The United States is set to officially recognize the government in Somalia, opening formal diplomatic relations for the first time since 1993. Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are set to exchange diplomatic notes Thursday to confirm the new relationship. In an interview Thursday with VOA’s Somali Service, President […]
U.S. Set to Recognize Somali Government
Posted January 17th, 2013 at 1:00 pm (UTC-5)
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Nicolas Tiangaye Named Central African Republic PM
Posted January 17th, 2013 at 12:00 pm (UTC-5)
The president of the Central African Republic has appointed opposition lawyer Nicolas Tiangaye as prime minister, as part of a deal to end a recent rebellion. President Francois Bozize made the announcement on state radio Thursday, after a meeting with members of the Seleka rebel alliance and opposition parties. The government and rebels reached a […]
4 Killed on Gun Attack on Restaurant in Eastern Kenya
Posted January 16th, 2013 at 6:05 pm (UTC-5)
At least four people were killed and four others wounded when gunmen opened fire inside a restaurant in Garissa in eastern Kenya Wednesday. No one has claimed responsibility for the shootings. But al-Shabab Islamic militants have threatened to carry out attacks in Kenya in response to Kenyan military involvement in neighboring Somalia. Garissa has been […]
US to Recognize Somalia’s New Government
Posted January 16th, 2013 at 5:20 pm (UTC-5)
A senior U.S. diplomat says the United States is officially recognizing the government in Somalia, opening formal diplomatic relations for the first time since militants shot down two U.S. military helicopters in Mogadishu in 1993. Assistant Secretary of State Johnnie Carson says visiting Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will […]
New Somali President Visits US
Posted January 16th, 2013 at 11:00 am (UTC-5)
Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is on a trip to the United States, seeking support as his country tries to bounce back from 20 years of conflict. The trip marks the president’s first U.S. tour since he was elected in September. Mr. Mohamud is expected to seek American assistance on security, humanitarian, and development matters. […]
Global Piracy Down As Somali Piracy Declines
Posted January 16th, 2013 at 8:55 am (UTC-5)
A maritime group says piracy on the world’s seas fell sharply in 2012, largely due to a dramatic decline off the coast of Somalia. The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) says 297 ships were attacked worldwide last year, compared to 439 the year before. In the region of Somalia and the Gulf of Aden, the number […]
Somali Rebels Declare ‘Death Sentence’ for French Hostage
Posted January 16th, 2013 at 3:45 am (UTC-5)
Somalia’s Islamist rebel group al-Shabab says it has decided to kill a French hostage, days after France carried out an unsuccessful rescue operation and presumed the man dead. In a statement Wednesday, the militants said they reached a unanimous decision to execute Denis Allex. He has been held since being kidnapped from a Mogadishu hotel […]
Kenyan Authorities Seize 2 Tons of Ivory
Posted January 15th, 2013 at 7:50 pm (UTC-5)
Kenyan authorities have seized two tons of ivory at the port of Mombasa worth more than $1 million. Officials say the illegal shipment was in a container bound for Indonesia with documents identifying it as “decorative stones.” The officials tell Kenya’s Daily Nation newspaper that the agent who cleared the shipment for export has been […]
Madagascar President Drops Out of May Election
Posted January 15th, 2013 at 5:25 pm (UTC-5)
Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina, who seized power in a coup in 2009, says he will not be a candidate in May’s presidential election. The president said in a televised speech Tuesday that he is sacrificing himself for the sake of the island’s 20 million citizens. Mr. Rajoelina joins the man he overthrew, Marc Ravalomanana, in […]
Platinum Producer to Cut 14,000 Jobs in South Africa
Posted January 15th, 2013 at 8:40 am (UTC-5)
Mining giant Anglo American Platinum has announced plans to close four mine shafts in South Africa and cut up to 14,000 jobs. The vast majority of the job cuts would be in the city of Rustenburg, where at least 46 people were killed in mine-related unrest last year. In a statement Tuesday, the company, also […]
