- Algerian president, Abdelaziz Bouteflika will be contesting in the April elections, ruling National Liberation Front (FLN), secretary general, Abdelaziz Belkhadem has announced. President Bouteflika is expected to announce his candidacy on Thursday.
However, the country's opposition has denounced Mr Bouteflika eagerness to run for the third term saying his hunger for power will sink the country's economy.
Algeria parliament last November endorsed a constitutional amendment to end presidential term limits, a move that paved way for president Bouteflika to run for a third term in the general elections.
A joint sitting of Algerian national assembly and senate had voted 500 out of 529 to adopt five changes to the constitution. Twenty-eight voted against the changes, while one person abstained.
Reports said of the 18 people who have taken out paperwork to run for office, only one, Algerian National Front leader Moussa Touati is reported to have gathered the necessary signatures to run for president.
Other prominent opposition parties are reported to have signaled their withdrawal in the presidential race, including the leader of the country's Islamist movement, Abdallah Djaballah.
Supporters of Mr Bouteflika have argued that he is best placed to continue to rebuild Algeria, which suffered a civil war in 1990s that claimed lives of more than 150,000 people during the conflict.
The 71-year-old president, a veteran of Algerian politics was first elected in 1999. He has overseen a return to relative peace, though there has been a series of suicide bombings over last two years blamed on militants linked to al-Qaeda.
Algeria is a major producer of oil and gas and has launched an ambitious economic development programme using profits from sale of hydrocarbons.
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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