Mugabe calls for friendly relations with the West and urges lifting of sanctions

Zimbabwe wants new and friendly relations with Western countries who have been critical of it in the past, President Robert Mugabe announced today.

Kenya’s Odinga calls for Zimbabwe invasion

Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga intensified his attacks against Robert Mugabe yesterday, saying foreign troops should prepare to intervene in Zimbabwe to end a worsening humanitarian crisis and the president should be investigated for crimes against humanity.

Sanaa forum countries to meet in Khartoum

Leaders of the Sanaa Cooperation Forum, comprising Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan and, Yemen will meet in the Sudanese capital on December 30 to discuss regional issues. The six-year-old Saana Grouping, named after the Yemeni capital, is aimed at enhancing security, political and economic cooperation in the volatile region.

AU chief in DRC to end army, rebel clashes

African Union chief Jean Ping met Saturday in Kinshasa with officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo to try and bring an end to fighting in the country’s east between the army and rebel forces.

Global slow-down increases Africa’s risks

Current global turbulences are increasing Africa’s risk of decline in resource flows, both in private capital, remittances as well as aid, IMF has said in a report.

Africa to be hit by world crisis

While economic growth projections for Africa in 2009 remain quite optimistic, the continent is set to feel a negative impact of the global financial crisis. Credits will be more difficult to obtain and development aid transfers are set to be reduced.

China and Africa: Growing Pains

As the political crisis in Zimbabwe spirals into bloodshed and chaos, its ruler, Robert Mugabe, seems to have endless tricks up his sleeve. Already he has stalled an election after probably losing the first round, used the state-controlled press to divert attention to the chronic issue of land control, and apparently had thugs beat opposition supporters. But one of his strategies seems likely to fail. In mid-April, South Africa’s Transport Workers Union refused to unload a shipment of Chinese arms destined for Zimbabwe.