agreement reached at the COP29 climate summit was hailed as a breakthrough after nearly a decade of complex negotiations over the rules for trading carbon credits.UN …

UN carbon market inches closer after COP29 agreementTue, 12 Nov 2024 17:19:54 GMT Read More »

Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko on Tuesday called for vengeance following what he described as attacks against supporters of his Pastef party by the opposition during the campaign for parliamentary elections.Sonko, who has been head of the government since it took office in April, spoke of clashes in the capital Dakar, the northern city of …

Senegal PM calls for vengeance after election campaign clashesTue, 12 Nov 2024 17:03:11 GMT Read More »

They’re some of the world’s smallest nations, but a group of countries that say they absorb more carbon than they emit is demanding attention at the UN COP29 talks.Bhutan, Panama, Madagascar and Suriname rarely make the headlines at the annual climate conference, lost among the rich nations and major emitters that hog the limelight.By banding …

‘Carbon-neutral’ countries demand credit at COP29Tue, 12 Nov 2024 16:55:48 GMT Read More »

European fishing vessels will imminently cease activities in Senegalese waters after the non-renewal of an agreement between Brussels and Dakar, EU ambassador Jean-Marc Pisani said Tuesday. The accord between the European Union and the West African country that has been in force since 2019 is due to expire at midnight between Sunday and Monday.Pisani said the …

EU vessels to cease fishing in Senegal after accord expiresTue, 12 Nov 2024 15:13:29 GMT Read More »

The Central African Republic (CAR) sought Tuesday to convince the regulatory body for global diamond trading to lift all restrictions against it, ending an export embargo in place for more than a decade.The Kimberley Process (KP) regulatory body opened its plenary assembly in Dubai on Tuesday under the presidency of the United Arab Emirates.The CAR …

C.Africa urges lifting of embargo on diamond exportsTue, 12 Nov 2024 12:18:44 GMT Read More »

Navin Ramgoolam, set for a third stint as prime minister of Mauritius after a landslide election victory, is a veteran politician who has been dogged by controversy in the past.The 77-year-old — who boasts a political career spanning more than three decades — is a member of one of the dynasties that have dominated the …

Navin Ramgoolam: Mauritius political veteran back in from the coldTue, 12 Nov 2024 10:43:12 GMT Read More »