Regional Integration

Southern Africa youth exchange programme launched in Maputo

Monday, 22 February 2010 13:46

An exciting new Southern Africa youth exchange programme, sayXchange,will be launched in Maputo, Mozambique, on Tuesday. The programme nurtures a regional development perspective amongst future leaders.

(1 Vote)

Tags: Southern Africa - exchange - regional integration - youth - leaders - Graça Machel - sayXchange programme - Africa

West African nations agree to step up war on drugs

Tuesday, 16 February 2010 14:22

Seven West African countries, growing more concerned by soaring cocaine trade and drug use, agreed on Monday to step up efforts to control the problem, helped by 15 million euros in EU aid.

(3 Votes)

Tags: drugs - trade - control - Gambia - Guinea-Bissau - Guinea - Cape Verde - Mali - Mauritania - Senegal - Dakar Initiative - Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba - EU - aid - Africa

Chad leader extends olive branch to Sudan's Bashir

Tuesday, 09 February 2010 11:37

Chadian President Idriss Deby Itno paid a landmark visit on Monday to Khartoum, in a bid to consolidate a thaw in ties and boost efforts to bring peace to Sudan's war-torn Darfur region.

(1 Vote)

Tags: Idriss Deby Itno - Omar al-Bashir - Darfur - Deng Alro - Doha talks - United Nations - Sudan - Chad

AU welcomes Sudan and Chad peace agreement

Friday, 22 January 2010 13:16

The African Union Chair Jean Ping has hailed the Governments of Chad and Sudan's agreement to normalise the once soured relations between the two neighbours. The remarks followed the peace agreement signed on 15 January 2010 in N'Djamena.

(1 Vote)

Tags: African Union - Chad - Sudan - Jean Ping - Africa

ECOWAS will help Guinea organize credible elections, says official

Thursday, 21 January 2010 13:00

An official of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) says the regional body is ready to help Guinea organize a credible election within the next six months.

(1 Vote)

Tags: ECOWAS - Abdel-Fatau Musah - Jean-Marie Dore - Forces Vives - Guinea

Zambia, Rwanda to jointly pursue genocide suspects

Wednesday, 20 January 2010 13:46

Zambia and Rwanda have agreed to jointly identify and arrest 1994 genocide suspects who may be living in Zambia as refugees, the state ZANIS news agency reported on Tuesday.

(2 Votes)

Tags: 1994 - genocide - suspects - ZANIS - Paul Kagagme - Rupiah Banda - pursue - integration - Zambia - Rwanda

Zambia and Zimbabwe to launch 'One Stop Border Post'

Thursday, 03 December 2009 09:24

Zambia and Zimbabwean authorities will launch a One Stop Border Post at Chirundu over the weekend with a view to harmonise border procedures between the two neighbouring countries.

(1 Vote)

Tags: border post - COMESA - SADC - Chirundu - Ministry of Regional Integration and International Co-operation - Zimbabwe - Zambia

Nigerian to head Darfur peacekeeping mission: UN

Thursday, 03 December 2009 08:55

Nigerian diplomat Ibrahim Gambari will become the new head of the joint U.N.-African Union peacekeeping mission in Sudan's conflict-torn western Darfur region, the United Nations said on Wednesday.

(4 Votes)

Tags: UN - African Union - peacekeeping - Darfur - Ibrahim Gambari - Ban Ki-moon - Sudan - Nigeria

Tanzanian refugee population drops below 100,000

Monday, 30 November 2009 13:05

The number of refugees from Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo living in northwestern Tanzania has dropped to below 100,000 for the first time in 15 years, the UN refugee agency said.

(2 Votes)

Tags: refugee - UN - agency - UN High Commissioner for Refugees - camps - intergration - Burundi - Democratic Republic of Congo - Tanzania

West African bloc bans arms transfer by member states

Tuesday, 24 November 2009 11:15

West African regional bloc ECOWAS Friday banned the transfer of arms by the 15 member states except for legitimate defence, security and peacekeeping operations, a senior official said.

(1 Vote)

Tags: arms - ECOWAS - ECOWAS commission - Mohammed Ibn Chambas - convention on small arms proliferation - Benin - Burkina Faso - Liberia - Mali - Niger - Nigeria - Senegal - Sierra Leone - Togo - Ojo Maduekwe - Africa

East African bloc to sign common market treaty

Friday, 20 November 2009 14:47

Leaders of the five-member East African Community gathered at the bloc's headquarters Friday to sign a common market treaty to allow free trade, movement and right of residence in the region.

