Iran leader faces poll challenge

A senior opposition figure in Iran has announced that he will challenge President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in next summer's presidential election.

AU chief in DRC to end army, rebel clashes

African Union chief Jean Ping met Saturday in Kinshasa with officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo to try and bring an end to fighting in the country's east between the army and rebel forces.

Global slow-down increases Africa's risks

Current global turbulences are increasing Africa's risk of decline in resource flows, both in private capital, remittances as well as aid, IMF has said in a report.

AU fears donors will cut African aid

Jakaya Kikwete, the Chairman of the African Union (AU) and President of Tanzania, today told the press in Antananarivo that the AU fears international donors may cut aid to Africa as the global financial crisis deepens. Experiences from earlier crises show his concerns are well founded.

Human Rights Defenders Take the Floor

Under the theme “The Defenders Take the Floor”, the UDHR 60 conference gathered prominent human rights advocates and representatives of human rights organizations to share their experience and to review available UN, EU and Council of Europe mechanisms supporting the work of human rights defenders.

Africa to be hit by world crisis

While economic growth projections for Africa in 2009 remain quite optimistic, the continent is set to feel a negative impact of the global financial crisis. Credits will be more difficult to obtain and development aid transfers are set to be reduced.