Rwandan Rebel Militia Reported in Burundi

Government of Rwanda

Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt greets Rwandan President Paul Kagame at genocide commemorations in April. Central African foreign ministers are to meet in Brussels this month to ease rising tensions, including fears of destabilization by rebel militia.

Local officials in northwestern Burundi say Rwandan Hutu Interahamwe fighters entered the area Monday from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

African Union Summit Underway

IRIN/Anthony Mitchell The African Union flag.

The African Union summit opened in Ethiopia Tuesday with a warning from UN chief Kofi Annan that Sudan, which has agreed to allow an AU "protection force" to deploy, faces catastrophe. Other issues on the ambitious summit agenda are gender equity and tackling conflict, poverty and HIV/Aids.

Sudan: AU Sending Protection Force to Darfur

African Union officials say they are set to send a 300-strong armed "protection force" into the troubled Darfur region of western Sudan. Nigeria and Rwanda have said they could contribute to the force, which will be supported by a $26 million mission funded by the African Union and the international community.

UNICEF

Two thirds of the refugees in Sudan and Chad are women and children.

Darfur on the Web

UNICEF/Claycomb

The UN World Food Programme says that its workers have less than half the supplies they need to provide emergency care to Sudanese refugees. Here women and children wait for water at Kalma camp in South Darfur.

Uganda: Political Party Restrictions To Be Lifted

New Vision It remains unclear whether President Museveni will seek a third presidential term in the 2006 elections.

The Ugandan government has agreed to lift all restrictions on political parties by September. Parties will be free to use symbols, slogans, colors for campaigns, and compete in any election including the presidential contest in 2006.

Rwandan President Promises to Reopen Congolese Border Soon

Rwandan President Paul Kagame promised Thursday to reopen his country's border with the Democratic Republic of Congo "as soon as possible," a measure that could signal the lessening of tension between the two countries.

South African Ports Meet Maritime Security Deadline

South African ports have beaten the deadline for complying with the international maritime security regulations adopted after September 11th that guarantee an appropriate response to potential terrorist attacks.

Durban ICC

Passenger Terminal, Durban Harbour.

Liberian Police and UN Regain Former Rebel Stronghold

Shima Roy/United Nations

Liberians welcome UN troop patrols to Tubmanburg in January.

Former rebels of the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) ceded control of Tubmanburg, their stronghold since June 2003, to UN peacekeepers and the Liberian transitional government Wednesday in a ceremony attended by peacekeepers, government officials and former LURD commanders.