Addis Ababa- Ethiopia (PANA) -- In her heyday, when Miriam Makeba sang, the whole world listened. Full text...

Abidjan- Cote d'Ivoire (PANA) -- Retired Malian President Alpha Oumar Konare paid a brief visit to Abidjan Friday evening during which he held two hours of private discussions with Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo. Full text...

Maputo- Mozambique (PANA) -- A special African Union (AU) session of environment ministers opens in Maputo Monday to discuss and eventually approve an Environment Initiative Action Plan to be submitted to the 4-12 July annual summit in the Mozambican capital. Full text...

Maputo- Mozambique (PANA - Mozambique's Inter-mi-nisterial Commission for the African Union Summit (CIUA) stated here Thursday that the selection of staff to support the delegates to next July's African Union (AU) Assembly of Heads of state and Government was conducted in a responsible and transparent manner. Full text...

Bamako- Mali (PANA) -- The Malian government on Wednesday adopted the instruments of ratification of the Treaty creating the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) Parliament, official sources said here Thursday. Full text...

Dakar- Senegal (PANA) -- In the build up to last year's African ministerial conference on the environment (CMAE), a report by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) painted a rather gloomy picture of environmental prospects for the continent, citing increased pollution, soil degradation, persistent drought, floods and the loss of plant and animal species. Full text...

Harare- Zimbabwe (PANA) -- An envoy from Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo met here Wednesday with President Robert Mugabe to curry Zimbabwe's for support for interim African Union (AU) Commission chairman Amara Essy's bid to retain the post during elections billed for next month's AU summit in Mozambique. Full text...

Dakar- Senegal (PANA) -- Though Madagascar's readmission into the African Union is likely to be dwarfed at next month's AU summit by the crises in Cote d'Ivoire and DR Congo, the great island's return to the fold is by no means a development of little import. Full text...

Libreville- Gabon (PANA) -- Former Sao Tome and Principe's President Miguel Trovoada will stand for election as President of the African Union (AU) Commission, his successor Pradique de Menezes officially announced here Tuesday. Full text...

Dakar- Senegal (PANA) -- After gliding from the authoritarian rule of single parties in the 1980s, the quasi-totality of the continent's regions are currently experiencing intense overt conflicts, whose repercussions always go beyond whence they originated. Full text...

New York- UN (PANA) -- In an effort to devise means of ending lingering conflicts in Africa, UN Security Council held a wrap-up session on long-term solutions to the continent's ills during the weekend. Full text...

Dakar- Senegal (PANA) -- When African leaders exchange pleasantries at the Second Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union in Maputo, Mozambique in July they would most likely take turns to congratulate Gnassingbe Eyadema for his umpteenth re-election as President of Togo. Full text...

Dakar- Senegal (PANA) -- For West African countries whose economies depend almost entirely on cotton production, the appeal on Thursday by UNDP administrator Mark Malloch Brown for G8 countries to remove unfair trade barriers from global business could not be more timely. Full text...

Bamako- Mali (PANA) -- Malian former President Alpha Oumar Konare's bid for the African Union (AU) Commission's chair dominated the local press this week. Full text...

Lusaka- Zambia (PANA) -- Zambia and Norway Friday signed phase two of a cooperation agreement designed to improve the efficiency of Zambia's auditing staff through training and other joint programmes. Full text...

Addis Ababa- Ethiopia (PANA) -- A two-member delegation of the African Union (AU) left Addis Ababa Friday for four central African countries to assess the current situation of refugees and internally displaced persons. Full text...

Nouakchott- Mauritania (PANA) -- President Maaouya ould Sid'Ahmed Taya Thursday met an emissary of his Ivorian counterpart Laurent Gbagbo who came to solicit Mauritania's support for Amara Essy's candidacy as chairman of the African Union (AU) Commission. Full text...

Niamey- Niger (PANA) -- Niger Thursday called on African governments to ratify the protocol creating the African Human Rights Court, at the close of the 33rd session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR), which opened here 15 May. Full text...

Malabo- Equatorial Guinea (PANA) -- President Teodoro Obiang Nguema of Equatorial Guinea Tuesday received a delegation from Cote d'Ivoire seeking Malabo's support for Ivorian candidate Amara Essy, who is bidding for the position of African Union (AU) Commission chairman. Full text...

Maputo- Mozambique (PANA) -- The interim chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission, Amara Essy, "believes that Mozambique meets all the conditions necessary for holding the next AU summit," according to Manuel Lubisse, head of the Africa division in the Mozambican foreign ministry. Full text...

Nairobi- Kenya (PANA) -- Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki Wednesday urged COMESA trade and industry ministers to wholly support the African Union (AU) and the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD)) to help Africa negotiate a better trade deal globally. Full text...

Maputo- Mozambique (PANA) -- Mozambican Foreign Minister Leonardo Simao and the interim president of the African Union Commission Amara Essy have signed an agreement related to the continental organisation's second summit here next July. Full text...

Dakar- Senegal (PANA) -- The African Human Rights Assembly (RADDHO) has urged the African Union (AU) to accelerate the creation of the African Human and Peoples Rights Court (AHPRC) as was decided in 1998. Full text...

Tunis- Tunisia (PANA) -- Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali granted audience Monday to former Malian leader Alpha Oumar Konaré, who is bidding for the position of African Union (AU) Commission chairman, the election of which is billed for the AU summit in July. Full text...

Maputo- Mozambique (PANA) -- Representatives of member countries of the African Union (AU) on Monday inspected facilities for the second AU heads of state summit to be held in Maputo in early July. Full text...

