Philippe Alfroy

The Frelimo party, which has ruled thenation since independence in 1975, is widely expected to again beat its former civil war foe Renamo

The clash between Marc Ravalomanana and Andry Rajoelina could revive instability in the country if the result is rejected by the losing candidate

Angola was badly hit by the oil-price plunge in 2014

The country's cashew nut industry, one of the world's biggest, was dealt a body blow first by the 1977-1992 civil war

Nicolas Sarkozy will on Wednesday welcome Jacob Zuma to France as a key player in Paris's plan to use its G20 presidency to reform world finance.

Nicolas Sarkozy admitted that France made mistakes during the 1994 genocide but stopped short of apologising during his visit to Rwanda on Thursday.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy arrived in Rwanda on Thursday for a landmark visit aimed at mending ties with Kigali.

Pirates off the coast of Somalia released 30 hostages seized aboard a French yacht a week ago following negotiations that ended the stand-off peacefully, French officials said. The hostages, including 22 French crew aboard Le Ponant, were freed ''without incident'', President Nicolas Sarkozy said in a statement, without providing details.

Cameroon's main opposition parties called on Tuesday for the Central African country's presidential election -- which veteran leader Paul Biya has been widely tipped to win -- to be annulled, saying it was marred by rampant fraud. One opposition presidential candidate called the vote ''a masquerade, with overt fraud throughout the country''.