UN News Centre - Africa

The United Nations Security Council has extended the mandate of the Organization’s interim peacekeeping force in Abyei – a resource-rich area contested by Sudan and South Sudan – as part of ongoing efforts to maintain peace and protect civilians in the disputed territory.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has strongly condemned the twin suicide bombings that targeted the city of Fotokol in the north of Cameroon on 12 July.

Just days after marking the somber fourth anniversary of South Sudan’s independence, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today urged the leaders of the country to end hostilities and to move beyond their “partial interests” and show courage and leadership.

United Nations agencies voiced concern today about the decision of Central African Republic authorities to deny refugees from the country the right to participate to the presidential election set for this fall.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has voiced encouragement at the initialing of a critical agreement between Libyan stakeholders aimed at resolving the country&#39s political crisis, a United Nations spokesperson confirmed today.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has strongly condemned yesterday&#39s deadly terrorist attack in the Chadian capital of N&#39Djamena, a spokesperson for the Organization said today.

The top United Nations official in Somalia has condemned &#8220in the strongest terms&#8221 a series of deadly terrorist attacks against an African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) base and two hotels in the country capital of Mogadishu which resulted in numerous casualties.

One day after United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra&#39ad Al Hussein alerted the Security Council about the seriousness of the electoral crisis in Burundi, his Office today issued a new warning about the impact the &#8220extremely tense situation&#8221 there could have on the stability and the development of Central Africa.

The number of Tunisian militants flocking to join the hostilities in Syria and Iraq is one of the highest among those traveling to fight alongside extremists in the Middle East&#39s two most dogged conflicts, the United Nations Working Group on the use of mercenaries confirmed today.

Decrying Burundi’s “blatant failures” to respect freedom of expression and assembly and the fact that open issues from the past are ensnaring the upcoming elections process, a United Nations rights expert today issued a strong call for greater global efforts to ensure independent monitoring and reporting and for all Burundian parties to safeguard fair elections and keep protests peaceful.

The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) has welcomed the announcement made last night by the armed groups of the so-called “Platform” to withdraw from the town of Menaka, in accordance with the arrangements for a cessation of hostilities.

The United Nations Security Council, reiterating today its support to the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali, said it looked forward to the expected signing of the accord this weekend by the so-called ‘Coordination’ armed groups.

The head of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has appealed “in the name of humanity and common decency” for a halt to the worsening violence against children in South Sudan that has seen boys reportedly castrated and left to bleed to death and girls as young as eight who have been gang raped and murdered.

The cholera outbreak in Tanzania continues to spread among the populations in the country’s western Kigoma region amid an influx of refugees from neighbouring Burundi, the United Nations health agency warned today as it detailed its ongoing response aimed at stemming the epidemic.

The Security Council has emphasized the urgency for Libyan stakeholders to reach a political solution to the country’s crisis amid ongoing United Nations-facilitated talks.

The United Nations agriculture agency has launched an emergency airlift operation in South Sudan and has distributed to families fleeing violence in hard-to-reach areas supplies ranging from nutritional biscuits for children, mosquito nets, vegetable seeds, water purification tablets and oral rehydration salts.

To tackle the humanitarian impact of the “relentlessly deteriorating” crisis in South Sudan, the European Union and the United Nations today announced that more than $275 million has been pledged in support of the victims in the country and the wider region.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has strongly condemned a series of deadly bombings in the Chadian capital of N’Djamena which reportedly killed more than 25 people and injured dozens of others, according to a spokesperson for the United Nations.

The United Nations refugee agency reported today that some 14,000 South Sudanese – mainly women and children – have fled into Sudan over the weekend, describing the situation as “an emergency within an emergency.”

The top United Nations official in Libya has strongly condemned an attack on the Tunisian consulate in the Libyan capital of Tripoli which resulted in the capture of ten consulate staff members.