central Africa

Somalia’s opposition presidential candidates have called for protests on Friday over what they call “illegal stay in power by the president”. Former President Sheikh Shariff Sheikh Ahmed said, while making the announcement on behalf of other candidates, that the government had failed to organise both parliamentary and presidential elections. President …

The army in the Democratic Republic of Congo says suspected Islamists have killed 16 people and burned down a church in the north-eastern province of Ituri. They attacked people as they were worshipping in the village of Ndalya. The Allied Democratic Forces, which originated in Uganda, is active in the …

The World Health Organization (WHO) through its regional Director in Africa has expressed concern over the resurgence of Ebola in West Africa and activated response efforts. WHO’s Regional Director Matshidiso Moeti said the agency was “ramping up readiness”. Very concerned by reports of 4 suspected Ebola deaths in Guinea. @WHO …

Health officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo have confirmed a third case of Ebola in the east of the country. The case occurred in North Kivu province, the same area as two earlier cases were detected. Efforts are underway to trace people who have come into contact with the …

With Russian and Rwandan allies, the Central African Republic’s army has recaptured the western border town of Beloko from rebels. Several groups that have controlled most of the country for the last eight years formed an alliance in December, and started a rebellion to try to seize power. The recapture …

Authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo are gearing up to begin an Ebola vaccination campaign following the death of two people in North Kivu province. A 60-years-old female farmer died of Ebola on Wednesday, six days after a 42-year-old woman had died in hospital of the virus near the …

Human Rights Watch has accused the Ethiopian military of indiscriminately shelling urban centres during the conflict in the northern region of Tigray last November. The US-based group said the attacks violated the “laws of war” and urged the government to investigate. The government has not immediately reacted to the accusations …

Humanitarian convoys have made way in the Central African Republic’s capital Bangui after rebel groups losing ground to pro-government forces temporarily allowed passage. The Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC), an alliance of six of the most powerful armed groups that have controlled two-thirds of the Central African Republic’s eight-year …

Eight canditates are running for the presidential elections in Congo Brazaville and their names have been submitted to the constitutional court for validation ahead of the 21 March election. President Denis Sassou Nguesso will face seven challengers including the former finance minister, Mathias Dzon, and Guy-Brice Parfait Kolelas, the son …

Somalia’s President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo has called for a meeting with federal state leaders next week to resolve the impasse on how to proceed with elections. The term of President Farmajo ended on Monday after talks on the elections collapsed on 5 February. Opposition groups have said they no longer …