Africa

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June 13, 2018 (JUBA) - The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR), working jointly with the Directorate of Nationality, Passports and Immigration (DNPI) of South Sudan and Forcier Consulting launched on Wednesday a study on statelessness in the war-torn nation.

South Sudanese queue to be registered in Sudan in March 2015 (Photo courtesy of the UNHCR)

The study, commissioned by UNHCR in cooperation with DNPI and Forcier Consulting in 2017, explains main triggers behind the statelessness in South Sudan, outlines categories of people who are at risk of statelessness, identifies capacity and legal gaps that exist at central and local level and offers concrete recommendations to all concerned stakeholders on how to address the problem.

Among major risks of statelessness in South Sudan, the Study particularly emphasizes state succession, procedural gaps and divergent application of provisions in the Nationality Law for some specific ethnic and minority groups, the lack of a civil registration system, underfunded state institutions as well as ongoing conflict.

“Some categories of population in South Sudan are particularly at risk of statelessness. While many vulnerable and low-income individuals face difficulties in acquiring nationality certificates due to costs and procedures throughout the application process, challenges to obtain a nationality certificate also relate to ethnicity,” partly says the study.

It adds, “Certain communities, such as nomadic pastoralist groups, cannot access nationality certification procedure as they are not considered to be South Sudanese which effectively renders them stateless”.

UNHCR's activities relating to prevention of statelessness in South Sudan have focused so far on training and capacity-building for DNPI, support to vulnerable groups in the procedure of age assessment and acquisition of nationality and advocating for improved legal framework to address statelessness in the country.

“Since 2012, UNHCR has assisted some 12,000 persons at risk of statelessness to acquire South Sudanese national certificates. In addition, over 300 officers from the Directorate of Nationality, Passports and Immigration participated in various trainings organized in 2017 by the UN Refugee Agency,” said Johann Siffointe, UNHCR Representative for South Sudan.

To address the risks of statelessness in South Sudan, UNHCR will continue to advocate with the State and national authorities of South Sudan for ratification of the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Stateless. UNHCR will continue to provide assistance to the Ministry of Interior and DNPI in necessary legislative reform based on the findings and recommendations of the Study.

“While no reliable data on the number of persons at risk of statelessness in the country is available, in 2018, UNHCR aims to assist some 4,000 persons in acquiring nationality certificates, giving priority to the most vulnerable persons, including internally displaced persons, South Sudanese refugee returnees, ethnic minorities, children and adolescents in educational institutions”, the UNHCR Representative emphasized.

On November 4, 2014 UNHCR launched #IBelong campaign to end statelessness by 2024, featuring a Global Action Plan for 2014-2024 that has the following objectives: resolve existing major situations of statelessness; prevent new cases of statelessness from emerging; and better identify and protect stateless populations.

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June 14, 2018 (NAIROBI) - The United States has urged the Kenya government to investigate properties and assets owned South Sudanese officials who are benefitting from the country's war.

US Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Ms Sigal Mandelker (Daily Monitor)

The US Treasury's under-secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, Sigal Mandelker, said well-placed South Sudanese, have continued to invest illicit money in Kenya's real estate market.

"I wanna be very clear, those who profit from human rights violations and corruption, preying on the poor and innocent and mothers and children, must heed our warning," she told reporters on Wednesday.

"We will impose consequences, we will cut off your access to the US financial system and we will work with our partners in this region and elsewhere to do the same," added the official who earlier visited Uganda and will later head to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

In September 2016, The Sentry, a US-based investigative group, accused South Sudanese leaders of transferring millions of dollars of ill-gotten wealth outside the country during a civil war that left nearly half the population homeless or in urgent need of humanitarian aid.

Its report accused President Salva Kiir and some of his top associates, along with former vice-president Riek Machar, as having invested millions of dollars in real estate in Kenya, Uganda as well as Australia.

The senior US official told reporters in Nairobi, Kenya that she met with top officials in Kenya's government and the banking sector to urge them to watch out for money laundering from South Sudan.

I asked them to ban South Sudanese who have been on a US black list since 2015 and to freeze their bank accounts and seize their properties, observed Mandelke.

"Those who profit on of the backs of individuals who are devastated by human rights abuses will no longer have access to the international financial system because we will block that access, kick them out and we will work together to eliminate such despicable profiteering,” she stressed.

The Treasury under-secretary urged officials in Nairobi and Kampala to close loopholes that allow transfer of illicit funds from South Sudan.

John Prendergast, a co-founder of The Sentry said Tuesday that new financial pressures would disrupt the lifestyle of any South Sudanese officials found to have engaged in corruption, as well as that of their families, to bend these officials' personal incentives toward peace and an end to the devastating war.

“We hope Under Secretary Mandelker's engagement with Kenyan authorities and banks will spark official inquiries into real estate purchased by South Sudanese officials potentially to hide unexplained wealth obtained in the context of war,” said Prendergast.

“Investigating, and if appropriate, seizing these homes would provide tremendous leverage for the peace process, and would be a critical step toward accountability for the systematic looting and mass atrocities committed since the country's independence in 2011,” he added.

The Sentry urged US law enforcement bodies to launch independent investigations to determine if properties in Kenya and Uganda were bought in US dollars with the proceeds of corruption

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June 13, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Foreign Minister al-Dirdiri Mohamed Ahmed will start a regional tour to three IGAD countries to brief its leaders on a recent initiative for peace in South Sudan by President Omer al-Bashir.

