istoryworld
Events relating to africa
224 deaths in simultaneous attacks on US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania are linked to al-Qaeda
US cruise missiles attack al-Qaeda bases in Afghanistan and a suspected chemical factory in Khartoum
Steps are taken to end Sudan's fifteen-year civil war, with an undated government promise of a referendum in the south
Libya hands over, for trial in the Hague, two men suspected of causing the Lockerbie disaster of 1988
Abdelaziz Bouteflika, the new president of Algeria, reveals that as many as 100,000 people have died in seven years of civil war and massacre
UNITA's widespread advance in Angola's long civil war brings terror and starvation
Nelson Mandela retires from active politics and is succeeded by Thabo Mbeki as South Africa's president
President Kabbah and the guerrilla leader Foday Sankoh arrange for shared government in Sierra Leone
A peace plan signed in Lusaka brings to an end eleven months of renewed civil war in the Congo
An amnesty is declared for some 8000 Muslim terrorists held in Algeria's gaols
Approximately 130,000 Hutus are held in gaol awaiting trial for their part in Rwanda's genocide
The UN commits 6000 troops to a peace-keeping role in war-torn Sierra Leone
Laurent Kabila, the president of the Congo, is assassinated in a failed coup attempt
The death of Jonas Savimbi is soon followed by the disbanding of UNITA and the end of 27 years of Angolan civil war
The African Union (AU) is established as a successor to the African Economic Community and the Organization of African Unity
Michael Rogers, in a team led by Sileshi Semaw, discovers the world's oldest known chipped stone tool, at Gona in Ethiopia
Civil war breaks out in the Darfur region of the Sudan, resulting in large numbers of civilian deaths and accusations of government-sponsored genocide
The UN Security Council and the Polisario accept a plan for the future of Western Sahara, proposed by James Baker, but it is rejected by Morocco
Jacob Zuma is elected president of the African National Congress in South Africa, in place of Thabo Mbeki
Robert Mugabe wins the second round in Zimbabwe's presidential election after Morgan Tsvangirai has withdrawn from the contest due to widespread violence against his supporters
Thabo Mbeki resigns as President of South Africa, after losing the support of his party, the African National Congress
Kgalema Motlanthe is elected temporary President of the Republic of South Africa after the resignation of Mbeki
Democratic candidate Barack Obama defeats John McCain to become the first African-American to be elected President of the USA
Morgan Tsvangirai becomes prime minister of Zimbabwe, six months after agreeing to share power with Robert Mugabe
Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi, convicted in 2001 for the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, is released as being terminally ill and returns from Scotland to Libya
