Africa

On the eve of the presidential elections in Guinea, the UN Secretary-General has called on all national stakeholders to ensure that the polls are conducted in an inclusive and peaceful manner. 

Candice Mama's father was killed by a man nicknamed "Prime Evil", yet the only way she could find peace was to forgive him.

Twelve migrants have died and others are missing after being thrown off a boat by smugglers off the coast of Djibouti in the Horn of Africa, the UN International Organization for Migration (IOM) has reported. 

Around four million girls worldwide suffer female genital mutilation every year. Although it is forbidden in Kenya, COVID-19 has led some families to revive itthe traditional practice, and a UN-supported phone helpline for victims of gender-based violence in the country has seen a big rise in calls since the pandemic hit.

A surge in armed violence, coupled with the economic and social fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, are contributing to worsening conditions for children in the Central Sahel, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported on Friday. 

Authorities in Mali are being urged to act swiftly to apprehend those responsible for two separate attacks on Thursday against peacekeepers serving with the UN Mission in the country, MINUSMA. 

Government will absorb the shortfall in the lump sum payment by the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) to public sector workers who retire this year, President Akufo-Addo has announced.

The Senior Programmes Officer of the National Commission on Small and Light Weapons, Leonard Tettey, has said investigations ongoing into the illegal shipment of pistols and ammunition to the Tema Port will yield positive results.

The Supreme Court has asked the Attorney General rsquo;s Department to handle Kennedy Agyapong rsquo;s application pending against High Court Judge, Amos Wuntah Wuni. Mr. Agyapong rsquo;s lawyers on September 17, invoked the supervisory jurisdiction of the Apex court to stop Justice Wuni rsquo;s contempt trial involving the Assin Central Member of Parliament, and to quash all orders made by the Judge in that respect.

Even as they confront the COVID-19 pandemic, countries in Africa’s Great Lakes Region continue to improve political, security and economic cooperation in line with a 2013 Framework agreement, UN Special Envoy Huang Xia told the Security Council on Tuesday. 

The Ministry of Interior has with immediate effect, deployed 200 police officers to serve as guards to Members of Parliament (MPs) till the end of the year 2020. The officers will operate under the Parliamentary Protection Unit.

Some Members of Parliament are hopeful of increased security following the killing of their colleague Mfantseman MP, Ekow Hayford. The Interior Minister, Ambrose Dery, is to make an in-camera statement on enhanced security for MPs later on Tuesday.

Farmers in Malawi who are struggling with the dual threats of climate change and an economic crisis worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic, are learning how to more accurately predict the weather and prepare for the eventuality of natural disasters, thanks to a project supported by the UN Development Programme (UNDP).

Hopes grow that a gigantic weapon stolen after the invasion of Algiers in 1830 may soon be returned.

More than 1,000 have arrived in recent days and this year has seen a big increase from 2019.

The economic damage caused by coronavirus leaves the continent with a big repair bill, the IMF says.

Muhammadu Buhari responds to protests sparked by a video of a man allegedly being killed by officers.

October 9, 2020 (JUBA) — South Sudan will introduce a new currency in a bid to control the hyperinflation in the country and the collapse of the exchange rate, the government announced on Friday.

Speaking to reporters during a briefing about the outcome of the cabinet weekly meeting, the government spokesman and Information Minister Michael Makuei advised South Sudanese to deposit their money in the banks instead of holding it at home.

"So the cabinet has decided that the currency should be changed so that anybody who does not take the money to the bank is left out and will lose it," said Makuei.

"This is an advice to those who are holding money, South Sudanese money in their houses to hurry it to the banks now so that you avoid queuing up when the time comes for exchanging the currency," he added.

The minister said the decision to introduce a new currency was taken on the light of reports to the Council of Minister made by the governor of the central bank and representatives of the commercial banks about the financial situation in the country.

South Sudan which imports basic commodities and food from neighbouring countries has suffered an acute shortage of hard currency following the reduction of crude oil production and the sharp collapse of oil prince.

The dollar is selling for 500 South Sudanese pounds in cash transactions by traders in the black market in Juba, while the official rate remains at 160 pounds.

The cabinet chaired by President Salva Kiir formed a committee including the cabinet affairs minister, ministers of finance, trade and higher education as well as the central bank governor and representatives of commercial banks to set up a plan to harmonize the national economic policy.

The committee should submit its proposals to the next cabinet meeting with seven days, stressed the government spokesman.

It is not clear if the costly currency change process will be immediately or gradually implemented.

Makuei pointed to the need to produce food at home, saying that the country still importing potatoes and onions while the country has a very fertile land that just needs to be cultivated.

The government is expected to announce a series of measures to promote food production and to accelerate efforts to increase oil production.

(ST)

A woman in her 70s whose daughter was killed and whose grandchildren were abducted during two decades of conflict and insecurity in Uganda, has been speaking about how religion has helped her to find a meaning in life.

Sophie Pétronin, one of four hostages released this week, alerted French officials to the killing.