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August 17, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese authorities have prevented three members of the Sudan Call Leadership Council from travelling to Paris to take part in the meetings of the opposition alliance, said a statement issued on Friday.

The meeting of the leadership body takes place in Paris from 18 to 21 August, as the general secretariat concluded on Friday a three-day meeting from 15-to 17 August.

Sudan Call spokesperson Salah Jalal on Friday said human-rights and freedom continue to be ignored by the regime of President Omer al-Bashir despite its pledges of political overture and dialogue with the opposition.

Security agents "deprived Sudan Call leaders of the right to freedom of movement and confiscated their passports," said Jalal adding "they prevented Omer al-Diguair Sudan Call deputy chairman, Sara Nugdalla and Jalilah Khamis both members of the leadership board from participating in the Sudan Call meeting".

The Sudanese government used to prevent the political leaders from inside the country from taking part in the meeting of the Sudan Call umbrella or any other structure, pointing that they do not encourage meeting with the outlawed rebel groups.

The Sudan Call leader Sadiq al-Mahdi is living outside the country since last February because the government threatened to arrest him after a meeting with his allies in the opposition alliance which includes armed groups from Darfur region and the SPLM-N Agar.

The leadership council will discuss the peace process and the activities programme of the Sudan Call general secretariat.

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August 17, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North led by Malik Agar (SPLM-N Agar) has released a comprehensive study prepared by an independent panel of Sudanese experts on the key reforms needed to establish a democratic regime and social justice in Sudan.

In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune, the SPLM-N Agar said the report entitled "Towards a Sustainable Political Transformation in Sudan: Elements of a Roadmap" provides a short presentation of the status quo, identifying why change is needed, and prescribing interventions that included estimates of the time horizon and anticipated costs.

"Sudan must arrive at equality in citizenship rights and at restructuring of the state in the interests of the majority of the population that includes good governance and providing basic services like clean water, education and health to its citizens," further stressed

Referring to the New Sudan vision of its founder John Garang the SPLM-N said the roadmap is designed to benefit to all the Sudanese especially those in the marginalized areas

"It is meant to end our suffering and to usher us into a new social, economic, political, and cultural dispensation that will change our lives and will provide equal citizenship, sustainable development and democracy, especially for women, children and youth".

The report which is now online at https://www.eagsudan.org tackles also Sudan foreign policy and calls to promote a peaceful relations with the international community and to boost regional integration, especially with the neighbouring countries.

"There is a special emphasis on strategic relations between the two independent states of Sudan and South Sudan," stressed the study.

the document which is the result of joint work by Sudanese intellectuals and a political force will be shared and debated with the other political and civil society groups to develop it and to continue our joint work.

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August 17, 2018 (JUBA) - Oil workers are finalizing the reparation and maintenance works of oil wells and they plan to carry out tests for oil pumping by the end of the month, announced the government on Friday.

Last July, South Sudanese Oil Minister Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth announced the resumption of oil production on 2 September from the Unity wells and vowed that by the end of the year, the production of all the remaining wells will be at its maximum capacity.

In a press briefing after the weekly council of ministers meeting, the deputy information minister Lily Albino Akol told reporters that the cabinet was briefed on the progress achieved in the works in the Unity region before to resume oil production within two weeks.

Akol further added that the production testing process will begin on 26 August.

"Our crude oil will be tested which means it will be pumped through the pipelines,” she stressed.

The engineers are expected to conduct injection tests to establish the rate and pressure at which oil can be pumped based on the amount of production that a pumping well is capable of flowing.

The deputy government spokesperson further announced that Gatkuoth and his Sudanese counterpart Azhari Abdel-Gader will travel to Toma oil field to attend the exercise, adding that oil will be pumped to Port Sudan through Heglig.

On June 27, South Sudanese parties signed the Khartoum Declaration of Agreement, where they committed themselves to a permanent ceasefire and pledged to finalize a deal on the pending issues in the governance chapter of the 2015 peace agreement.

The declaration provides to resume immediately in collaboration with the Sudanese government the rehabilitation of the damaged oil installations in the Unity region, Blocks 1,2, 4 and 5.

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August 17, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese-Turkish Strategic Cooperation Council (SCC) would meet in Khartoum in December, reported the official news agency SUNA.

Sudan's Foreign Minister El-Dirdeiry Mohamed Ahmed Thursday met with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu in Ankara on the sidelines of 10th annual Turkish Ambassadors' Conference.

According to SUNA, Sudan's top diplomat invited Cavusoglu to visit Khartoum to prepare for the SCC's meeting which would be headed by President Omer al-Bashir and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The two ministers reviewed various aspects of strategic relations between the two countries and agreed to continue the bilateral dialogue to promote those relations.

Also, the meeting approved the strategic planning document which constitutes a roadmap to implement joint agreements and promote bilateral relations.

They pointed out that the two countries hold identical views on regional and international issues of common concern.

