Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) - The Director-General of the West African Institute for Financial and Economic Management (WAIFEM), Professor Akpan Ekpo, has called on member States of the West African Economic bloc, ECOWAS, to fast track efforts to remove existing barriers to free movements of goods, services and finances, saying the move would hasten economic integration. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - The African Union Commission (AUC) Friday strongly condemned the renewed attacks by armed terrorist and criminal groups in northern Mali, which resulted in the capture of the town of Konna, in the Mopti area. Full text...

Khartoum, Sudan (PANA) - The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) have signed a two-year community stabilisation project to support Chadian migrants who have returned from Libya and are currently living in three northern regions bordering Libya, Niger and Sudan. Full text...

Kigali, Rwanda (PANA) - African Union (AU) Commissioner for Peace and Security Ramtane Lamamra has left Kigali after a three-day visit to Rwanda. Full text...

Nouakchott, Mauritania (PANA) – A two-day meeting of the economic grouping in Arab Maghreb opens in the Mauritanian capital, Nouakchott, on Tuesday, sources at the Mauritanian Central Bank told PANA on Monday. Full text...

Khartoum, Sudan (PANA) - The African Union (AU) says it is deeply encouraged by the convening of the summit meeting between Sudan and South Sudan and expressed the hope that it will enable the two Presidents to agree on the best means and ways of overcoming the challenges encountered in the implementation of last September's landmark agreements. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - African Union's top security official Ramtane Lamamra was due in Kinshasa Wednesday at the start of a visit to the troubled Eastern region of Congo and Rwanda to discuss the preparations for the deployment of a neutral force in the region. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - The African Union (AU) has expressed its rejection of violence and attempts to seize power by force in the Central African Republic (CAR), saying such a trend would be a setback to the progress achieved in democratising Africa. Full text...

Khartoum, Sudan (PANA) - The Sudanese Government and northern rebels are to meet for talks next month in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, under the auspices of the African Union (AU) High level Implementation Panel, the local media reported Sunday. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - International efforts to stop further rebel advances in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are expected to receive a boost Thursday when the African Union (AU) is scheduled to host a meeting to plan the deployment of a regional force and a peace monitoring group in the troubled area. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - The African Union (AU) has called for urgent funding and logistical support for the regional peacekeeping mission set up to restore stability to the Central African Republic (CAR), following a resurgence of rebel activity there. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - The African Union (AU) has announced the deployment of its first long term election observers to Kenya, where elections are due to be held this year. Full text...

New York, US (PANA) - The UN Security Council has authorised the deployment of the African-led International Support Mission in Mali, to be known as AFISMA, for an initial period of one year to assist the authorities in recovering rebel-held regions in the north and restoring Full text...

Niamey, Niger (PANA) – The Council of Ministers of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) opened on Friday in Niger’s capital, Niamey, to review the state of the financial situation in the community. Full text...

Khartoum, Sudan (PANA) - Sudan has reiterated its opposition to the plan by the African Union's Peace and Security Council (PSC) to take the Abyei and other border issues to the UN Security Council, warning this could lead to a new conflict with South Sudan. Full text...

Khartoum, Sudan (PANA) - The African Union (AU) on Saturday expressed concerned over ongoing political developments in Egypt, and called on Egyptian stakeholders to exercise utmost restraint and seek the interest of their homeland. Full text...

Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire (PANA) - In a rare diplomatic spat, the regional bloc ECOWAS has openly expressed its disagreement with the UN Secretary General concerning the urgency to deploy an African-led mission to Mali to help the country regain part of its territory seized by Islamists and rebels. Full text...

Nairobi, Kenya (PANA) - East African leaders rose from a Summit on regional integration Friday, satisfied with the steps towards the formation of a Political Federation and the efforts to set up single revenue collection points. Full text...

Dakar, Senegal (PANA) - The African Union (AU) Wednesday highlighted its commitment to a "more integrated, peaceful and prosperous Africa," with a renewed focus on "African Shared Values" which it said can help the continent progress and prosper. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - The African Union (AU) has reiterated calls to the Eastern Congolese rebels to stop fighting and drop its threat to topple the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Full text...

Kigali, Rwanda (PANA) – The 61st session of the executive committee and the 35th conference of the African Parliamentary Union (UPA) opened on Monday in Kigali, Rwanda. Full text...

Gaborone, Botswana (PANA) - The Southern Africa Development Committee's Council of Non-Governmental Organisations (SADC-CNGO) has hatched a platform for regional integration and development in the SADC bloc. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma was due in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, Thursday, to attend a Summit of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), the Commission said in a statement obtained by PANA here Thursday. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - The African Union Commission (AUC), the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and Instituto Lula of Brazil have announced a joint effort to help eradicate hunger and undernourishment in Africa. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - Representatives of African member States and relevant stakeholders have requested the African Union (AU) and the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) as well as other development partners to step up efforts in providing the necessary facilitation and coordination support towards the effective implementation of the Rio+20 outcomes to support sustainable development efforts in Africa. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - The Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU) has endorsed the the harmonised Concept of Operations for the planned deployment of the African-led International Support Mission to Mali (AFISMA) to help restore the country's territorial integrity. Full text...

