Full Coverage: West Africa

31.05.2006 The trial of a Dutch businessman accused of trading weapons for timber concessions in Liberia during the 14-year civil war that left 250,000 dead has come to an end.

30.05.2006 On a journey to Africa a year after his involvement in Live8 and Make Poverty History, Midge Ure, Save the Children Ambassador and Band Aid trustee, finds that even small fees for healthcare are beyond the means of the world's poorest and that every year 250,000 children die in Africa because they can’t afford to see a doctor or a nurse. Watch the video...

26.05.2006

25.05.2006 Government forces in Ivory Coast, their allied militias and rebels are all committing serious abuses against civilians, says a new report that warns of serious concerns about violence in the run-up to the October elections.

24.05.2006 "When you just look at the need, I feel like it's too hard to ignore," said Green Bay Packers running back Samkon Gado, who worked undercover at a local Wisconsin hospital this off-season to further his goal of returning to Nigeria to practice medicine.

22.05.2006 Far too few children are being vaccinated for polio in Nigeria, the world's last hotspot for the crippling virus whose infection rate has more than tripled this year, according to a top United Nations health official.

18.05.2006 Leaders of the world's eight largest Muslim countries--representing some 900 million people--declared the right of Islamic countries to peaceful nuclear energy at a summit in Indonesia last weekend.

16.05.2006 As household food stocks begin to run low across the Sahel region, the World Food Programme has urged the international community to continue supporting programmes which mitigate the worst effects of food shortages.

10.05.2006 The Ghanaian government has begun the implementation of a strategic action-plan to effectively transform the country into West Africa’s regional information and communication technology hub by 2010.

10.05.2006 Nigeria is set to officially launch its first solar energy project, estimated to cost N10 million. It is located at Kodji village in Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area. Commissioner for Science and Technology Dr Hamzat Kadiri,has announced.

09.05.2006 Un rapporto sui campi profughi liberiani della sezione britannica di 'Save the children', accusa Ong, Caschi blu in missione di pace e uomini di affari locali di pretendere dai minori rapporti sessuali in cambio di cibo e denaro, anche solo per una birra, un film o un giro in auto. Il rapporto, basato su 300 interviste ad adulti che vivono nei campi profughi, punta il dito soprattutto contro i militari delle Nazioni Unite, ma anche contro operatori umanitari, insegnanti, dipendenti statali, poliziotti e militari. "Tutti gli intervistati", si legge, "hanno affermato con chiarezza che circa la meta' delle bambine nel loro campo sono rimaste vittime di questo problema". Secondo i rappresentanti della Unmil, la forza delle Nazioni Unite che opera in Liberia, dall'inizio dell'anno sono state presentate sei denunce per abusi contro il personale Onu. Solo una, tuttavia, è stata suffragata da prove e la persona interessata è stata allontanata. La Liberia è all'inizio del difficile cammino di ricostruzione dopo la guerra civile conclusa tre anni fa. Le speranze per un futuro migliore nel Paese sono state affidate a Johnson-Sirleaf, eletta alla presidenza alla fine dell'anno scorso.

08.05.2006 Young Liberian girls are still being sexually exploited by aid workers and peacekeepers despite pledges to stamp out such abuse, says a leading children's charity.

05.05.2006 A UNDP economic adviser - based in Gambia - says that information technology is central to the success of the Millennium Development Goals.