African Union

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Festival Urges an End to Fighting in Africa

Young people gather in Uganda to call for 'silencing the guns'

(Newser) - Young people played tug of war and others shook their bodies to crowd-pleasing music as a scorching African sun set near the Ugandan capital of Kampala. A tipsy poet drew loud cheers by repeatedly reciting: "One day. Someday. Could be this day." The good-natured weekend gathering attracted scores...

Only African Country Not in African Union Wants Back In

Morocco's return depends on AU vote

(Newser) - Morocco left the African Union in 1984 in protest of the organization recognizing Western Sahara's independence, though Morocco viewed the territory as its "southern provinces." Now it wants back in—but it's not about to give up the fight, reports the BBC . "For a long...

Al-Shabab Attacks AU Base in Somalia

Gunfire, explosions heard in Mogadishu; militants targeted Christmas party

(Newser) - A Somali official says gunmen have attacked the African Union base in Mogadishu. Mohamed Abdi, a policeman at the capital's airport, which shares a fence with the AU base, said today there was an exchange of fire between the gunmen and troops. Somali terror group al-Shabab claimed responsibility for...

Interim Egypt Prez Dissolves Upper House of Parliament

As Muslim Brotherhood leader addresses supporters

(Newser) - The top leader of the Muslim Brotherhood defiantly spoke before a cheering crowd of supporters in Egypt's Tahrir Square today, vowing to reinstate ousted President Mohammed Morsi and end military rule. In his first public appearance since Mohamed Morsi's ouster, Mohammed Badie declared to tens of thousands of...

Central African Republic Rebels Vow to Share Power

African Union suspends country as president flees to Cameroon

(Newser) - The rebels who yesterday took over the Central African Republic say they're going to share power with the government they ostensibly ousted. In a statement today, the rebel Seleka coalition said it would "respect the Libreville accord," a agreement negotiated in January that would set up a...

African Union Gets First Female Leader

Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma was South African minister

(Newser) - A female leader has taken up the top leadership position at the African Union for the first time. South Africa's Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma today took charge of the African Union, where she will be in charge of peace, security, politics, and economic affairs of the continent. Dlamini-Zuma was most recently...

Rwanda, Congo OK Border Army to Hunt Rebels

African nations set differences aside at summit

(Newser) - Presidents of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo mended fences today by agreeing on an international force to hunt down rebels in the Congo's chaotic borderlands, Reuters reports. Rwanda's Paul Kagame and the Congo's Joseph Kabila signed the surprising agreement at an African Union summit in...

Coup a 'Significant Setback for Mali'

The world weighs in, and it's none too pleased

(Newser) - The world is strongly condemning the mutinous soldiers in Mali who ousted the president and took control of the west African country, reports the BBC . The World Bank, African Development Bank, and France are all suspending all their aid programs to Mali for now, and the UN Security Council called...

Militants: Somalia Suicide Bomber Was an American

University of Minnesota student disappeared in 2008

(Newser) - Somali militant group al-Shabab says a 22-year-old suicide bomber who killed "scores" of African Union soldiers in an attack in Mogadishu on the weekend was an American who grew up in Minneapolis, reports the New York Times . The AU has confirmed that two suicide bombers attacked their base but...

African Union Steps Up to Help Drought Victims

Donors conference pledges $356M

(Newser) - An African donors conference set up by the African Union has pledged $356 million to help alleviate the suffering of the 12 million hit by the drought battering the Horn of Africa. The lion’s share of that sum, $300 million, will come from the African Development Bank, with other...

Somali Militants Launch Ramadan Offensive

Despite deadly famine, al-Shabab forces attack Mogadishu

(Newser) - For the fifth straight year, Islamic militant group al-Shabab used the start of Ramadan to launch attacks in Somalia, reports CNN . Despite one of the worst famines in 60 years , al-Shabab fighters attacked African Union forces in northeastern Mogadishu yesterday with suicide bombers, guns, and mortars. "In the midst...

Clinton Urges Africans to Abandon Gadhafi

African Union leaders should adopt democratic reforms, Clinton says

(Newser) - It's time for Moammar Gadhafi's remaining African allies to defriend the dictator, Hillary Clinton told African leaders yesterday. Clinton, the first American secretary of state to address the African Union, warned the 53-member organization that without reforms, other African leaders could fall to uprisings like the ones sweeping...

Libya Rebels Skunk AU Peace Plan

African Union proposal would have left Gadhafi in power

(Newser) - Despite a sudden rush of defections from Moammar Gadhafi's forces, with five generals and up to 120 officers joining the rebels in recent days, the latest push for a peace agreement by South Africa's president appears to be dead on arrival, reports the LA Times . Jacob Zuma met...

US Shops for Country to Take Moammar Gadhafi in
 No Country for This Old Man? 

No Country for This Old Man?

US and African Union looking for a country to take in Gadhafi

(Newser) - No one knows who could replace Moammar Gadhafi, but that isn't stopping the Obama administration from looking for a new home for him, reports the New York Times . Gadhafi has had good ties with many African countries, including Chad, Mali, and Zimbabwe, and there have been a few pro-Gadhafi...

Allies to Hand Gadhafi's Assets to Rebels

Rebels also say countries will sell them weapons

(Newser) - Moammar Gadhafi’s frozen assets will be lining the pockets of his rebel enemies, under an agreement struck yesterday by NATO, Arab, and African officials at a closed door meeting in Qatar, the New York Times reports. The agreement comes even as divisions arose about how far to take their...

Libya Fighting Rages Despite 'Peace Plan'

Rebels not sure they want to accept African Union's deal

(Newser) - You know that African Union peace plan Moammar Gadhafi agreed to? Well it doesn’t seem to have changed a thing on the ground. Gadhafi’s forces continued their assault against Ajdabiya and launched shells at Misrata, while NATO went right on launching airstrikes, the New York Times reports. “...

Gadhafi Accepts Peace Plan
 Gadhafi Accepts Peace Plan 

Gadhafi Accepts Peace Plan

African Union bosses meet today with rebel forces

(Newser) - Moammar Gadhafi has accepted a peace plan forged by African Union leaders. The proposal involves an immediate ceasefire and launching a dialogue between the Libyan government and rebel forces. There was no mention of a withdrawal of Gadhafi security forces from cities, as the rebels have demanded. "The brother...

Somalia, Neighbors Begin Push Against Militants

Clashes erupt in capital, elsewhere with al-Shabaab

(Newser) - Somalia, working with neighboring allied nations, has launched a coordinated offensive against al-Qaeda-linked militants that has seen fighting in the capital and two border towns involving Ethiopian tanks, officials said today. Kenyan troops were deployed to a border crossing. Dozens have died in the push this week against the al-Shabaab...

West African Leaders Push Ivory Coast's Gbagbo to Leave

20K flee country as violent confrontation looms

(Newser) - Last chance for a peaceful resolution? West African leaders met with Ivory Coast's Laurent Gbagbo today to try to resolve the country’s post-election strife, the BBC reports. The heads of Benin, Sierra Leone, and Cape Verde met with Gbagbo, who has refused to step down despite international support for...

Gadhafi Demands $6B to Keep Europe White

Libyan leader warns that flood of migrants will change Europe

(Newser) - "Christian, white" countries will end up being flooded with African migrants unless the European Union gives Libya another $6 billion to fight illegal immigration, Moammar Gadhafi warns. "We should stop this illegal immigration. If we don't, Europe will become black, it will be overcome by people with different...

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