Khartoum, Sudan (PANA) - Sudan on Tuesday said it was ready to cooperate with the international community to address the humanitarian situation in South Kordofan and Blue Nile states, two areas still suffering from civil strife.Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - The African Union's Peace and Security Council will meet in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Wednesday to discuss the military blueprint for the African-led international force in Mali, PANA reported Monday, quoting AU sources. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - The African Union (AU) is conducting a simulated training to gauge the readiness of its police and civilian components, ahead of the formal launch of the African Standby Force (ASF), the AU Commission said Tuesday. Full text...

Khartoum, Sudan (PANA) – The African Union (AU) has commended Sudan and South Sudan for ratification a series of agreements, signed in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, last month, which will facilitate resumption of economic activities and oil shipment via the Sudan. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - African Union Commission's first woman Chairperson, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, has arrived in Bamako, Mali, vowing to help the West African State to regain statehood and unity, the AU said Thursday. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - The African Union's newly inaugurated chief, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, pledged Monday to tackle the crisis in Mali, where a separatist group has been seeking the creation of an independent state. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - South Africa's Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma Monday officially assumed office as the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), becoming the first woman ever to lead the commission. Full text...

Bamako, Mali (PANA) - A meeting of representatives of the African Union (AU), ECOWAS, the UN and EU as well as Mali's neighbours will take place on 19 October in Bamako, aimed at assessing the latest developments in the West African nation.Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - The African Union (AU) has revived its push for the lifting of the UN arms embargo on Somalia, to facilitate the proper arming of its forces and called on the world body to authorize the deployment of additional military capacity. Full text...

Cape Town, South Africa (PANA) - South Africa's President Jacob Zuma Monday urged the African Union (AU) and the UN to work together to secure peace around the continent. Full text...

Khartoum, Sudan (PANA) - The African Union (AU) on Thursday condemned the killing of four Nigerian UN peacekeepers and the injury to eight others in the Darfur region of Western Sudan, Tuesday. Full text...

New York, US (PANA) - Outgoing Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Jean Ping, and his successor, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, have arrived in New York to attend a series of meetings dealing with conflicts in Africa, on the margins of the 67th Session of the UN General Assembly, the Commission announced in a statement issued here Monday. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - The African Union (AU) has warned that the targeted assassination of Somali politicians, who represent the voice of the people, will not derail the country’s political progress. Full text...

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (PANA) - Efforts being made by the East African Community (EAC) to boost intra-regional and international trade as well as direct investment inflows should be maintained to enable the member states to achieve full integration, EAC Secretary General Richard Sezibera has told the bloc’s development partners meeting here. Full text...

Cape Town, South Africa (PANA) - South Africa's President Jacob Zuma and members of the National Assembly have paid a moving tribute to Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, as she heads for Addis Ababa to chair the African Union Commission (AUC) Full text...

Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) - ECOWAS has said citizen sensitisation and participation in the design and execution of its programmes are critical to the success of regional integration efforts and consistent with the bloc's vision. Full text...

Abuja, Nigeria (PANA) - President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday reaffirmed his confidence in Nigeria’s ability to overcome its present challenges and emerge as a very strong, united, stable and economically-progressive nation. Full text...

Khartoum, Sudan (PANA) - The African Union (AU) and the UN Joint peacekeeping chief in Darfur, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, is due in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for a farewell party at the end of his term as the head of the AU/UN Hybrid Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), an official said Wednesday. Full text...

Abuja, Nigeria (PANA) - The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Kadre Desire Ouedraogo, has commended development partners for their sustained support towards the realization of the organization’s objective of facilitating regional development and integration in an atmosphere of peace and security. Full text...

Luanda, Angola (PANA) - The Electoral Observation Mission of the African Union (AU) has described Friday's general elections in Angola free, fair, transparent and credible. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - The African Union (AU) Tuesday said it was deeply saddened by the death of Ethiopia’s Prime Minister, Meles Zenawi. Full text...

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (PANA) - Rwanda’s Prime Minister Pierre Damien Habumuremyi has challenged the media in East African Community (EAC) member states to promote awareness and stimulate popular participation in the regional integration process. Full text...

Cape Town, South Africa (PANA) - Newly-elected Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission and South African Minister of Home Affairs Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma is due to host a meeting of former African Heads of State and Government in Pretoria Thursday. Full text...

Brazzaville, Congo (PANA) – A preparatory meeting for the Conference of heads of State of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC), scheduled for 25 July, began here Sunday, PANA learnt Monday.Full text...