AFRICA

Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Kutesa has called for international partnerships with Uganda’s Settlement Transformation Project (2016-2021) that aims to achieve self-reliance and local settlement of refugees. The Ugandan programme, officials say, aims to promote social development in the refugee hosting areas as a durable solution to challenges related to refugees, while protecting …

Juba, South Sudan | AFP | President Salva Kiir called Wednesday for a “national dialogue” to end the three-year-long civil war in South Sudan. In a speech to parliament, Kiir, whose wrangling for power with his former deputy Riek Machar plunged the world’s newest nation into a brutal, destructive and …

Fans of Group D, which comprises Egypt, Ghana, Uganda and Mali, will have to travel by boat or plane to the centre of the country’s oil and timber industries. Libreville, Gabon | AFP | Gabon insists it is ready to host the African Cup of Nations despite concern about the …

Abuja, Nigeria | AFP | Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari proposed Wednesday a multi-billion dollar jump in spending designed to lift the nation out of the “most challenging economic situation” in its history. He pitched his NGN 7.3 trillion budget ($23 billion) proposal for 2017 — a 20 percent boost over …

  MUGABE: Positions in the party are not jumped upon. People rise slowly Harare, Zimbabwe | AFP |  Zimbabwe’s ageing President Robert Mugabe on Wednesday criticised ruling party officials for allegedly “bickering” over positions of power and jostling to succeed him. “Positions in the party are not jumped upon. People …

UN chief urges Gambia military to end takeover of election commission United Nations, United States | AFP |  UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday condemned the military takeover of Gambia’s independent electoral commission, calling on the army and police forces to immediately leave the IEC’s offices. The seizure of …

South Africa’s Steinhoff and Shoprite to form retail giant Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP |  South African retail giants Steinhoff International and supermarket group Shoprite Holding Wednesday said they were in talks to merge their African operations to form a single company worth over $14 billion. The companies said in …

Jammeh’s party contests Gambia vote despite calls to ‘go’ Banjul, Gambia | AFP | Gambian leader Yahya Jammeh’s ruling party on Tuesday filed a court challenge to election results that showed he lost to opponent Adama Barrow, just as a quartet of African leaders were pressing him to step down. …

Banjul, Gambia | AFP | Liberia’s president said Tuesday no deal has yet been reached by a heavyweight delegation for Yahya Jammeh to transition power to opposition leader Adama Barrow, who was declared the victor of a recent presidential election. A day of talks with Jammeh and Barrow yielded constructive …

African leaders in showdown with Gambia’s Jammeh Banjul, Gambia | AFP |  Four African heads of state landed in The Gambia on Tuesday with a mission to persuade President Yahya Jammeh to leave office, as the country’s election commission was locked down by police. Jammeh’s party has vowed to challenge the …