he political division in Libya still poses an obstacle to the fight against the Islamic State (IS) group despite signing a UN-sponsored peace agreement and the appointment of a unity government. The UN-backed Libyan unity government called in a statement Thursday on its military forces to suspend any military operation …
Read More »Egypt to head UN Security Council in May
Egypt will head the UN Security Council in May, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, vowing to push African issues forward and put the spotlight on security challenges facing the international community. Egypt will handle several important regional issues such as the Palestinian case and the crises in Libya, Syria …
Read More »Nigeria, France strengthen military co-operation
Nigeria and France on Thursday signed an agreement on closer military co-operation, including intelligence sharing, to strengthen the fight against Boko Haram in the Lake Chad region. Nigerian Defence Minister Mansur Dan Ali said the agreement was evidence of a “growing partnership” between Abuja and Paris, as he met his …
Read More »South Sudan forms unity government
South Sudan President Salva Kiir has named his transitional unity government, sharing power with ex-rebels in a key step in a long-delayed peace process, a decree read out on Friday said. Under terms of an August 2015 peace deal, the 30 ministerial posts are split between Kiir, former rebel chief …
Read More »UN urges return to full operation of Western Sahara mission
The UN Security Council is calling for the urgent return of the UN peacekeeping mission in the disputed Western Sahara to its full operation in a rebuke to Morocco, which expelled most of its civilian staff to protest a comment by the UN secretary general.
Read More »Algeria says three Islamists killed by troops
Algerian troops on Friday killed three armed Islamist fighters in the Skidda region west of the capital during an operation in the area, the defence ministry said. A statement said the suspects were killed in the afternoon during a search which is still under way, and described the gunmen as …
Read More »4 years on, Gaddafi legacy still haunts Libya
Four years after Muammar Gaddafi was killed in an uprising, the dictator’s legacy continues to haunt oil-rich Libya as it struggles to find its national identity. “Gaddafi chose to build the idea of a state around his personality,” said Michael Nayebi-Oskoui, senior Middle East analyst at the US-based global intelligence …
Read More »Zambia sends 530 peacekeepers to CAR
ZAMBIA has sent 530 peacekeepers to the Central African Republic (CAR) on a United Nations (UN) stabilisation mission. Defence Minister, Richwell Siamunene said Zambia had once again continued providing troops to the UN towards the attainment of peace and security in war torn countries. Mr Siamunene said at the send …
Read More »South Sudan peace monitors call for flexibility to implement deal
South Sudan peace deal monitors have called on South Sudanese parties to urgently demonstrate flexibility and spirit of compromise to implement the August 2015 peace deal by forming the unity government. The Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC) Chairman Festus Mogae warned in a statement received in Juba on Wednesday …
Read More »UN Security Council to meet Tuesday on Western Sahara at AU's request
The United Nations Security Council will receive the Special Envoy of the African Union Commission’s Chairperson for Western Sahara, Joakim Alberto Chissano, to discuss the recent developments in the occupied Sahrawi territories. The meeting, which will be held at the request of the AU Peace and Security Council, will be …
Read More »