The Turkish-Sudanese relations have reached a high level, especially after President Erdogan visit to Sudan last December.

During Erdogan's visit to Khartoum, the two sides signed 12 cooperation agreements and agreed to launch a strategic partnership covering agriculture, industry, minerals and health.

They also approved the establishment of a higher political committee headed by the two presidents, saying the committee would annually meet in Khartoum and Ankara alternately.

The two sides agreed to raise trade exchange between the two countries to $1 billion within one year to reach $10 billion in the future.

According to a report issued by the Sudanese Ministry of Investment, the volume of Turkish investments in Sudan amounted to 2 billion dollars from 2000 to 2017. It further indicates that there are 288 Turkish investment projects in the east African country.

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August 17, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The head of parliamentary sub-committee on foreign relations Mohamed al-Mukhtar Thursday discussed with the United Kingdom special envoy to Sudan and South Sudan Chris Trott ongoing preparations for the 2020 elections.

The UK special envoy for Sudan and South Sudan, Christopher Trott speaks to reporters in Kigali, Rwanda, January 21, 2018 (New Times photo)

The meeting also discussed the political situation in the country as well as Sudan's efforts to promote regional peace and security.

The two sides further reviewed Khartoum's role to converge views and resolve outstanding issues among South Sudan's warring parties.

For his part, Trott expressed his country's readiness to support Sudan's efforts to achieve peace and security in South Sudan.

Last June, the Sudanese Council of Ministers approved 2018 elections law amid objection of several political forces participating in the national dialogue.

In October 2016, the political forces participating in the government-led national dialogue concluded the process by signing the National Document which includes general features of a future constitution to be finalised by transitional institutions.

The NCG was installed in May 2017 to implement the outcome of the dialogue conference.

The rebel groups and opposition parties refused to join Khartoum process as they demand the government to end the war and ensure freedoms in the country ahead of the dialogue.

Last May, a coalition of some opposition left parties, the National Consensus Forces (NCF), announced the boycott of the 2020 elections, saying it won't meet with the ruling party to discuss these elections.

On the other hand, several opposition groups that are part of the opposition Sudan Call forces consider participating in the next general presidential elections in 2020 if the regime of President Omer al-Bashir provides needed guarantees for a fair election and ensures freedoms.

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August 17, 2018 (JUBA) - The final phase of South Sudan peace process in Khartoum will be suspended on Saturday during a week for Eid al-Adha holidays after finalizing the draft text of the revitalized peace agreement.

Since four days ago the South Sudanese parties have engaged in talks on the pending issues and the modalities of implementation of the revitalized peace agreement. The IGAD Council of Minister which supervise the process gave them one week to finalize their discussions before the 19 of August.

Speaking to the South Sudanese TV on Friday, the minister of information who is also the spokesperson of the government negotiating delegation said the talks will be concluded on Saturday as the parties are getting ready to review the remaining chapters of the peace deal.

"Almost all the committees agreed on the outstanding issues and now the IGAD Secretariat is on the process of preparing the final draft, but before they are actually working on the implementation matrix that we are expected to be brought out today (Friday)," said Minister Mickael Makuei.

Makuei further said on Friday they will examine and amend the remaining six chapters to make in conformity with chapters one and two. So on Saturday, they will "come out with the final draft text of the agreement".

Regarding the outstanding issues, the parties discussed the disputed number of states, the creation of five new ministries and their clustering, judicial reforms, composition of National Constitutional Amendment Committee (NCAC), roles and responsibilities of the presidency as well as any other business.

On the implementation matrix, the most important issue was the competences and powers at the level of the presidency as a disagreement emerged the powers of the First Vice-President. The SPLM-IO said his powers should remain intact as defined in the peace agreement and rejected any modification pointing to the particularity of the job.

The minister said after the break of Eid al-Adha discussion will resume on the final text of the agreement.

Eid al-Adha is due to begin on 21 August and end on 25 August.

Once the parties agree on the text, the IGAD Council of Ministers will meet to approve it and then the summit of IGAD heads of state and government will be called to approve it before the signing ceremony.

"So we are optimistic in the first week of September the final process and the signing ceremony will be conducted as scheduled," he stressed.

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By Roger Alfred Yoron Modi

After armed conflict erupted in South Sudan in July 2016, one of the main issue of contention that led to the resumption of a full-scale war was the question of whether or not the replacement of Dr Riek Machar as First Vice President was valid (in line with the Igad-brokered Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan ARCSS.)

Though the question has not been satisfactorily answered by the relevant authorities up to date, the ongoing Igad-led ARCSS revitalization (Khartoum process) aimed at ending the South Sudan civil war should use the current chance and make clear provisions on the procedures for removal of post holders in the agreed transitional government which shall be formed under the revitalized ARCSS.

