Topic: African Union

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5 reasons why Africa is not ready to meet its own security needs – yet

Africa’s experiment in a regional approach to security is serious and laudable, but it will take time to build credible capacity. Here are five reasons why Africa is not ready to meet its own security needs – yet.
Somalia: A timeline of change in a troubled country

Here is a timeline of changes, intervention, and mediation in 5 bite-sized bits.
3 questions US forces must answer before declaring victory in Libya
Four reasons help is slow to reach Somalia’s famine victims
Uganda election: Four reasons donor nations won't turn their backs on President Museveni

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Latin America Monitor Long distance relationship: Haiti's bid to join the African Union

Haiti may be over 5,000 miles away from Africa, but there are cultural, historical, and economic ties that make it more a part of Africa than the Americas, says guest blogger Ovetta Sampson.
Elections may go to runoff in Senegal, West Africa's stablest democracy (+video)

Initial results suggest that Senegal's President Wade may be forced to go for a runoff against his own protege, Macky Sall. Observers appealed for peaceful elections.
Somalia: A timeline of change in a troubled country

Here is a timeline of changes, intervention, and mediation in 5 bite-sized bits.
African droughts: Could insurance schemes help out?

Aid groups are appealing for proactive action, as Horn of Africa drought persists. Could insurance schemes for poor farmers and drought-prone nations provide the answer?
Opinion: Nations must learn from past mistakes in helping Somalia

This week Britain led another international attempt to help Somalia, a dysfunctional state plagued by piracy and terrorism. Nations must learn from the past that trying to build up a central government in Somalia won't work. It's the regions and sub-clans that need bolstering.
Somalia: For once, some optimism

The UN beefs up an African Union-led peacekeeper mission and Ethiopian troops take the town of Baidoa, as delegates at a London conference contemplate the future of Somalia.
Will a London conference help set Somalia on path to peace?

Somalia aid groups and experts welcome renewed international attention, but warn that a focus on either state-building or military action alone could make things worse rather than better.
Africa asks itself: Where is the aid money?

African nations pledged five months ago to do more to help each other when famine and disaster strike. But so far, they haven't come up with the promised cash.
African Union summit: disunity on display

With the leadership of the African Union in question, old powers like France and new powers like China are vying for influence. Will peacekeeping missions and conflict resolution efforts suffer?
Backchannels A negotiated solution to Syria? Unlikely.

Syria's war is going to end with a defeat for Bashar al-Assad or the uprising, but not because of events at the UN or Arab League.
Senegalese take to streets after president cleared for third election run

Protesters in Dakar and other cities overturned cars and killed one policeman after a high court cleared Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade to run for a third term in office.
Global News Blog Hillary Clinton to step down from 'high wire' of US diplomacy

It's too early to talk of her legacy, or to grade the Obama administration's foreign policy, but four years of repairing relationships and defending US interests have taken a physical toll.
Hostage rescue: Will US intervene more in Somalia?

The US military has largely left East African nations to bring peace to Somalia. But hostage rescue, such as the SEAL operation Tuesday, is a tool the US military is using more often.
Africa Monitor The UN standard to prevent genocide, 10 years later

Ten years after the UN created the 'Responsibility to Protect,' standard still stymied by politics and competing interests.
Attack on foreign tourists widens rift between Ethiopia, Eritrea

Five European tourists, touring the spectacular volcanic moonscape of the Danakil Depression, were killed by unknown gunmen. Ethiopia blamed Eritrea, promises tough action.
Global News Blog Aid groups: With new Africa drought looming, donors must speed response

Aid groups warned that a drought was coming to the Horn of Africa in 2011, and say now that a late response by donor nations unnecessarily cost thousands of lives.
Africa Monitor Joint UN-African mission seeks to end LRA violence

A United Nations and African Union joint mission traveled to the Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, and Uganda last week seeking regional cooperation from countries affected by the Lord's Resistance Army.
Zuma tells the UN: Listen to African Union

South African President Zuma airs complaints of UN interference in Libya during a UN Security Council meeting on how the African Union and the UN can work more closely.
Terrorism & Security Syria on edge as monitors prepare to give initial report

The Arab League monitors will make their report on Syria today as critics worry the mission is not credible.
Africa Rising: Sub-Saharan Africa set for 2012 boom

Rising demand for natural resources is a boon for countries such as Sierra Leone, Niger, and Angola. But high consumer prices still pinch Africa's middle class.
Africa Monitor Ethiopia enters Somalia, but avoids African Union joint operation

Unlike Uganda, Burundi, Kenya and Djibouti, which have sent thousands of troops under the African Union banner, Ethiopia is intervening in Somalia unilaterally, and won't stay for long.
Africa Monitor 2011 a banner year for the International Criminal Court

The International Criminal Court continued to build credibility in 2011, but new challenges exist as Luis Moreno-Ocampo steps down as the ICC’s first chief prosecutor in 2012.
Somalia's Al Shabab Islamists are on the run

But the Somali officials, backed by international forces, are too busy fighting among themselves to govern.
2011 Reflections: Africa rises, taking charge of its affairs

Seven Monitor correspondents reflect on the world's hotspots. In this installment, Scott Baldauf says Africa showed signs of both the willingness and ability to solve their own problems in 2011.
State of the world: Global gender gap narrows

Part 5 of the surprisingly upbeat state of the world: Women's lot rises as the gender gap narrows worldwide.