Africa

Libyan military committee agrees coordination on foreign forces departure

Libya's "5+5" military committee of officers from both main sides of the civil war has agreed on a coordination mechanism for the withdrawal of foreign forces in liaison with neighbouring Sudan and…

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Tunisian president dismisses foreign minister

TUNIS, (Reuters) - Tunisian President Kais Saied dismissed Foreign Minister Othman Jerandi on Tuesday, replacing him with the former ambassador to the European Union and Belgium Nabil Ammar. The switch…

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Hope for jobs drives recruitment by militant groups in Africa – report

Hope of employment more than religious belief is driving people to join fast-growing extremist groups in sub-Saharan Africa, according to a report by the U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) based on…

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Nigerian senator and family on trial in UK over organ harvesting plot

A wealthy Nigerian politician and his family plotted to bring a street trader from Nigeria to Britain and pay him a few thousand pounds to donate his kidney for a…

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US seeks to expel Russian mercenaries from Sudan, Libya

The United States has stepped up pressure on Middle East allies to expel the Wagner Group, a military contractor owned by an oligarch with close ties to Russia’s president, from…

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“Global oil companies” urged to resume work in Libya

In a speech delivered on behalf of the Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, the Minister of Finance Khalid Al-Mabrouk said at the opening of the "Supporting the Oil and…

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UPDATED: Pope Francis wraps up South Sudan trip, urges end to ‘blind fury’ of violence

Pope ends visits to DR Congo, South Sudan Celebrates open-air Mass in Juba Urges people of South Sudan to end violence In first, Anglican leader joined pope in S.Sudan JUBA,…

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Pope wraps up Congo visit, heads to volatile South Sudan

Pope received vibrant welcome in Kinshasa Addressed DR Congo's struggles with war, exploitation Now heads to predominantly Christian South Sudan Archbishop of Canterbury joins for South Sudan leg KINSHASA, Feb…

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Israel, Sudan announce deal to normalise relations

KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Israel and Sudan have finalised a deal to normalise relations, with a signing ceremony expected following a transfer of power from the military to a civilian government…

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Morocco’s trade deficit widens 56.5% in 2022

RABAT, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Morocco's trade deficit widened 56.5% to 311 billion dirhams ($ 30.6 billion) in 2022, boosted mainly by higher energy costs, data from the foreign exchange…

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Egypt’s current account deficit shrinks 20.2% in July-September

CAIRO, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Egypt's current account deficit narrowed by 20.2% to $3.2 billion in the July to September quarter as imports shrank, exports rose and tourism revenue shot…

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Shun ethnic rivalry and corruption, Pope tells African youth

KINSHASA, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Pope Francis on Thursday urged young people in Democratic Republic of Congo to forge a new future without the ethnic rivalry, corruption and distrust that…

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Spain, Morocco forge economic ties as Western Sahara policy reversal eases tensions

Spain, Morocco hold first summit in eight years Relations long strained by illegal migration issue Expected to sign up to 20 accords on trade, investment By Belén Carreño and Ahmed…

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Pope Francis urges mutual forgiveness to end Congo conflict

By Philip Pullella and Paul Lorgerie More than a million attend huge open-air Mass Pope calls for amnesty of the heart to end violence Asks Christians involved in conflicts to…

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‘Hands off Africa,’ Pope Francis tells rich world

By Philip Pullella and Paul Lorgerie Pope begins trip to DR Congo and South Sudan Francis to meet victims of war in Congo Trip postponed from July due to pope's…

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Blinken discusses Mideast tensions with Egypt’s Sisi on first leg of tour

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed efforts to de-escalate tensions between Israel and the Palestinians in talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Monday during a three-day visit…

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Tunisians elect weakened parliament on 11% turnout

By Tarek Amara and Angus McDowall TUNIS, Jan 29 (Reuters) - Tunisia announced that a mere 11% of the electorate had voted on Sunday in parliamentary runoffs in which critics of President…

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South Africa defends planned military drills with Russia and China

South Africa's foreign minister on Monday deflected criticism of joint military drills planned with Russia and China, saying that hosting such exercises with "friends" was the "natural course of relations."…

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Nigerian flights disrupted by striking ground staff

LAGOS, Jan 23 (Reuters) - Airlines in Nigeria said on Monday flights were being disrupted after ground staff began an indefinite strike to demand higher pay. Air Peace, which has…

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Libyan warlord Haftar may transfer his powers to his son

A report by the Russian newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta has shed light on the Moscow- Libyan relations after the "Khalifa Haftar era," citing that the rogue military commander is considering transferring…

