Africa

The international conference on the reconstruction of the Libyan city of Benghazi kicked off on Saturday, with participation of investors and economic experts from 14 different countries, according to a local official.

“The conference started in Benghazi to discuss rebuilding the city after years of fighting against terrorists. It is time to start its reconstruction and wipe out the dust of destruction,” Mohamed Abdullah, member of the eastern-based parliament said.

The Libyan commander of the self-styled army in eastern region, Khalifa Haftar, announced the start of military operations to “liberate” Derna on Monday after his forces clashed with rivals on the outskirts of the eastern city.

The clashes on Monday in Al-Fatayeh district saw the killing of at least 7 of Haftar’s force fighters and the destroying of some military vehicles, according to the spokesman for the Derna Shura Council, Mohammed Al-Mansouri.

Tunisia is hoping to break through barriers with its first local election since its 2011 Arab Spring revolution – a vote that could produce the first female mayor of the capital, the first Jewish official with an Islamist party and new flock of mayors with greater powers.

EU High Representative Federica Mogherini Thursday met UN Special Representative for Libya Ghassan Salame in Brussels and discussed the current situation in Libya.

They discussed the implementation of the UN’s four-point action plan for Libya, on the political talks, national conference, constitution and elections, that the Special Representative put forward in September 2017, noted a press statement released by Mogherini’s office.

Egypt and the European Union (EU) signed on Monday a Memo of Understanding (MoU) for a new strategic cooperation in energy.

The signing ceremony was attended by Egypt’s Prime Minister Sharif Ismail, Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Mohammad Shaker, Minister of Oil and Mineral Resources Tareq Al-Mulla, and EU Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Miguel Arias Canete, Egypt’s premier office said in a statement.

Three Egyptian troops and 30 suspected militants have been killed as part of an ongoing security operation in the restive Sinai Peninsula last week, according to the Egyptian military on Wednesday.

A military statement said three police officers were killed in clashes with militants during a raid on their hideout in the North Sinai city of Arish.

Rival forces in South Sudan conflict have resumed offensives in Upper Nile region, forcing humanitarian organisations to relocate some members following a surge in violent clashes in Unity, Jonglei and parts of Central Equatoria.

The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) issued a statement confirming resumption of the offensives, pointing out that having a devastating impact on thousands of civilians and on humanitarian agencies trying to provide desperately needed assistance to vulnerable people.

The UN Security Council on Wednesday condemned “in the strongest terms” Tuesday’s attack on peacekeepers in the Central African Republic (CAR), which left one Rwandan soldier killed and eight others injured.

In a press statement, the Security Council also condemned the violence that followed the launch of a joint operation by the Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the CAR (Minusca) and CAR security forces on Sunday, which was aimed at disarming and arresting elements of armed groups in the 3rd district of Bangui, the capital city.