Africa

South Sudan’s rebel chief Riek Machar will return to the capital on Monday for the first time since war began, his spokesman said, a key step in salvaging a floundering peace agreement. Machar’s return as part of the August 2015 peace deal is seen as the best hope yet for …

An Ethiopian official says that armed groups have killed more than 140 civilians near Ethiopia’s border with South Sudan. The attackers came from South Sudan and killed civilians, including women and children, Getachew Reda, Ethiopia’s communications minister, told the Associated Press on Saturday. “The Ethiopian defence force is currently chasing …

Foreign Office Minister for the MENA Region Tobias Ellwood reaffirmed the United Kingdom’s “commitment to stand with Tunisia in helping defeat terrorism.” “The security that Tunisia is requiring is the security we need,” he said in a telephone interview with TAP on Wednesday. “We want to stand by Tunisia to …

The Tunisian Foreign Minister, Khamees Al-Jhinawy, stated that the international support to Libya is flawed as successive Libyan governments failed to clearly define its needs and priorities. In a high level meeting concerning the international support to the Government of National Accord (GNA), on Tuesday in Tunisia, Al-Jhinawy stated that …

Thousands of Egyptians angered by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s decision to hand over two islands to Saudi Arabia called yesterday for the government to fall, chanting a slogan from the 2011 Arab Spring uprising. Their protests signalled that the former general, under mounting criticism now also for the struggling economy, …

Mali has decided to extend the state of emergency until 15 July, re-established on 4 April, in order to fight against terrorism, announced Wednesday the Malian government in a communiqué. The weekly cabinet meeting, held on Wednesday under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Modibo Keita, “approved a bill authorizing the …

The United Nations on Wednesday said it was “deeply concerned” for around 35 000 people forced to flee camps in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo following clashes between the army and rebels. Five camps for internally displaced persons in North Kivu province have been emptied since March 27, forcing thousands …

Ambassadors to Libya from France, Britain and Spain arrived in the capital Tripoli on Thursday, reiterating the international community’s support for the new, UN-brokered unity government and pledging to reopen embassies closed two years ago because of the fighting. Most foreign embassies closed in 2014 as Tripoli descended into heavy …

The separatist leader of Western Sahara has warned the United Nations of a return to armed conflict in the north African territory unless pressure is put on Morocco to fully restore a UN mission there. Polisario Front leader Mohammad Abdulaziz delivered the warning in a letter to UN Secretary-General Ban …

A joint clearance operation by Cameroon and Nigeria forces along the border of the two countries has rescued more than 1 200 people held hostage by the Boko Haram. More than 20 alleged Boko Haram terrorists have been killed during the exercise. Three Boko Haram commanders were killed.