• South Sudan parties set for meeting in Addis Ababa

Parties to the revitalized peace agreement in South Sudan will meet on Friday in the Ethiopia capital Addis Ababa under IGAD tutelage to thrash out issues surrounding forming a transition government.

Last week, President Salva Kiir said he and other opposition groups would form the government of national unity on November 12 despite Riek Machar, a key player, wanting it delayed by two months.

Dr Machar wants adequate security safeguards to be in place before the new government is formed but Gabriel Changson Chang, Deputy Chair of National Pre-Transitional Committeeas, said a decision would made at the meeting

• Ethiopia diplomat to take over IGAD leadership

Members of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) have reached consensus on former Ethiopia foreign minister Workneh Gebeyehu to become the body's executive secretary.

Mr Workneh will take over from Kenya's Mahboub Maalim and the appointment will be confirmed at the head of states and governments summit later this year, sources said.

The consensus comes amid protests from Djibouti and Somalia that Ethiopia and Kenya, which will now be the body's chair have dominated the body's helm, swaying decisions in their favour.

• Mozambique opposition vows commitment to peace

Mozambique opposition group Renamo on Monday distanced itself from a deadly attack claimed by a splinter group, following its challenge on last month's election which handed President Filipe Nyusi a second term in office.
Renamo's armed faction, Renamo Military Junta, claimed responsibility for the attack in central Gorongosa district last week left five people dead, including two police officers and alleged Russian mercenaries.

Renamo spokesman Jose Manteigas said its residual forces were "quietly" waiting for demobilisation, disarmament and social reintegration in line with the August peace deal between Nyusi and Renamo leade Osuffo Momade.

• Mali president says stability at stake after deadly army base attack

Mali's President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has appealed for national unity in the face of persistent attack by militants on security forces the latest of which killed 40 soldiers last Friday.

President Keita said the stability and existence of the country was at stake asking people to form 'the sacred union around our national army" as well as Africa, France and the United Nations forces.

Mali's military is struggling to contain an Islamist insurgency that began in the north and spread to the centre of the country and has spread to Burkina Faso, Niger, Mauritania and Chad.

At least five gendarmes and five civilians were killed in an attack on a base in northern Burkina Faso, near the border with Mali in the wee hours of Monday morning.

• US formally starts withdrawal from Paris climate accord
  

The United States on Monday formally notified the United Nations that it was withdrawing from the Paris climate accord, prompting bilateral efforts to limit the damage from its action.

The USA will pull out of the accord on November 4, 2020 with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo saying it imposed an "unfair economic burden on Washington.

He said the US would pursue a realistic and pragmatic model as France and China plan to sign on Wednesday a green pact declaring the "irreversability" of the Paris accord.

Predictions that a US pullout would prompt massive withdrawals from the accord have so far been off the mark.

• Teenager killed in Guinea protest funeral march

A teenage mourner Abdourahim Diallo, 17, was shot dead in clashes between Guinean police and protesters at a funeral march for those killed in recent anti-government demonstrations.

The opposition said several others were wounded as protests against President Alpha Conde's plans to prolong his rule entered the third week.

According to the opposition 15 protesters have been killed during the unrest but the government has only confirmed the death of one police officer.

• Nigeria amends oil deals for more revenue

Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari has signed changes to agreements with multinational oil companies aimed at increasing the country's share of offshore oil revenue.

President Buhari said the amendments would give Nigeria "fair, rightful and equitable share" of natural resources amounting to $1.5 billion more annually from 2021.

Shell, Exxon Mobil, Chevron Eni, Total and CNOOC extract most of the crude oil in Nigeria and are in talks with the government over settlement of a disputed $62 billion in back revenues.

• Africa football body approves four stadia for 2020 CHAN

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has approved four stadia in Yaounde, Douala and Limbe to host the Total African Nations Championship in Cameroon betweeen April 4-25 next year.

Cameroon’s Sports and Physical Education Minister Narcisse Mouelle Kombi said draws for the tournament featuring players who only turn out in domestic leagues would be done in January.

Defending champions, Morocco, host Cameroon, DR Congo and Tunisia are among the 16 teams to take part in the tournament.

Others are Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Zambia, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Congo, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Niger, Mali and Togo.