Sierra Leone

Politicians, former rebels and civil society representatives have given the thumbs up to a new election system in Sierra Leone at a three-day national consultative meeting in the capital, Freetown.

Sierra Leone's government and Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels agreed on Thursday to take "immediate action to facilitate fast disarmament" in all the country's districts by 30 November, a statement from the UN Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) said.

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) last week distributed over 1,000 metric mt of food under various programmes in Guinea. The bulk of the supplies - more than 600 mt - went to refugees in the southwestern region of Kissidougou. Other recipients included children and pregnant and nursing women in nutritional centres in Albadaria, north of Kissidougou, and internally displaced persons in the eastern area of Kerouane, WFP said on Friday.

A top government official in Sierra Leone was arrested with his wife Thursday on accusations they smuggled diamonds out of the West African nation, officials said.

Sierra Leone's transport and communications minister was arrested with his wife Thursday on accusations of diamond smuggling in the war-ruined West African nation, officials said.

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