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Morocco sends T-72B main battle tanks to Ukraine

Morocco has reportedly sent around 20 T-72B main battle tanks to Ukraine, according to Ukraine’s armed forces. In its latest update, the military said: A week ago, Morocco sent 20…

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Egypt’s soaring prices drive home economic pain

Currency crunch has seen Egyptian pound slide Charities say donations dropping, demand rising IMF deal calls for structural reform, social spending By Mariam Rizk CAIRO (Reuters) - In better times,…

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Burkina Faso military government demands departure of French troops

OUAGADOUGOU, Jan 21 (Reuters) - Burkina Faso's military government has demanded the departure of French troops stationed in the country, the West African nation's national television reported on Saturday, citing…

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Pope’s Congo visit seeks to heal ‘still bleeding’ wounds, envoy says

KINSHASA, Jan 22 (Reuters) - Pope Francis's visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo will remind the world not to ignore decades-long conflicts that have beset the mineral-rich nation and…

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Africa’s economic growth to stabilise, inflation seen easing – AfDB

Headwinds last year hampered post-pandemic recovery Growth to rebound to 4% in 2023, 2024 Inflation to decline from last year's decade-high Improvements remain fragile By Joe Bavier JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) -…

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Al Shabaab kills seven soldiers in attack on military base

Islamist fighters from al Shabaab on Tuesday stormed a military base in a part of central Somalia they were forced from last year, killing at least seven soldiers, including the base commander, an officer…

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Eni, Chevron announce new Mediterranean gas discovery

Italian energy group Eni and U.S. energy major Chevron revealed that they had made a new gas discovery in an Egyptian offshore field in the Eastern Mediterranean sea. The Nargis-1…

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Death toll rises to 14 in Congo church attack claimed by Islamic State

BENI, Democratic Republic of Congo, Jan 16 (Reuters) - The death toll from a church bombing in east Democratic Republic of Congo on Sunday has risen to 14, an army…

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Egypt to sell discounted bread to fight inflation

By Sarah El Safty CAIRO, Jan 16 (Reuters) - Egypt's government will start selling discounted bread to people not enrolled in its bread subsidy programme as it battles accelerating inflation,…

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Catholic priest burned to death, another shot in north Nigeria

(Reuters) - Gunmen burned a Catholic priest to death and shot and injured his colleague in northwest Nigeria on Sunday, police said, the latest violence raising concerns about security ahead…

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Eni Announces A New Gas Discovery In Eastern Mediterranean Sea, Offshore Egypt

San Donato Milanese (Milan), January 15, 2023 – Eni announces a significant new gas discovery at the Nargis-1 exploration well located in Nargis Offshore Area Concession, in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea,…

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Morocco’s economy to grow 3.3% in 2023 – statistics agency

RABAT (Reuters) - Morocco's economic growth is expected to recover to 3.3% in 2023 after 1.3% in 2022, driven by domestic demand, the statistics agency HCP said. The forecast assumes…

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Thousands of Tunisians rally against president on revolution anniversary

TUNIS, Jan 14 (Reuters) - Protesters pushed through police barricades as they demonstrated against Tunisian President Kais Saied's seizure of near total power in central Tunis on Saturday, the anniversary…

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CIA chief makes rare visit to Libya

TRIPOLI, (Reuters) - U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) chief William Burns made a rare trip to Libya on Thursday, meeting Prime Minister Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah in Tripoli, the Libyan government said.…

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West losing patience with Libyan elite over aborted elections

Western leaders are losing patience with an entrenched Libyan political elite that has collectively failed to agree on the basis of elections for more than a year but has boosted…

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Dollars flow into Egypt currency market after depreciation -bankers

CAIRO, Jan 12 (Reuters) - Hundreds of millions of dollars have flowed through Egypt's interbank market since the central bank allowed the Egyptian pound to depreciate by 13% to a…

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‘Dangerous’ Tunisian droughts threaten food security

Three years of drought have dried up Tunisian reservoirs, threatening harvests that are critical to the North African country's battered economy and pushing the government to raise tap water prices…

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UPDATED: Traffic in Suez Canal normal after ship breakdown dealt with- SCA

CAIRO, Jan 9 (Reuters) - Shipping traffic in the Suez Canal was proceeding normally on Monday after tugs towed a cargo vessel that broke down during its passage through the…

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Tunisia cenbank warns of consequences if inflation rockets

