Nigeria: State of Emergency Must Not Lead to More Human Rights Abuses

[AI London]Nigerian authorities must not use the state of emergency imposed in the north of the country as an excuse to commit human rights violations, Amnesty International urged today as the military continued its assault on Islamist armed group Boko Haram.

Africa: Raising the Bar on Extractive Resources Transparency and Accountability

[U.S. Embassy Monrovia]Over 3.5 billion people—or half of the world’s population—live in countries that are rich in extractive resources such as oil, gas, and minerals. Yet, too often, the benefits from this wealth do not go to support the development of the country and thus do not work to the advantage of the  average citizen. Extractive resources are inherently challenging for governments to manage effectively, transparently, and inclusively.

Gambia: Trade Ministry, U.S. Embassy Poised to Improve Bilateral Trade, Investment

[Daily Observer]The US Embassy Wednesday organised a seminar on Franchise at the Sunswing Hotel in Kololi. The seminar was designed to educate interested Gambian private sector operators on the procedures for acquiring a US Franchise and the rules and regulations of operating such a business.

Liberia: Several Govt Officials Snub Assets Verification Exercise

[Heritage]The Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) has disclosed that several top officials of the Government of Liberia (GOL) have "deliberately refused to cooperate" with its Assets Verification Exercise.

Guinea Bissau: Security Council Extends UN Political Mission

[UN News]The United Nations Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations political mission in Guinea-Bissau to assist in finding solutions to the political and economic crisis being exacerbated by additional challenges posed by transnational crime, in particular drug trafficking and money laundering.