Warri, Nigeria | AFP | Months have passed since the Niger Delta Avengers have launched an attack on Nigeria’s oil pipelines, yet leaders in the region are warning trouble is brewing in the southern swamplands. A charm offensive led by Nigeria’s acting president Yemi Osinbajo has kept the uprising at bay, …
Read More »South Korea urges North to respond to military talks offer
Seoul, South Korea | AFP | South Korea urged the North on Friday to break its silence on an offer of military talks aimed at easing simmering tensions over the hermit state’s nuclear ambitions. Seoul had proposed to hold rare inter-Korea talks this week at the border truce village of …
Read More »EU weighs in on Museveni, Besigye talks
The much speculated about talks between longtime political adversaries, President Museveni and Opposition leader, Kizza Besigye got more currency when the European Union (EU), a key development partner of Uganda said the two leaders should have dialogue now so as to avert a situation when matters have spiralled out of …
Read More »Syria attack deals fresh blow to faltering peace talks
Geneva, Switzerland | AFP | A suicide assault which killed dozens in Syria Saturday dealt a further blow to already sputtering UN efforts to launch a new round of talks to end the six-year conflict. The Damascus regime vowed retaliation for the assault in Syria’s third city Homs — and …
Read More »New talks seek to end Syria’s war after nearly six years
Beirut, Lebanon | AFP | As Syria’s war approaches its seventh year, two new rounds of talks on resolving the conflict are scheduled to take place in Astana and Geneva. Here are some questions and answers about the upcoming talks: What talks are scheduled? The first meeting is in the …
Read More »BUHARI: ‘Major decision’ expected on Gambia this weekend
Abuja, Nigeria | AFP | Nigeria’s presidency on Friday said a “major decision” would be taken this weekend on the crisis in The Gambia caused by veteran strongman Yahya Jammeh’s refusal to step down after elections. President Muhammadu Buhari’s spokesman Garba Shehu said African leaders would meet in Accra on …
Read More »Burundi peace bid stumbles as opposition slams mediator
Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | The latest effort to end Burundi’s dragging political crisis ran into trouble Friday as the opposition accused the mediator of siding with government by accepting it as “legitimate”. Former Tanzanian president Benjamin Mkapa has failed to get peace talks off the ground since he was …
Read More »Vatican: Failure in Venezuela talks could lead to ‘bloodshed’
Buenos Aires, Argentina | AFP | If upcoming Vatican-backed talks between Venezuela’s bitterly antagonistic government and opposition fail, the result could well be “bloodshed,” a papal envoy warned Saturday. “If one delegation or the other ends the dialogue, it’s not the pope but the Venezuelan people who will lose, because …
Read More »Nigeria ‘talking to’ oil rebels: Buhari
Abuja, Nigeria | AFP | Thursday Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday said the government was in talks with oil rebels whose attacks have hit production, as the head of the state-run energy firm laid bare damage to the sector. Buhari said in a statement that “his administration is talking …
Read More »Mkapa flies to Brussels in fresh bid to end Burundi strife
Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | A former Tanzanian president mediating talks to end Burundi’s deadly crisis will meet the opposition this weekend in a bid to end the deadlock, diplomatic and opposition sources said Tuesday. Benjamin Mkapa is to hold talks in Brussels with members of CNARED, which groups almost …
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