Representatives of armed groups from northern Mali have been attending a pre-consultative meeting held by the Malian Presidency in the capital Bamako since Sunday, according to official sources. Participants include delegates of the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA), the Supreme Council of Azawad Unity (HCUA), the Azawad …

Youths affiliated to Mali’s main Tuareg separatist group on Sunday tried to prevent a plane carrying three ministers from landing in their northern bastion of Kidal and later pelted their convoy with rocks, officials and witnesses said.

Tunisia is negotiating to borrow up to 500 million euros from the European Union and the United States has also expressed willingness to guarantee loans in 2014, the finance minister said. Tunisia’s budget deficit should narrow to 6.5 per cent next year from 7.4 per cent of GDP expected in …