The African Union (AU) Mission to Mali and the Sahel has called on Mali’s government and representatives of armed groups to ensure transparency and good will as the parties begin peace negotiations in neighboring Algeria on Wednesday.

First Deputy Foreign Minister of Turkey Firuddin Sinirlioglu had telephone conversation with his Russian counterpart Grigory Karasin.

French President Francois Hollande begins on Thursday a three-day visit to Africa to reinforce France’s commitment to the continent and to the fight against rising extremism in several countries, Hollande’s office said.