More than 1,500 Malians fleeing a Tuareg rebellion in the north and reprisal attacks in Bamako have found refuge in neighbouring Burkina Faso, a security official said Monday. “We have more than 1,500 Malians who have found refuge inside our borders,” the official told AFP on condition of anonymity. “There are those who are fleeing the fighting in the [...]
A senior South African government official said on Tuesday that nationalizing mines was not a viable option for the ruling African National Congress (ANC). The government will adopt a policy position that is in South Africa’s best interests, Susan Shabangu, minister of mineral resources, told delegates attending an international mining conference. “We have consistently maintained [...]
The UN refugee agency on Tuesday released figures showing that more than 1,500 irregular migrants or refugees drowned or went missing last year while attempting crossings of the Mediterranean Sea. “This makes 2011 the deadliest year for this region since UNHCR started to record these statistics in 2006. The previous high was in 2007 when [...]
Scores of people were bundled into police vans on Friday when police forcibly prevented organisations from setting up a planned three-day summit on Jobs, Land and Housing on Rondebosch Common as a means of highlighting inequality in South African society. After having gone through the application procedures to host the event on the common – [...]
Opposition and civil society groups in Senegal have vowed to increase their fight against incumbent President Abdoulaye Wade’s presidential bid. The pronouncement came after the constitutional Council rejected an appeal filed by the opposition. Senegal’s highest court also rejected opposition appeal and confirming President Wade’s bid for third term for the second time in a [...]
The Zimbabwean government is set to intensify the implementation of the indigenization programs through the unveiling of more Community Share Ownership Trusts and Employee Share Ownership Schemes this year. Minister of Youth Development, Indigenization and Empowerment Saviour Kasukuwere was quoted by state radio on Saturday as saying the roll-out of more schemes will cement the [...]
From downtown shops that stock cheap clothing and shoes that fall apart after one wear, to mining concessions in platinum, gold and diamonds – the Chinese finger is now in virtually every Zimbabwean pie. From city sidewalks to low-income suburbs, the Chinese have become part of the local population, and if some senior government bureaucrats [...]
Kenya’s Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and Head of Public Service and Secretary to the Cabinet Francis Muthaura have stepped aside from office following a decision by ICC pre-trial Judges to confirm charges of crimes against humanity levelled against them. Mr Kenyatta will however retain his post as Deputy Prime Minister in the coalition government. President [...]
ZAMBIAN President Michael Sata has branded MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai a “stooge” saying he will not stop President Mugabe from holding elections this year. In an interview with The Telegraph in Lusaka on Tuesday, President Sata said Zimbabwe will have elections to uphold democracy. “You people, the Western countries, you taught us that democracy [...]
More people in Africa’s poorest countries have mobile phones than have bank accounts. That reality is spurring mobile service companies to explore how they can capture a share of the potential banking market by enabling migrants from these countries to transfer funds back home to their families. Sending remittances by mobile phone can be a [...]