Johannesburg- South Africa (PANA) -- South Africa's Deputy President Jacob Zuma has said Africa has a long way to go before it can achieve human security throughout the continent. Full text...

Bamako- Mali (PANA) -- Malian Prime Minister Hamed Mohamed Amani has urged African youths to wholly engage in the development and unity of the continent. Full text...

Lusaka- Zambia (PANA) -- President Levy Mwanawasa on Sunday called on the African Union (AU) to double its efforts in order to ensure that the continent is rid of wars that have perpetuated hunger, poverty and diseases among its people. Full text...

Bamako- Mali (PANA) -- Malian Prime Minister Ahmed Mohamed Ag Hamani Saturday led diplomats from AU member states to the African Tower in a solemn function on the eve of Africa Day marked every 25 May. Full text...

Johannesburg- South Africa (PANA) -- President Thabo Mbeki Sunday paid tribute to the founders of the Organisation of African Unity as he led hundreds of South Africans and foreign dignitaries at Africa Day celebrations at Johannesburg Stadium commemorating the 40th anniversary of the OAU, now African Union (AU). Full text...

Dakar- Senegal (PANA) -- Building the African Union (AU) through integration is a long term endeavour which should be pursued methodically, patiently and with faith, determination and resolute and clear sighted commitment by Africa's leaders and peoples, Interim Chairperson Amara Essy of the Commission said. Full text...

Johannesburg- South Africa (PANA) -- African Union (AU) Foreign ministers Saturday ended a four-day extraordinary session here after discussing five main issues, including the African Standby Force. Full text...

Tunis- Tunisia (PANA) -- Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and visiting Libyan leader Moammar Kadhafi Friday lauded progress at setting up the structures of the African Union (AU), and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the Union's action plans. Full text...

Sao Tome- Sao Tome et Principe (PANA) -- Retired Sao Tome and Principe President, Miguel Trovoada embarked on a Central African tour to campaign for election as President of the African Union (AU) Commission, informed sources told PANA. Full text...

Sun City- South Africa (PANA) -- The Executive Council of the African Union continued discussions on the African Union budget during its third extraordinary session that entered a third day here Friday. Full text...

Sun City- South Africa (PANA) -- Mozambique, poised to assume the chairmanship of the African Union (AU), Thursday declared it was ready to host the 4-12 July AU summit in Maputo, considered the biggest international event ever in the country. Full text...

New York- UN (PANA) -- The UN Security Council on Thursday unanimously passed a resolution lifting the economic sanctions imposed on Iraq, and approved the establishment of an administrative authority by the US and UK to run the country until a democratic regime is set up. Full text...

Sun City- South Africa (PANA) -- The African Union (AU) has not invited the Central African Republic (CAR) government of General Francois Bozize to attend the July summit in Maputo following the March coup in Bangui that toppled President Ange-Felix Patasse from power. Full text...

Sun City- South Africa (PANA) -- Foreign ministers from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) meet here Thursday evening to discuss the current security situation in West Africa, with focus on Liberia and Cote d'Ivoire. Full text...

Tunis- Tunisia (PANA) -- Visiting Libyan leader Mouammar Kadhafi reaffirmed his attachment to the African continent when he addressed Parliament here last Tuesday. Full text...

Dakar- Senegal (PANA) -- The African Group of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Tuesday said it would organise an "African Week" 24-30 May at its Paris headquarters to mark "African Day," celebrated 25 May each year. Full text...

Abidjan- Cote d'Ivoire (PANA) -- Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo on Tuesday officially flagged off here the campaign by his compatriot Amara Essy to become President of the African Union (AU) Commission. Full text...

Maputo- Mozambique (PANA) -- Next July's summit of the African Union (AU) in Maputo is expected to generate US$ 12 million in tourism revenue, the Mozambican Tourism Minister Fernando Sumbana has predicted. Full text...

Sun City- South Africa (PANA) -- The Ministerial Council of the African Union (AU), which begins meeting here on Wednesday will have to resolve difficulties dogging the election of members of the AU Commission, South African Foreign Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma conceded Tuesday. Full text...

Sun City- South Africa (PANA) -- In the build up to the next summit, the 3rd extraordinary session of the African Union (AU) Executive Council will hold here on Wednesday to consider, in the main, issues relating to the implementation of decisions taken during the launch of Union last July in Durban. Full text...

Nouakchott- Mauritania (PANA) -- The ministerial council of the Senegal River Development Organisation (OMVS) is meeting here to prepare the 13th conference of Heads of State opening in the Mauritanian capital on Tuesday. Full text...

Addis Ababa- Ethiopia (PANA) -- The interim chairman of the African Union Commission, Amara Essy, has strongly condemned the terrorist attacks Saturday in Casablanca that killed about 40 persons, mostly Moroccans, and left some 100 others seriously wounded. Full text...

Dakar- Senegal (PANA) -- Senegalese Foreign Minister Cheikh Tidiane Gadio has expressed optimism over the results of a meeting to be held before the end of the year in Dakar between African intellectuals and the African Diaspora on the future of the continent. Full text...

Dakar- Senegal (PANA) -- Israeli envoy Arie Avidor affirmed here Friday that the Jewish state would like for the African Union (AU) to play an active role in the search for lasting peace in the Middle East. Full text...

Dakar- Senegal (PANA) -- The role of the African Diaspora constitutes a key feature at the third extraordinary session of the African Union (AU) Executive Council scheduled for Sun City, South Africa 21-25 May, conference sources said Friday in Dakar. Full text...