AU finally recognises NTC as Libya's official government

US President Barack Obama met with Libya's National Transitional Council (NTC) Chief Mustafa Abdul Jalil. The two men agreed that the US embassy in Libya shall resume business as usual forthwith.

Meanwhile, the African Union (AU) has finally recognised NTC as Libya's official interim government. The AU, a pan-African organisation consisting of neighbouring states, said it was willing to help the NTC in its endeavours to rebuild the country's infrastructure after months of civil war.

The news comes shortly after Colonel Mu'ammar Qadhafi's warning to his opponents that NATO support will not last indefinitely.

Speaking about AU's decision Equatorial Guinea's President Teodoro Obiang Nguema, who holds the bloc's rotating chair, said: "The African Union stands ready to support the Libyan people as they rebuild their country towards a united, democratic, peaceful and prosperous Libya."

Nguema made the announcement after consulting with the remainder of the bloc, before the UN General Assembly in New York.

Shortly after his meeting with Obama at the international gathering, Jalil expressed thanks to the UN and other world leaders for their help with the Libyan crisis but noted that there was many an arduous task ahead.

He said: “Qadhafi is still in Libya and still possesses some resources that pose a threat not only to Libyans but to the international community as a whole…The road before us is still long and there are many challenges at many levels. Our needs are many, we have lost 25,000 martyrs and there are double the number of wounded."

Speaking at a high profile UN meeting, before the General Assembly, Obama praised the international community for having "the courage and the collective will to act" in Libya. He also said that the US ambassador was already on his way to Tripoli, adding: "This week, the American flag that was lowered before our embassy was attacked will be raised again, over a re-opened American embassy."

Obama reassured the Libyan nation that it can count on international support for the immediate future. He added: "Just as the world stood by you in your struggle to be free, we will stand with you in your struggle to realise the peace and prosperity that freedom can bring."

The message of hope and support came amid a defiant message from Qadhafi who said: "Do not rejoice and don't believe that one regime has been overthrown and another imposed with the help of air and maritime strikes…The bombs of NATO planes will not last."

Sources: BBC News, AFP, Reuters

For more news and expert analysis about Libya, please see Libya Focus and Libya Politics & Security.

Libya: Kusa warns against the possibility of civil war

Libya's former foreign minister Musa Kusa has warned against the possibility of a civil war. Speaking openly for the first times since his arrival in the UK almost two weeks ago, Kusa said unity in Libya was of utmost importance if a settlement is to be reached.

The former foreign minister noted: “I ask everybody to avoid taking Libya into civil war...This would lead to so much blood and Libya would be a new Somalia. More than that, we refuse to divide Libya. The unity of Libya is essential to any solution and settlement...The solution in will come from the Libyans themselves, through discussion and democratic dialogue."

Kusa made the above statement shortly after Libyan rebels rejected African Union's (AU) proposal of a ceasefire. It is believed that Colonel Mu'ammar Qadhafi had accepted the offer, however, that didn't prevent his forces attacking the city of Misrata the following day.

Kusa's defection is yet to be acknowledged by the regime. Speaking about the latest developments Libya's Minister for Social Affairs, Ibrahim Zarouk Al-Sharif, said he could not comment on Kusa's statement while the former foreign minister was "captured" in a foreign country.

Sources: BBCNews, Politics.co.uk, The Press Association, GlobalPost

For more news and expert analysis about Libya, please see Libya Focus and Libya Politics & Security.

A new measure to tackle LRA’s activities

Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan and Uganda have agreed to form a join military brigade to tackle Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) militants operating in the shared border regions. The LRA, which was formed in Uganda almost 20 years ago by Joseph Kony, has recently mounted deadly attacks in all four countries.

The latest LRA attack was in the Central African Republic's northern town of Birao last Sunday [9th October]. A spokesman for the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) Adrian Edwards said the LRA has carried out more than 240 deadly attacks this year, killing approximately 344 people. Edwards added that the group’s activities also included looting, arson and abduction especially that of young girls.

The new measure to fight the LRA was agreed at Friday’s [15th October] meeting, by ministers of the four affected countries, in Central African Republic’s capital Bangui. The details about the size join venture have not been disclosed, but it is commonly believed that a military group to counter militant activity is thought to include at least 1,000 men.

The four ministers said there’d be a joint operations centre which would allow exchange of intelligence and strategy. The four countries concerned are also expected to set up joint border patrols which would be co-ordinated by special African Union (AU) representative.

Source: BBC News

For more news and expert analysis about the Sahara region, please see Sahara Focus.