Clue: 'A welcoming northern country' (5)
I believe the answer is:
kenya
'country' is the definition.
(I know that Kenya is a African country)
'clue a welcoming northern' is the wordplay.
'clue' becomes 'key' (I've seen this in another clue).
'welcoming' indicates putting letters inside (in sense of 'inviting in').
'northern' becomes 'n' (abbreviation e.g. N. Ireland).
'key'+'a'='keya'
'keya' enclosing 'n' is 'KENYA'.
(Other definitions for kenya that I've seen before include "Nairobi's country" , "E African country" , "Kikuyus' country" , "Land" , "Republic in East Africa" .)