AFP Africa

Leaders from West African bloc ECOWAS will meet on Thursday for an emergency summit on the coup in Niger, after the country’s military chiefs defied an ultimatum to restore the elected president.Two weeks after the coup that toppled Mohamed Bazoum, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) says it is seeking a diplomatic solution …

West African bloc gathers for key summit on Niger coupThu, 10 Aug 2023 07:39:12 GMT Read More »

Forty-one migrants including three children are feared dead after being shipwrecked last week in the Mediterranean, UN agencies said, citing four survivors brought to the Italian island of Lampedusa Wednesday.Their metal boat overturned in bad weather during the night of Thursday to Friday after setting off from the Tunisian port of Sfax, said a joint …

41 migrants missing after new Mediterranean shipwreckThu, 10 Aug 2023 06:45:29 GMT Read More »

Aminata Kabba says she has not seen justice in the year since learning from a social media video that armed men had shot her son dead, days after widespread riots gripped Sierra Leone.”I just thought of dying that day with my son,” the 65-year-old cook from the northern city of Makeni told AFP, speaking from …

S.Leone riot victims’ families still awaiting justice a year onThu, 10 Aug 2023 06:22:38 GMT Read More »

Niger’s new military rulers on Wednesday accused France, the country’s traditional ally, of releasing captured jihadists and breaching a ban on air space on the eve of a key summit on the Sahel’s latest crisis.Leaders of the West African bloc ECOWAS are to meet in the Nigerian capital Abuja to weigh their options, with diplomacy …

Niger coup leaders take aim at France on eve of key summitThu, 10 Aug 2023 04:21:10 GMT Read More »

The United States on Wednesday accused Sudan of having threatened to expel the United Nations mission from the war-torn country if the UN envoy, already in Khartoum’s crosshairs, speaks before the Security Council on the atrocities of the conflict.During a session devoted to Sudan and South Sudan, US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, whose country is chairing …

US accuses Sudan of threatening to expel UN missionWed, 09 Aug 2023 22:45:08 GMT Read More »

Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni on Wednesday accused the World Bank of using money to try to “coerce” the government over its controversial anti-gay legislation.His comments followed an announcement by the US-based global lender on Tuesday that it was suspending new loans to the East African country over what are considered among the world’s harshest laws …

Uganda leader accuses World Bank of coercion after loan freezeWed, 09 Aug 2023 20:48:30 GMT Read More »

The Ethiopian government said Wednesday that major cities in the Amhara region had been “freed” after days of fighting between army troops and militia fighters.There has been no official toll from the unrest, but hospital doctors in two of the affected cities told AFP that many civilians had been killed or injured.Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s …

Ethiopia says Amhara cities ‘freed’ after days of fightingWed, 09 Aug 2023 17:36:13 GMT Read More »

Kenya’s government and the opposition launched fresh talks Wednesday aimed at resolving a bitter political feud following a spate of violent protests over the high cost of living and calls for electoral reforms.But even as the formal dialogue kicked off in Nairobi, both sides insisted there would no form of power-sharing to resolve the crisis in …

Kenya political rivals launch fresh talks after protestsWed, 09 Aug 2023 14:14:43 GMT Read More »

West African nations and the United States gave priority to diplomacy to end the crisis in coup-stricken Niger ahead of a regional summit on Thursday to consider options that include military intervention.The summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) takes place under the chairmanship of Nigeria, the regional superpower and advocate of …

Diplomacy centre-stage on eve of W.Africa summit on NigerWed, 09 Aug 2023 13:30:48 GMT Read More »

Ethiopian troops appeared to be pushing back militia fighters in two cities in the conflict-hit Amhara region, residents said Wednesday, after local authorities reported that “relative peace” was being restored.There has been no official casualty toll from the Amhara violence, but two hospital doctors told AFP that a number of civilians have died and many …

Ethiopia troops push back Amhara fighters: residentsWed, 09 Aug 2023 12:19:50 GMT Read More »