Cape Town, South Africa (PANA) – Next month’s high-profile visit of US President Barack Obama to South Africa is developing into a controversy with two local pro-Muslim organisations objecting to his presence, PANA reported here Monday. Full text...

Lusaka, Zambia (PANA) – Zambia’s former president Rupiah Banda, has been invited by the Boston University (BU) African Presidential Centre to make a presentation at the 2013 African Presidential Roundtable, to be held in Johannesburg, South Africa. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - African leaders Monday adopted and committed themselves to implementation of ‘The Proclamation on the 50th Anniversary of the OAU/AU’, which spells out the continent’s development path for the next 50 years. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) – Liberia’s president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was Monday elected head of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, as the 21st African Union (AU) summit wound up, PANA reported from here. Full text...

Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) - Three days after his re-election as Chair of the umbrella Nigerian Governors' Forum (NGF), Governor of Nigeria's oil-rich Rivers State Rotimi Amaechi was suspended Monday by his party, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - Africa will not wait for handouts from outside to help it carry out its development programmes, the continent's leaders decided as they concluded the 21st ordinary session of the African Union (AU) Assembly here Monday. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has rejected, after a summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, any postponement of the general elections scheduled for July in Madagascar. Full text...

Accra, Ghana (PANA) - Ghana's President John Mahama is due to arrive in Paris on Monday evening from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for a three-day official visit to France, the presidency said in a statement. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - The 21st Summit of the African Union (AU), which rounds off Monday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, has decided to establish an African rapid reaction force to respond immediately to terrorist actions like that perpetrated in Niger last week, according to AU's Commissioner for Peace and Security Ramtane Lamamra. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - The 21st African Union (AU) summit is due to close here Monday with a release of its milestone proclamation on the Golden Jubilee of the Organisation of African Unity(OAU)/AU, the AU Commission (AUC) has announced. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - A mini-summit on the current situation in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was held on Sunday on the sidelines of the African Union’s 21st summit here. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - Nigeria's Foreign Affairs Minister Olugbenga Ashiru on Sunday in Addis Ababa expressed his country’s willingness to reinforce trans-border cooperation with its neighbours to effectively deal with the Islamist terrorist group Boko Haram. Full text...

Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - Libyan Home Affairs Minister Omar al-Khadraoui has announced a plan to ensure the security of foreign missions in Libya. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - Somalia has been urged to resume its financial contribution to the African Union (AU). Full text...

Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) - The Chiefs of Defence Staff and Inspector Generals of Police of troop/police contributing countries to the ECOWAS Mission in Guinea Bissau (ECOMIB) are to meet in the nation's capital, Bissau, on Monday, for the official hoisting of the mission’s flag. Full text...

New York, US (PANA) - UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Saturday that Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan has said the founding fathers of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), the forerunner of the African Union (AU), have largely achieved the objectives they set for themselves, but that the continent faces new challenges which must be overcome for the continent to achieve its destiny. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - Finding lasting solutions to the conflict in the Great Lakes region is part of the first steps the African Union (AU) is taking in its re-dedication to the future of the continent, AU Commission Chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma said here Sunday. Full text...

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...