(2 Votes)

Tags: East African Community - free trade - free movement - right of residence - EAC treaty - Juma Mwapachu - Kenya - Uganda - Tanzania - Rwanda - Burundi - Africa

Rwanda group refugee status could be lifted by 2011

Thursday, 12 November 2009 10:49

The group refugee status of tens of thousands of Rwandans who fled their country in the wake of the 1994 genocide could be lifted by the end of 2011, according to UN and Rwandan officials.

(4 Votes)

Tags: refugee - Great Lakes - 1994 - genocide - Kigali - Hutu - Christophe Bizivamo - Democratic Republic of Congo - Rwanda

Africa blocs draft giant free trade roadmap

Tuesday, 10 November 2009 13:49

Three African trade blocs that have agreed to form a free trade area covering more than half a billion people created a roadmap on Monday. "Almost half of Africa is part of this grand free trade area," said EAC Secretary-General Juma Mwapachu.

(3 Votes)

Tags: trade - blocs - SADC - Comesa - EAC - Juma Mwapachu - agreement - GDP - roadmap - Africa

Madagascar leaders sign power-sharing agreement

Monday, 09 November 2009 12:46

Madagascar's top four political figures - including ousted President Marc Ravalomanana - on Saturday signed an agreement on sharing power ahead of elections next year.

(3 Votes)

Tags: transitional - agreement - democracy - Marc Ravalomanana - Andry Rajoelina - Tiebile Drame - Ethiopia - Madagascar

Burundian refugees return home from Tanzania

Monday, 02 November 2009 11:47

The U.N. refugee agency says one of the longest-running refugee sagas in the world is ending with the return of 400 Burundians who fled to Tanzania in 1972. The UNHCR has helped 53,500 refugees return to Burundi from Tanzania.

(1 Vote)

Tags: UN - refugee - agency - 1972 - home - Andrej Mahecic - Tanzania - Burundi

Zambia to export maize to drought-hit Kenya

Friday, 23 October 2009 13:43

Zambia plans to export 100,000 tonnes of maize to Kenya to help the east African country curb the impact of a severe drought that has left millions of people in need of food aid, the Zambian Daily Mail reported on Friday.

(3 Votes)

Tags: maize - drought - aid - food security - Kenya - Zambia

Congo to use SA farmers to improve food production and skills

Thursday, 22 October 2009 16:10

South Africa has signed a deal with the Congo Republic that will give South African farmers access to up to 10 million hectares (24.7 million acres) of farmland. The deal forms part of Congo's plan to improve food security,

(2 Votes)

Tags: farmland - food security - Agri SA - agriculture - South Africa - Congo Republic

US, East African nations begin major military exercise

Thursday, 22 October 2009 13:57

A major military exercise involving five East African nations and the United States is taking place in Uganda. The U.S. military says the exercise aims to improve coordination and response to humanitarian emergencies and natural disasters.

Tags: Military excercise - Natural Fire 10 - humanitarian emergency - natural disaster - East Africa - United States - US Africa Command - Dan La Pierre - Burundi - Kenya - Rwanda - Tanzania - Uganda - LRA - Joseph Kony - Africa

Nigerian govt announces landmark oil initiative for Niger Delta

Tuesday, 20 October 2009 13:36

The Nigerian government is going to offer residents of the oil-rich Niger Delta region 10% of all revenue generated from oil and gas ventures in the region. The initiative forms part of an amnesty agreements aimed at ending unrest in the region.

(1 Vote)

Tags: Niger Delta - MEND - Henry Okah - Emmanuel Egbogah - Umaru Yar'Adua - oil - militants - Financial Times - amnesty - Nigeria

West African leaders impose arms embargo on Guinea

Monday, 19 October 2009 12:39

West African leaders said Saturday they are imposing an arms embargo on Guinea after soldiers there fatally shot pro-democracy demonstrators and will try to stop Guinea's military ruler from running in January's presidential election.

(2 Votes)

Tags: ECOWAS - Moussa Dadis Camara - Mohammed Ibn Chambas - African Union - United Nations - International Criminal Court - Burkina Faso - Blaise Compaore - Nigeria - Umaru Yar'Adua - Guinea

W.Africa's ECOWAS to meet on Guinea, Niger concerns

Tuesday, 13 October 2009 12:53

West African trade group ECOWAS called on Monday for a summit of heads of state this week to seek ways to resolve political conflicts in Guinea and Niger. Nigeria's president, Umaru Yar'Adua, said the meeting would take place on Thursday.