Our correspondent Milton Nkosi has noticed a bit of a difference between how Cyril Ramaphosa was welcomed by the crowd today, and how his predecessor Jacob Zuma was greeted as he arrived the last time Barack Obama spoke in South Africa, almost five years ago:

Image source, EPA

The chairman of the Nelson Mandela Foundation, Prof Njabulo Ndebele, has described Mr Obama as an "extraordinary leader".

"This is the biggest Nelson Mandela lecture we have ever hosted," he adds.

South Africa's powerful Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini is among the high profile guests who will hear Mr Obama deliver the 16th Nelson Mandela annual lecture.

Image source, Reuters

The man who guarded Nelson Mandela during his incarceration is at Wanderers stadium in Johannesburg to hear today's lecture.

Christo Brand became friends while he guarded Mr Mandela first on Robben Island from 1978, then later at Pollsmoor.

He would later work in parliament after Mr Mandela offered him a job.

He told IOL News , externalhe was delighted people were still recognising the former president:

Here is a picture of Mr Brand on his way to the event earlier:

South Africa's national anthem is now being sung by a gospel choir from Soweto, which was at the forefront of the campaign against white minority rule in South Africa.

Barack Obama has received a thunderous applause, as he takes the stage to deliver the Mandela lecture.

He hugs Mr Mandela's widow, Graca Machel, and waves at the crowd.

At least 10,000 people have packed the Wanderers cricket stadium in Johannesburg to hear Barack Obama deliver the eagerly awaited Nelson Mandela annual lecture.

"Trouble maker", those are the words on of the Nelson Mandela T-shirts on sale at the Wanderers Stadium ahead of Barack Obama delivering a major speech to commemorate 100 years since the birth of the anti-apartheid icon.

Mr Mandela launched a military campaign in 1961 to fight South Africa's white minority regime, and entered into talks with it some four decades later to achieve a peaceful transition to democratic rule:

The Nelson Mandela Foundation has tweeted out a picture of Barack Obama chatting to South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa and University of Johannesburg chancellor Njabulo Ndebele behind the scenes:

We suspect there will be quite a few people who will want to get a picture with Mr Obama today.

Bantu Holomisa, leader of South Africa's United Democratic Movement, was among the first to grab the chance:

Will Ross
Africa editor, BBC World Service

In Ethiopia, officials of the Oromia and Somali regional states have agreed to the deployment of soldiers and police to end a conflict that has displaced more than 800,000 people.

They also said a series of public meetings would be held in the communities along the states' common border to help build peace.

On Monday, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed ordered the federal military and police to stop the violence.

For years disputes over land have led to clashes between Somali and Oromo communities and there have been allegations that political interference has fuelled the crisis.

Image source, Getty Images

It sounds like the plot to a bad film.

As the court hears a case against 14 senior officials from Kenya's state-run electricity provider - with charges including conspiracy to defeat justice - the power goes out.

Only, it isn't the plot to a bad film. It actually happened this morning in Milimani Law Courts, in the capital Nairobi, in a moment caught on camera by local broadcaster KTN:

There have been more than a few eyebrows raised as a result.

As one Twitter user dryly noted: "How convenient."

However, Kenya Power was quick to distance itself from the outage:

Of course, there is no suggestion this was anything more than a coincidence, and the case continues.

The officials have all denied more than six charges - including economic crimes and conspiracy to defeat justice.

The Kenya Power employees, including the current and former managing directors, were arrested on Sunday in connection with the purchase of $45m (£33m) worth of transformers - some of which were faulty and cost almost $5m to repair.

They are also accused of issuing irregular contracts and overcharging customers.

The electricity provider said business operations would not be affected by the arrests.

Image source, Getty Images

Ivory Coast's President Alassane Ouattara has promised to step at the end of his two terms in 2020, saying he wanted to hand power to a new generation of leaders.

A few weeks ago, Mr Ouattara said he would not rule out seeking to extend his decade-long rule in the 2020 election.

But speaking in the main city Abidjan on Monday, the 76-year-old said he would step down:

Barack Obama's 45-minute lecture may be the highlight of the event being held in Johannesburg today, but there is much more for the thousands of people packing into the Wanderers cricket stadium as we speak.

The event officially kicks off at 13:45 local time (11:45 GMT), with welcoming remarks from a variety of people - including Nelson Mandela's widow, Graca Machel, and the late leader's friend, President Cyril Ramaphosa.

There will also be a lot of music, according to the official programme for the day - which you can see below:

So why has Mr Obama been chosen to give the lecture in the year Mr Mandela would have turned 100?

Our correspondent Milton Nkosi tweets:

Scroll down to read more about the event.

Image source, Reuters

Africa won the football World Cup for France, and Europe should end discrimination against immigrants, Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro has said.

Speaking in the capital, Caracas, state television quoted him as saying:

France beat Croatia 4-2. Its team was one of the most multiracial in the competition - 15 out of the 23 players in the national squad can trace their heritage back to Africa, mainly from French colonies.

Read: 'Justice' for multi-racial World Cup winners

BBC Monitoring
The world through its media

Image source, Getty Images

The Ethiopian government has said works are under way to speed up the re-opening of the roads connecting landlocked Ethiopia to Eritrea's Red Sea port of Assab, the government-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporate said.

"Activities are fast moving to use [the Eritrean] port of Assab soon...Roads leading to the port of Assab are being repaired," Fana said, quoting Foreign Ministry spokesman Meles Alem.

Meles further said Ethiopian Airlines would resume flights to the Eritrean capital, Asmara, on 18 July carrying 465 passengers.

The two countries signed a Declaration of Peace and Friendship on 9 July in Asmara, ending the two-decade state of war between them.

There are some very smartly dressed people arriving to hear Barack Obama give the annual Mandela lecture later on today.

But don't take our word for it, take a look for yourself:

Image source, AFP

Image source, AFP

Image source, AFP

Image source, AFP

There are just a few hours left until former US President Barack Obama gives the annual Nelson Mandela Lecture in Johannesburg, South Africa, and everything is almost ready.

According to one South African journalist, people have started to arrive at Wanderers Cricket Stadium, apparently eager to make sure they don't miss a second:

Scroll down to read more about the event.

Image source, Reuters

Tanzanian President John Magufuli has said his party will be "in power forever, for eternity", according to a report by news agency AFP.

Mr Magufuli's comments were broadcast on radio on Monday evening, and come hot on the heels of his controversial suggestion that prisoners be made to work long hours, and be punished if they are lazy.

"The CCM [his Chama Cha Mapinduzi party] is here and will continue to be here - forever," he said.

"Members of the CCM, you can walk with your heads held high. There is no alternative to the CCM."

He added party opponents will "always have problems".

Rights groups have accused him of growing intolerance, and Mr Magufuli has lost his initial huge popularity by clamping down on the media and targeting opposition politicians.

Mr Magufuli is not the first leader to make such a prediction.

South Africa's former President Jacob Zuma said in 2008 that the governing African National Congress will rule "until Jesus comes back" and in 2014 he said the party will rule "forever and ever".