- African Union has commissioned a team of investigators to unravel route cause of Djibouti and Eritrea clashes. The fact-finding mission commissioned today will resume work in Djibouti and end its mission in Eritrea in an undisclosed time frame.
Djibouti which has accused Eritrea of moving its troops across the border and also digging trenches and building fortifications on the Djiboutian side of the frontier in mid April leading to an army confrontation which killed a dozen Djiboutian soldiers with others wounded.
This month's confrontation was the first clash since 1996. Tensions upped between the two neighbours two months ago had raised fears of full military confrontation.
The two countries had in the past clashed twice over the border area at the southern end of the Red Sea.
AU Commission chairman, Jean Ping expressed his concerns on hostilities between the two countries, urging both parties to find a happy solution to their situation.
The violent clashes between two states prompted U.N. Security Council to call on Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to send a mission to the region to find out details of the contentious situation.
Following the mission, Mr Joao Honwana, U.N. director of department of political affairs' Africa Division said "The situation along the joint border was calm but tense, with military regrouping occurring on both sides and a de facto cease-fire continuing to hold".
Djibouti has claimed calmness on the border last week since being backed by French troops, saying despite the situation, French warships would arrive off its coast soon.
Djibouti hosts French largest overseas military base since signing a mutual defense pact with Paris in 1977. It also hosts a United States military base.
Since Eritrea gained independence in 1993 from Ethiopia, the Horn of Africa country has been involved in two serious conflicts over territorial demarcations with its neighbours.
afrol News - It is called "financial inclusion", and it is a key government policy in Rwanda. The goal is that, by 2020, 90 percent of the population is to have and actively use bank accounts. And in only four years, financial inclusion has doubled in Rwanda.
afrol News - The UN's humanitarian agencies now warn about a devastating famine in Sudan and especially in South Sudan, where the situation is said to be "imploding". Relief officials are appealing to donors to urgently fund life-saving activities in the two countries.
afrol News - Fear is spreading all over West Africa after the health ministry in Guinea confirmed the first Ebola outbreak in this part of Africa. According to official numbers, at least 86 are infected and 59 are dead as a result of this very contagious disease.
afrol News - It is already a crime being homosexual in Ethiopia, but parliament is now making sure the anti-gay laws will be applied in practical life. No pardoning of gays will be allowed in future, but activist fear this only is a signal of further repression being prepared.
afrol News / Africa Renewal - Ethiopia's ambitious plan to build a US$ 4.2 billion dam in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, 40 km from its border with Sudan, is expected to provide 6,000 megawatts of electricity, enough for its population plus some excess it can sell to neighbouring countries.
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