For the first time in more than a quarter of a century, the United States and Libya have agreed to cooperate in various fields of science and technology. The plans were announced during last week's (10-13 July) visit to Libya by Paula Dobriansky, the US under secretary of state for democracy and global affairs, reports SciDev.

The African Telecommunications Union (ATU) on Sunday 9 July started a series of meetings in Libya devoted to the formulation of a four-year telecommunications development plan for Africa. The meetings taking place in the Libyan capital from July 9-17 include a special session of the ATU board of directors (9-11 July), a preliminary committee of the ministerial conference (12- 15 July) and the 2nd conference of ministers (16-17 July).

President Muammar Gaddafi of Libya has pledged to build a school for war-affected youths in Liberia. The Libyan leader made the pledge in Tripoli, Libya, during an official visit by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. He made the pledge after a young Liberian boy who lost his arm in the Liberian war explained his ordeal.

The United Nations World Food Programme has welcomed its first ever contribution from the Government of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. The donation of 6.1 million Libyan dinars (US$4.5 million) will help feed 2.7 million people in the Darfur region of western Sudan and 200,000 Sudanese refugees in eastern Chad.