- The Speaker of Mauritania's parliament has confronted the ruling military junta on its plans to convene an extra-ordinary parliamentary session on Wednesday, describing the move as "legally null and void."
Messoud Ould Boulkheir has issued a statement saying that any intitiative to hold such a session without the Speaker's approval will be null and void.
He said as matters stand, no date has been decided for the extra-ordinary session whose agenda was "neither examined, nor approved" in accordance with the rules and regulations. Mr. Boulkheir said it was also the right of lawmakers to take such an initiative when they form the majority.
Besides, the Speaker informed the public that the opening and closing of an extra-ordinary session are exclusively the responsibility of President Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi who was democratically elected in 2007 only to be overthrown by a military junta on 6 August.
The junta leader General Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz ordered the parliament to convene an extra-ordinary session to among others review statutes of the national assembly, election of high court officials and legislate a bill on consumer protection."
Deputies will debate on the establishment of a parliamentary supervisory board on special intervention plan, a parliamentary investigtion commission on the management and financing of the Khattou Mint Boukhary Foundation and a parliamentary audit commission for the financial and administrative management of the senate.
The foundation, which was named after the wife of the deposed President, has been accused of receiving "secret financing." Khattou Mint Boukhary said she would not hesitate to shed light on the management methods of the foundation.
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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