By Tarek Amara TUNIS (Reuters) - Tunisia's central bank governor warned this week inflation could spiral out of control if it did not raise interest rates, a day after government…

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Morocco complains of European Parliament ‘harassment’ after graft probe

RABAT (Reuters) - Morocco's ties with the European Union must be protected against harassment at the European parliament, foreign minister Nasser Bourita said this week, following a European probe into…

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Five African migrants die, 10 missing after boat sinks off Tunisia

TUNIS (Reuters) - At least five African migrants died and another 10 were missing after a boat sank off Tunisia, as they tried to cross the Mediterranean to Italy, a…

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Tunisian tourism revenues grow 83% in 2022 to reach $1.35 billion

TUNIS, Jan 5 (Reuters) - Tunisian tourism revenues jumped by 83% in 2022 and remittances from workers abroad rose by 12%, central bank figures showed on Thursday. Remittances reached 8.4…

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Tunisia’s cbank governor says inflation to average 11% in 2023, up from 8.3% in 2022

TUNIS, Jan 4 (Reuters) - Tunisia's central bank governor said on Wednesday that inflation rate was expected to average 11% in 2023, up from the 8.3% in 2022. Marouan Abassi…

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Libya’s total oil revenues at $22.01 bln in 2022

TRIPOLI Jan 4 (Reuters) - Libya's oil revenues rose to 105.5 billion Libyan dinars ($22.01 billion) in 2022 from 103.4 billion libyan dinars in 2021, the central bank said on…

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Three prominent opponents of Tunisian president say they are under investigation

Three prominent opponents of Tunisian President Kais Saied said on Monday that they had received notices from prosecutors that they were under investigation, including one related to assaulting public security and…

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U.S. cuts off Burkina Faso from Africa duty-free trade program

Jan 2 (Reuters) - The United States has dropped Burkina Faso from its AGOA trade preference program citing deep concerns over "unconstitutional change" in government in the West African country,…

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Cholera deaths surge in Malawi

BLANTYRE, Malawi, Jan 2 (Reuters) - Malawi has delayed the opening of public schools in the southern African country's two major cities of Blantyre and Lilongwe, the health minister said…

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Strike over pay paralyses transport in the Tunisian capital

TUNIS, Jan 2 (Reuters) - Metro and bus traffic in the Tunisian capital ground to a halt on Monday, after employees of the state transport company held a strike over…

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Morocco to ban arrivals from China over COVID surge

RABAT (Reuters) - Morocco will impose a ban on people arriving from China, whatever their nationality, from Jan. 3 to avert any new wave of coronavirus infections, the foreign ministry…

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Rising climate costs to challenge countries, companies in 2023

By Katy Daigle (Reuters) - In a year marked by yet more climate-linked floods, hurricanes and droughts, governments and companies were forced to look more closely at the financial risks…

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Tunisian president extends state of emergency until Jan. 30

TUNIS, Dec 30 (Reuters) - Tunisian President Kais Saied extended the state of emergency until Jan. 30, 2023, the official gazette said on. Tunisia powerful UGTT Union on Wednesday approved…

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U.S. safety experts dispute aspects of Ethiopia 737-MAX air crash findings

NAIROBI, Dec 28 (Reuters) - U.S. air safety experts say Ethiopian inspectors investigating the cause of an Ethiopian Airlines' crash that killed nearly 160 people in 2019 did not pay…

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Prices in Libya soared by more than 50% in 2021 and 2022

The Joint Initiative for Monitoring the Libyan Market has estimated that the rate of food prices in Libya during the past two years has increased by more than 50%. The…

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Gold price soars in Egypt as local currency weakens

CAIRO (Reuters) - The price of gold in Egypt has risen to unprecedented highs as nervous savers seek refuge from a weakening currency and some companies export bullion to raise…

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UPDATED: Tunisian union approves two-day strike by transport workers

TUNIS, Dec 28 (Reuters) - Tunisia powerful UGTT Union on Wednesday approved a two-day strike by air, land and sea transport workers on Jan. 25 and 26, to protest against…

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Tunisia expects inflation to reach 10.5% in 2023

TUNIS, Dec 26 (Reuters) - Tunisia expects inflation to average 10.5% in 2023, up from 8.3% expected for 2022, as inflationary pressures continue to increase, economy minister Samir Saeed said…

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Angolan court orders seizure of dos Santos’s assets – Lusa news agency

LISBON, Dec 27 (Reuters) - Angola's Supreme Court has ordered the "preventive" seizure of assets worth around $1 billion held by Isabel dos Santos, the daughter of the southern African country's former…

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