20110328
the monitor

Uganda and Burundi will each add 2,000 peacekeepers in Somalia by mid this year to raise the number from 8,000 to 12,000, an increment approved by the UN Security Council in December last year.

20110326
IPS

Elubo, Ghana — As many as a million people have fled Côte d'Ivoire's commercial capital, Abidjan, due to intensified fighting. Many people are fleeing to areas in the north, centre and east of the country as thousands of youth answered a call to join forces loyal to Laurent Gbagbo; others are trying to leave the country.

20110328

KENYA is set to benefit from a Sh780 million fund released by the UK government to help improve maritime surveillance of pirates in the Indian Ocean.

Foreign secretary William Hague said in a statement the money will help improve the regional capacity for piracy prosecutions and detentions in Kenya, Somalia and Seychelles.

About Sh737 million will go to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime whose counter piracy programme includes legislative review and assistance, support to the police, prosecution and judiciary, the provision of logistics and information technology, among other initiatives.

British High Commission head of communication John Bradshaw said piracy directly affects Kenya’s economy and security as it scares away investors. The money is also expected to be used to improve the Shimo La Tewa maximum Prison in Mombasa where about 79 suspected Somali pirates are being held. Kenya has the highest number of suspected pirates being held in prison.

He said the help will ensure the prison accommodation is in line with international standards and that prosecutions are in full compliance with due to process and the rule of law, added Hague.

20110327
reuters

ABIDJAN (Reuters) - Alassane Ouattara, Ivory Coast's internationally recognised president, has rejected the African Union's nomination of an envoy to negotiate an end to the crisis in the country, questioning his impartiality.

20110327
reuters

ABIDJAN (Reuters) - Abidjan gunmen fighting Ivory Coast's Laurent Gbagbo after he refused to concede an election say they want him out. But that doesn't necessarily mean they all want his rival Alassane Ouattara in.

20110327
reuters

HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe on Sunday vowed his party would not back down from its controversial drive to force foreign-owned companies to sell majority shareholdings to local blacks.

20110328

Kenya and Brazil have taken the first step towards reducing the trade gap between them with the opening of the first Brazil East Africa trade expo.

Trade between the two countries is currently in favour of Brazil, with Kenya exporting goods worth Sh81 million while bringing in goods worth Sh5 billion from Brazil in 2009.

The expo was opened by Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka who said discussions are on between Emblair and Kenya Airways for the latter to use its capacity and maintenance experience to service Emblair’s African fleet.

20110327
reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States will cut its military role in the Libya no-fly zone in the next week or so and with other nations start to focus on how to ease Libya's Muammar Gaddafi from power, top U.S. officials said on Sunday.

20110327
reuters

BIN JAWAD, Libya (Reuters) - Libyan rebels pushed further west on Sunday to retake more territory abandoned by Muammar Gaddafi's retreating forces, which have been weakened by Western air strikes.

20110327
reuters

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - NATO states could agree in hours for the alliance to take over command of military operations in Libya from coalition forces, a NATO official said on Sunday.

20110327
reuters

KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Catholic Relief Services fears it will have to shut its West Darfur food programme at the end of the month unless Khartoum lifts a ban on its operations, depriving 400,000 people of food rations, an aid official said.

20110327
reuters

CAIRO (Reuters) - Egyptian clerics and employees of state Islamic religious bodies are demanding an end to what they say is rampant corruption by senior officials who manage religious endowments.

20110327
reuters

MOGADISHU (Reuters) - Uganda and Burundi said on Saturday they have committed 3,000 extra troops to the African Union mission in Somalia, bolstering the fight against insurgents.

20110327
reuters

ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan promised thousands of his supporters on Saturday he would create jobs, improve infrastructure and give women a larger role in government if he wins elections in two weeks.

20110326
IPS

Addis Ababa — The Libyan government has agreed to a range of proposals from the African Union at a high level meeting held in Addis Ababa Friday, including democratic reforms and talks with the rebels.

20110326
Sapa

Johannesburg — An injury time strike from Katlego Mphela gave Bafana Bafana a 1-0 win over Egypt in their Group G 2012 Africa Cup of Nations at Ellis Park Stadium on Saturday evening.

20110326
RFI

Libyan rebels recaptured the strategic oil town of Ajdabiya on Saturday, and claim to have taken Brega, after a barrage of Western air strikes ousted forces loyal to leader Moamer Kadhafi. Rebels are still pushing west, and have Ras Lanuf in sight.

20110326
International Organization for Migration (Geneva)

With conflict between rival forces now having reached the western town Guiglo in Cote d'Ivoire, accompanied by further violence and looting, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has learnt that close to 4,000 people have sought refuge in a former camp for the internally displaced managed by IOM until its closure in 2008.

20110326
Daily Nation

Nairobi — Prime Minister Raila Odinga has maintained that suspected masterminds of Kenya's post election violence should be tried at The Hague.

20110326
reuters

AJDABIYAH, Libya (Reuters) - Libyan rebels backed by allied air strikes retook the strategic town of Ajdabiyah on Saturday after an all-night battle that suggests the tide is turning against Muammar Gaddafi's forces in the east.