The News Review:

- Sentinel Security Assessment – North Africa
- Sentinel Security Assessment – North Africa
- Sentinel Security Assessment – North Africa
- Baptists respond to growing hunger crisis around world
- International community offers more condolences aid for quake-hit…
- US rice futures fall daily limit on supply boost
- Africa: Concept of African Unity Lives On Today

Sentinel Security Assessment – North Africa
Jane's – May 27, 2008
Main roads run northeast to southwest and west to east. The country’s main highway is the 1100 km Route de Mauritanie. Completed in 1985 it runs the entire length of the country from Rosso on the River Senegal via Nouakchott and Atar following the Western Sahara land border to Bir Mogrein in the north where it divides west to Morocco via Laâyoune in Western Sahara and east to Tindouf in southwestern Algeria. This road is currently paved as far north as Atar but is in generally fair condition thereafter due to the dry climate. The other paved highway (known as the Route de l’Espoire) was completed in the late 1990s and runs parallel to the River Senegal about 150 km to its north connecting Nouakchott to Néma via Aleg Kiffa and Aioun. However this road does not offer all weather connections to most towns in the productive Senegal River Valley itself. Construction of the Trans-Sahara Highway along the coast to link the countries two main towns Nouakchott and Nouadhibou which began in the early 2000s was completed in 2005.

Sentinel Security Assessment – North Africa
Jane's – May 27, 2008
Mauritania’s earlier claim to the southern part of Western Sahara was renounced in 1978. With the notable exception of the river border with Senegal these frontiers are almost entirely arbitrary straight lines in the desert unmarked on the ground. Mauritania’s predominantly flat open landscape rising in places to low hills and outcrops is part of the western Sahara. Only in central Mauritania and in the far north are there hills of any significance and even there not enough to modify an overwhelmingly arid climate and terrain. Slightly less than half (47 per cent) of Mauritania is classified as desert; most of the settled population lives in the south and east of the country where conditions are slightly less arid. The River Senegal Project has been projected for many years to provide more irrigated land in the south but such areas still only cover a very small area of the country’s southern periphery… Only in central Mauritania and in the far north are there hills of any significance and even there not enough to modify an overwhelmingly arid climate and terrain. Slightly less than half (47 per cent) of Mauritania is classified as desert; most of the settled population lives in the south and east of the country where conditions are slightly less arid. The River Senegal Project has been projected for many years to provide more irrigated land in the south but such areas still only cover a very small area of the country’s southern periphery. com|jane’s fighting ships|janes aircraft|janes military|www. com|jane’s information group|jane’s intelligence review|jane’s aircraft|janes ships|janes information group|jane defence|jane’s military|al-qaeda|world armies|defence news|security equipment|missiles|jane´s|jane’s combat simulations|c4i|armies of the world|pentagon|janes weapons|www.

Sentinel Security Assessment – North Africa
Jane's – May 27, 2008
ReligionVirtually all Mauritanians (over 99 per cent) adhere to a relatively conservative interpretation of Sunni Islam and belong mainly to two Sufi brotherhoods (tariqas): the Qadiriya and to a lesser extent the Tijaniya. Both have local sub-divisions. Unlike in Senegal the Muridiya is not very influential in Mauritania. Sentinel Country Risk Assessments – North African Countries Jane’s Sentinel Country Risk Assessments provide you with in-depth up-to-date and accurate data and analysis on the latest events and trends in political security and economic affairs. They provide a comprehensive one-stop information source covering 190 states and 30 territories. Jane’s worldwide intelligence network of over 120 expert contributors delivers incisive and impartial analysis to help you protect your economic strategic and political interests. The new Security file allows prompt and reliable analysis on every country’s security primarily in the areas of terrorism and insurgency state stability international relations organised crime proliferation and procurement Political files provide overviews of the political system political actors and parties cabinet lists civil society and internal history.

Baptists respond to growing hunger crisis around world
BP News – May 27, 2008
“I felt so humbled and blessed. “The global food crisis has only compounded shortage problems and caused prices of items like bread rice millet and oil to skyrocket. On the West African coast in Senegal missionaries are working with another food project where drought killed off crops of millet and peanuts. “Someone said that in their family they had not cooked a regular meal for 20 days” missionary Jim Vaughn said. “Others are eating one meal a day. Many farmers have been out of food and are looking for work and food wherever they can. “Vaughn is working with local believers and volunteers in Senegal to distribute sacks of rice to 750 households – 6400 people – in eight villages… “Others are eating one meal a day. Many farmers have been out of food and are looking for work and food wherever they can. “Vaughn is working with local believers and volunteers in Senegal to distribute sacks of rice to 750 households – 6400 people – in eight villages. They also have distributed Christian materials to this mostly Muslim people group. “Even though it is a drop in the bucket compared to what they need to get them through to harvest time in October it is greatly appreciated” Vaughn said. “This is an opportunity to show God’s love to the people. “Across the Indian Ocean Thailand also has struggled with food shortages this year.

International community offers more condolences aid for quake-hit…
央è§åé – May 27, 2008
Beijing time (1200 GMT) Monday leaders and personalities of various circles from 156 countries had visited Chinese embassies consulates or missions to mourn the victims of the quake. Meanwhile more countries have provided or increased disaster relief aid to China. Senegal has decided to donate 210 million African francs (some 500000 U. dollars) to China while Mali will increase its total aid to 50 million West African francs (some 120000 dollars) from the earlier 25 million (some 60000 dollars). Vanuatu has provided 5 million vatu (approximately 50000 U.

US rice futures fall daily limit on supply boost
International Herald Tribune – May 27, 2008
The Cambodian government said Monday it had lifted its two-month ban on rice exports declaring that the measure had helped stabilize domestic prices. Beginning Tuesday rice exports can be resumed for some 1 million tons of milled rice Cambodia has in excess of its needs for domestic consumption Prime Minister Hun Sen said. The move follows a decision earlier this month by Pakistan to lift its rice export ban easing concerns of a global rice shortage that has sent prices spiraling up more than 80 percent in the last year and sparked riots in Haiti Senegal and other poor countries. Though not a major rice exporter Cambodia could prompt Vietnam the world's No. 2 rice exporter to lift its rice export ban said Neauman Coleman analyst and a principal of Neauman Coleman & Co. a rice brokerage in Brinkley Ark. India the world's second largest rice producer is also expected to allow some rice exports while new crops other countries are also easing supply worries.

Africa: Concept of African Unity Lives On Today
AllAfrica.com – May 27, 2008
Last March the Head of the AU’s Liaison Office in Khartoum was appointed. Indeed the establishment of the Liaison Office has been driven by our collective conviction that the people of Africa have suffered for far too long from violent conflicts. You can see the AU’s dedication to this country in its ministerial committee on post-conflict reconstruction of Sudan a vital initiative chaired by South Africa that draws together Algeria Ethiopia Egypt Gabon Kenya Sudan Senegal and Nigeria. Earlier this year the Ministerial Committee met President Omar Al-Bashir and First Vice President Salva Kiir and received comprehensive updates on the peace processes in the Sudan. Further meetings in Sudan followed led by Jean Ping Chairperson of the AU Commission and Ambassador Ramtane Lamamra AU Commissioner for Peace and Security. Looking ahead the AU will do its utmost to secure durable peace in Sudan by helping create the appropriate environment to encourage the southern Sudanese to vote for unity of the country in the referendum in 2011.