The senior post holders in the transitional government to be formed per the revitalized ARCSS include the President, the First Vice President, Four Vice Presidents, Speakers and Deputy Speakers of the two houses of the National Legislature, Members of the Legislative Assembly and Members of the Council of States, National Cabinet Ministers, State Governors, State Members of Parliament and State Cabinet Ministers, etc.

With regards to the positions of the President and the First Vice President, the Khartoum Agreement on Governance provides explicitly that Salva Kiir Mayardit shall continue as President of the Republic of South Sudan, while The Chairman of SPLM/A-IO Dr Riek Machar Teny shall assume the position of the First Vice President of the Republic of South Sudan respectively. The rest of the posts, including the four Vice Presidents and others, have been allocated to the parties to come up with their nominations for appointments based on the power-sharing ratios for each category they have agreed to in the Agreement.

The Agreement, however, is silent on replacements. What shall happen in case any of those posts fall vacant? People do get sick to the extent of becoming unable to perform their duties. People also die. In case a mental infirmity, physical incapacity or death happens (God forbid) during the transitional period, how shall a replacement be made? Or in case a party happens to lose confidence in their representative and seeks to replace him/her, what procedure shall such a party follow? Shall such a party have no opportunity to gain redress by replacing such a post holder serving under their ticket?

For example, Chapter One of the ARCSS being revitalized provided for procedures for replacements of the President and the First Vice President in Article 5.3 and 6.4 respectively. However, those procedures are inadequate and require improvements given the current changes in the composition of all the parties and the creation of new four vice presidents. Also, how the replacement to the president shall assume office (take an oath) has not been provided for and this should be rectified. Provisions on the replacements of the newly created four Vice Presidents, State Governors and others should also be explicitly stipulated in the Agreement.

Further, during the transitional period, shall a party be able to replace a person serving in the legislature under their ticket? On what grounds? How shall the independence of the legislature be guaranteed when a legislature can be replaced (recalled) through a decision of party that is not necessarily democratic in itself? Shall all legislators in the transitional government of the revitalized ARCSS serve and only be replaced through their voluntary resignation or in case of mental infirmity, physical incapacity or death (God forbid)?

The Khartoum Agreement (revitalized ARCSS) should be explicit on these matters to ensure its smooth implementation and avoid disagreements and an armed conflict over replacements during the transitional period.

Last month, in one of my articles, I made suggestions, if adopted, shall also protect the revitalized ARCSS from abuse and violations by one party, a faction of a party or any conspirator (s) seeking to frustrate implementation of the reforms provided for in the revitalized ARCSS.

I believe that providing for power-sharing percentages alone are not enough, given the experiences of the recent past. No party should be allowed to roam around without any written document (reference) such as an internal Constitution and expects to share power in the transitional government. I am of the opinion that let each party or entity develop, adopt and deposit their internal Constitution or rules and regulations with the ARCSS Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission JMEC and IGAD. The internal Constitution or rules and regulations should define the mode of decision making within each party on matters related to the revitalized ARCSS i.e. their procedure for membership and lose thereof, the procedure for nomination of their representatives to the revitalized transitional government, legislature, State governorship, etc. Both at party or entity and alliance/coalition levels it should be ensured that there are internal Constitutions or rules and regulations defining the mode of decision making within each party on matters related to the revitalized ARCSS.

The internal Constitutions or rules and regulations should be separate documents that the mediation (Igad) should on the technical aspect assist the parties to develop as soon as possible for the purposes of protecting the revitalized ARCSS from violations. The documents should be separate documents that shall be valid for the purposes of the revitalized ARCSS regardless of any possibility such as the expected reunification of the SPLM, in case there are concerns from the SPLM factions expecting to reunite. The internal Constitutions or rules and regulations should as well attach names of members in decision-making positions (organs) within each party/entity and alliance, and define the organs/structures of each party.

In conclusion, all the above are easy for the rest of the parties to achieve. However, as per the last Igad Revised Bridging Proposal, the incumbent Transitional Government TGoNU participating in the Talks comprises of: the former GRSS; the former SPLM/A-IO (led by Gen. Taban Deng); and the Other Political Parties in TGoNU. Given their composition, it may be difficult but not impossible for them to come up with the above significant document (internal Constitution or rules and regulations) for the purposes of the implementation of the revitalized ARCSS.

So, let each party or entity, including the incumbent TGoNU, develop, adopt and deposit their internal Constitution or rules and regulations (on matters of the revitalized ARCSS) with JMEC and IGAD. Those are very significant in ensuring accountability and adherence with the revitalized ARCSS and as well as avoid a return to an armed conflict or a possible pulling out by some parties/entities from the revitalized ARCSS during the transitional period over related issues, a move if happens to take place, shall negatively affect implementation of the reforms provided for in the ARCSS.

The author, Roger Alfred Yoron Modi, a South Sudanese journalist, is the former Managing Editor of Juba Monitor Newspaper and former Chief Editor of Bakhita Radio. He can be reached via his email: rogeryoron@gmail.com

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