Abuja, Nigeria (PANA) - Saying that President Goodluck Jonathan was not involved in the election of the chair of Nigeria's umbrella governors' forum, the presidency said "We have noted with regret the mischievous efforts by sections of the mass media to portray the president as an interested party and the main loser in Friday's polls." Full text...

Nouakchott, Mauritania (PANA) – The 50th anniversary of the setting up of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), now renamed the African Union (AU), was celebrated Friday evening in Nouakchott, the Mauritanian capital, with a rally attended by senior government officials. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) – Though Africa’s economic growth is generally strong, economic transformation remains a challenge across the continent, the President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Donald Kaberuka, said at a Special African Union (AU) Summit holding here Saturday to commemorate the organisation’s golden jubilee. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) – Ideals of pan-Africanism and African Renaissance took centre stage as the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and the African Union (AU) opened here Saturday with leaders expressing optimism over the continent’s confidence in itself, its ability and obligation to be drivers of its destiny. Full text...

Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) - The umbrella Nigerian Governors' Forum (NGF) has re-elected Gov. Rotimi Amaechi of the oil-rich Rivers State as its Chairman, but not every governor is cheering for him. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) – Ideals of pan-Africanism and African Renaissance took centre stage as the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and the African Union (AU) opened here Saturday with leaders expressing optimism over the continent’s confidence in itself, its ability and obligation to be drivers of its destiny. Full text...

Accra, Ghana (PANA) - As the African Union (AU) celebrates its Golden Jubilee on Saturday, a Ghanaian writer has said there is virtually nothing to celebrate. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) – South Sudan has proposed to contribute an additional 500 soldiers to the African Union (AU) to strengthen the African force fighting the Ugandan rebel Ugandan movement, Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), the AU Peace Commissioner, Ramtane Lamamra, said on Friday. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) – The African Union Peace and Security Commissioner, Ramtane Lamamra, on Friday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, pressed for the transitional Guinea Bissauan authorities to quickly form an all-inclusive government in a bid to involve all the political class in the management of the country’s affairs. Full text...

Nairobi, Kenya (PANA) - The African Union (AU) must throw out the resolution tabled by the Kenyan government calling for the International Criminal Court's (ICC) case to be referred for trial in Kenya, Amnesty International (AI) has said. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) – The African Union (AU) will not acknowledge the result of the 24 July presidential polls in Madagascar if candidates Didier Ratsiraka, Andry Rajoelina and Lalao Ravalomanana are allowed to contest, the AU Mediator for Madagascar and former Mozambican president, Joaquim Chissano, said on Friday. Full text...

Bamako, Mali (PANA) – Mali’s Foreign Affairs and African Integration ministry will organize what it calls "the week of African integration", from 25 to 30 May, PANA reported here Friday, quoting official sources. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - A high-profile debate on "Pan-Africanism and African Rebirth" as well as several other events have been lined up for Saturday, 25 May, 2013, in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, to kick start celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), now renamed the African Union (AU). Full text...

Rabat, Morocco (PANA) - Morocco has lined up a series of events to celebrate the Africa Day, which this year coincides with the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), now the African Union (AU). Full text...

Khartoum, Sudan (PANA) - A Sudanese civil society coalition, National group for Human Rights, has organised an exhibition in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, as part of the ongoing activities marking the Golden Jubilee of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), the forerunner of the African Union (AU). Full text...

Khartoum, Sudan (PANA) - Sudanese President Omar al-Bahir was due to leave Khartoum for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Friday to attend this weekend's 21st African Summit, the official Radio Omdurman announced on Friday morning. Full text...

Cape Town, South Africa (PANA) - Post-apartheid South Africa, which became the 53rd member of the defunct Organisation of African Unity (OAU), is marking the Golden Jubilee of the continental body with a national programme to raise awareness on the role of the forerunner of today's African Union (AU). Full text...

Port-Louis, Mauritius (PANA) – The Mauritian Prime minister, Navin Ramgoolam, left the island on Thursday for the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, to attend the proceedings for the 21st ordinary session of the conference of African Union heads of State and government, official sources told PANA. Full text...

Kigali, Rwanda (PANA) – The UN secretary-general, Ban Ki-moon, arrived in Kigali on Thursday for a two-day visit during which he will hold talks with senior government officials on several issues such as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the security situation in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Full text...

New York, US (PANA) - The Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC) has constituted Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) – The Mauritian Foreign Affairs Minister, Arvin Boolell, on Thursday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, said there was still a way out of the current political crisis in Madagascar despite the controversy trailing the candidatures for the next presidential polls in July, PANA reported here. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) – “What kind of Africa are we creating?”, a prominent Kenyan scholar and international consultant raised the question this week at an exclusive discussion about the continent’s governance and related economic, social and political issues. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) – A proposal to scale down the financial contributions of some member-states of the African Union (AU), especially the island nations, is now before the sub-committee on members' financial contributions, ahead of the 21st AU summit beginning Saturday in Addis Ababa. Full text...

Nouakchott, Mauritania (PANA) - Mauritania and Senegal have agreed to implement mechanisms aimed at tackling new cross-border security threats, according to an official statement released here late Wednesday. Full text...

