Politics

East African heads of state on Tuesday unanimously agreed to extend the deployment of the regional military force in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The decision happens a week after DR Congo military officials killed 43 and arrested 168 protestors who were demanding the withdrawal of East African troops and …

Large sums of money have already been pledged to Africa at the ongoing climate summit in Kenya, with the UK among the first to make a commitment. It is to invest £49m ($61m) in new projects to help Africans manage the impact of climate change and mobilise finance for climate …

The Chinese government intends to play a “mediating role” in the political crisis in Niger, declared Jiang Feng, the Chinese ambassador to this country in an interview on Monday on Nigerien national television. “The Chinese government intends to play a role of good offices, of mediator, with total respect for …

The Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), says it has suspended Gabon’s membership in response to last week’s coup. Earlier on Monday the coup leader, Gen Brice Oligui Nguema, was sworn in as transitional president. He seized power just after Ali Bongo was declared to have won a third …

Paying passengers have used the Lagos metro rail line for the first time on Monday, 20 years after construction began on the project. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu was on board as the train began commercial operations months after it was launched at the beginning of the year with test rides. The …

Zimbabwe’s main opposition party has confirmed that it will not seek to overturn the presidential election result in court. Official results show that incumbent President Emmerson Mnangagwa won last month’s poll with close to 53% of the vote, which international observers said fell short of democratic standards. He is now …

The lawyers of Sylvia Bongo, Franco-Gabonese wife of deposed Gabonese president Ali Bongo, filed a complaint in France on Friday for arbitrary detention, Me François Zimeray and Jessica Finelle announced to AFP. Since the military seized power in Gabon last Wednesday, deposed President Ali Bongo and his wife Sylvia Bongo …

European Union foreign ministers ruled out a military solution as they met to discuss the political situation in Niger. As tensions between the putschists in Niger and Ecowas escalate, the European Union reiterates its support for the decisions taken by the sub-regional organization. For the head of European diplomacy, Josep …

Prisoners from six penitentiaries in Ecuador are holding 57 guards and police officers hostage in retaliation for operations by the state’s armed forces in the prisons, the organization in charge of the latter (SNAI) said on Thursday. In the middle of a day of violence caused by the explosion of …

The African Union announced the suspension of Gabon from all its activities, following Wednesday’s military takeover, which it strongly condemned. The decision followed a meeting on Thursday of the bloc’s Peace and Security Council. Earlier, the Gabonese junta said it would phase in what it is calling transitional institutions after …