Accra, Ghana (PANA) - Ghana's President John Mahama left Accra on Thursday for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to take part in activities to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), now the African Union (AU). Full text...

Cape Town, South Africa (PANA) - South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) on Thursday saluted President Robert Mugabe for signing into law Zimbabwe’s new Constitution. Full text...

Lusaka, Zambia (PANA) - Zambia's President Michael Sata was due to leave Lusaka Thursday for Ethiopia where he will his country's delegation to the 21st Ordinary Session of the African Union Assembly, scheduled to take place on 26-27 May in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa. Full text...

New York, US (PANA) – The UN Security Council on Wednesday extended the mandate of the UN political mission in Guinea-Bissau to assist in finding solutions to the political and economic crisis. Full text...

Khartoum, Sudan (PANA) - Sudan has sent representatives of 35 civil society organizations, known as the Sudan National Group on Human Rights, to take part in the events marking the 50th anniversary of the African Union (AU), apart from the official delegation that will be headed by the Head of state, General Omar Al Bashir. Full text...

Bamako, Mali (PANA) – The Malian interim president, Dioncounda Traoré, will leave Bamako on Friday for the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, to attend the 21st Summit of African heads of State and government, holding 25-26 May, official sources told PANA here Wednesday. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) – Sao Tome and Principe could be sanctioned by the African Union (AU) for failing to pay its annual contribution to the continental organization for two years running, if a proposal before the 26th executive council of the AU is anything to go by. Full text...

Port-Louis, Mauritius (PANA) - Mauritius will organise a series of events Friday to mark the 50th anniversary of the African Union, Mauritian Arts and Culture Minister Mookhesswur Choonee, said Wednesday in Port-Louis. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - The African Union (AU) has only been able to mobilize to date US$ 77.3 million on a draft budget of approximately US$ 278.2 million for the financial year 2013, according to a report by its sub-committee on contributions from member states, obtained by PANA Wednesday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - African Union (AU) Commission Chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma Wednesday called upon Africa’s leadership to provide a mission framework that will result in rapid change, sustained effort and united action by a united Africa. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - Africa needs to review the nature of its relations with the international community in order to bring about its structural transformation, according to Carlos Lopes, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - There is a glimmer of hope for Africa’s rejuvenation as a result of the progress achieved over the last decade, Ethiopia’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Dr. Tedros Adhanom, told his African counterparts meeting here Wednesday, on the eve of the golden jubilee of the Organisation of African Unity/African Union (OAU/AU). Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - Ten years after its creation, the Africa Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) has received acclaim for its contribution to sustainable growth and development in the continent. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - The Executive Council of the African Union (AU) starts its 23rd ordinary session here Wednesday to deliberate on different reports of ministerial meetings organised by the AU Commission in the last six months. Full text...

Kigali, Rwanda (PANA) – The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is expected on Thursday in Rwanda for a two-day working visit, according to a communiqué issued on Tuesday in Kigali. Full text...

Tripoli Libya (PANA) – The Libyan National Congress (Parliament) has accepted the nomination of Mohamed Khalifa al-Cheikh by Prime minister Ali Zeidan as the new Interior minister. Full text...

Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) - Nigeria's lower legislative chamber, the House of Representatives, on Tuesday joined the upper Senate in approving the state of emergency imposed on three states in Nigeria's North-east by President Goodluck Jonathan last week. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) – Central African Republic, Guinea Bissau and Madagascar have been banned from attending the 21st summit of the African Union (AU), to be held from 25 to 27 May in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Full text...

Abuja, Nigeria (PANA) - The Nigerian Senate on Tuesday unanimously approved the proclamation by President Goodluck Jonathan on the imposition of a State of Emergency on three states in the country's North-east: Adamama, Borno and Yobe state. Full text...

Washington, DC, US (PANA) - Africa's most populous nation and one of the continent's economic giants has again been left out as US President Barack Obama plans to embark on his third trip to Africa, and the second to sub-Saharan Africa, since he was first elected into office. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - All legal obstacles have been cleared to allow the trial of former Chadian President Hissene Habré in Senegal next year, African Union (AU) Legal Adviser Djenna Diarra told PANA Tuesday. Full text...

Tripoli, Libya (PANA) – The Libyan Prime Minister, Ali Zidane, on Sunday said there was no evidence to suggest that Qatar aided perpetrators of a car bomb attack in Libya. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) has yet to deliver on the lofty promises of good governance, deepened democracy and the advancement of human rights in the continent, according to civil society organisations meeting here ahead of the African Union (AU) summit next week. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - Though the last 50 years of Africa’s history have been fraught with so many challenges, Africans today are very proud of their achievements, according to Ethiopia’s Ambassador Kongit Sinegiorgis. Full text...

Washington, DC, US (PANA) - US Secretary of State John Kerry has expressed his country's willingness to strengthen its economic partnership with the Central African nation of Cameroon Full text...

Accra, Ghana (PANA) - Ghana's President John Dramani Mahama has agreed to a request from Kenya to champion its quest for an expansion of African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) at this week's African Union (AU) summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Full text...