First Vice-President Riek Machar (L) and President Salva Kiir (R) listen to the national anthem following a ceremony during which Machar was sworn in on April 26, 2016. (Phot AFP/Samir Bol)

The which includes Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda aims to brief Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali, President Uhuru Kenyatta and President Yoweri Museveni on a meeting between President Salva Kiir and his rival former First Vice President Riek Machar.

"SUNA learned that the tour aims to extend messages to the leaders of the three countries from President Omer al-Bashir on his initiative to achieve peace in South Sudan in the framework of the IGAD efforts," said the official news agency.

According to SUNA, al-Diridiri will meet Prime Minister Ahmed Ali on Thursday and fly to Mombasa to meet Kenyatta and conclude his tour by a meeting with President Museveni in Kampala on Friday evening.

On 31 May, the IGAD Council of Ministers recommended that a face-to-face meeting between President Kiir and SPLM-Io leader Machar should take place before July 1st.

On 5 June, Sudanese foreign minister announced upon his return from Juba that President Kiir accepted to meet Machar in Khartoum.

Bashir's initiative to achieve peace in South Sudan within the framework of the IGAD efforts "aims to bring together the parties and urge them to dialogue, overcome differences and bitterness and achieve stability and development in South Sudan," said SUNA.

No date has been officially announced for the meeting but source close to the file in Khartoum said it would be held on 17 June.

The SPLM-IO on Wednesday 13, June 2018, announced said its leader Machar received an invitation by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to meet President Kiir.

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June 13, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The price of the US dollar has increased in the black market in Khartoum on Tuesday, settling at 39,2 Sudanese pounds (SDG).

U.S. dollar notes (Reuters/Athit Perawongmetha Photo)

Traders speaking to Sudan Tribune Wednesday in central Khartoum said selling price of the US dollar settled at 39,2 pounds while purchase price reached 39,0 pounds compared to 38,0 at the beginning of this week.

They pointed out that the increase in the dollar price may be attributed to the decision of the Central Bank of Sudan (CBoS) to issue a new 50-pound banknote.

Last week, the CBoS issued a new banknote saying the spread of counterfeit 50-pound banknotes has caused an increase in liquidity, pushing up inflation.

According to the traders, the demand for dollar increased as speculation has mounted that the CBoS move aims to further limiting withdrawal of cash from the banks.

In February, the government introduced a number of measures to curb the rise in dollar price including limiting cash withdrawal from banks to absorb liquidity, cracking down on black market Forex traders and restricting imports.

Also, the CBoS revoked business licenses of a number of gold trade companies saying the decision was prompted by their involvement in currency speculations.

The Sudanese pound has lost more than 100% of its value since South Sudan's secession in 2011, pushing inflation rates to record levels given that the East African nation imports most of its food.

The most recent International Monetary Fund (IMF) report indicated that Sudan's foreign reserves cover approximately one and a half months of imports.

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June 13, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The government of North Darfur State said it would embark on planning IDPs camps to accommodate those who are willing to stay permanently and integrate into the local community.

The Sudanese government seeks to dismantle IDPs camps that have been established in areas around the capitals of Darfur's five states since the eruption of the armed conflict in the region.

It has set a number of options for IDPs, including resettlement in the area where they are, or in another area according to their desire.

On Tuesday, the governor of North Darfur State El-Sherief Mohamed Abbad Sumuh met with a delegation of the leaders of Abu Shouk camp.

The meeting discussed the voluntary return of IDPs and the reconstruction of the return villages as well as the provision of basic services for the returnees.

Sumuh stressed his government seriousness to enhance security and stability, praising efforts exerted by the camp's leaders to resolve problems of the IDPs.

For their part, the camp leaders briefed the governor about the overall situation in the camp and the challenges facing families there.

Last week, the Sudanese government denied plans to forcibly evict the IDPs camps in Darfur region a move that would be a gross violation of the international humanitarian law.

Despite the relative security in Darfur region and the deployment of the government troops across the region, the existence of displacement camps remains the symbol of the 2003 insurgency that displaced over 2.5 million since 2003.

Sudanese officials described the camps as “a hideout of the outlaw groups” who take hostage civilians and prevent them from returning to their areas of origin. Also, in the past they declared plans to dismantle it.

Since the signing of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur in July 2011, the government constructed several villages and vowed to support IDPs who return to their home areas.

In a recent report released on 5 February, UNOCHA estimates there are about 386,000 returnees in Sudan conflict areas including Darfur and the Two Areas.

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June 13, 2018 (JUBA) - The Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali has invited President Salva Kiir and the leader of main armed opposition group Riek Machar to meet in Addis Ababa within a week.

Ethiopia's prime minister Abiy Ahmed during a visit to Ambo in the Oromiya region, Ethiopia April 11, 2018. (Photo Reuters/Tiksa Negeri)

in a statement released on Wednesday said the SPLM-IO acknowledged receipt of the invitation letter to its leader for "IGAD-led face-to-face talks with President Salva Kiir on the 20th of June, 2018 in Addis Ababa".

"The Movement welcomes this invitation and salutes the courage of IGAD for reaching this prudent and timely decision, it will go a long way in building confidence in the peace process," said Mabior Garang de Mabior, head of SPLM-IO National Committee for Information and Public Relations.

For his part, President Kiir didn't issue a statement but sources at the presidency confirmed the receipt of the invitation.

The invitation of the Ethiopian premier for a face-to-face meeting comes after a similar one by the Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir to President Kiir and his main rival Machar. Khartoum said Abiy would attend the encounter.

However, it is not clear if the Ethiopian invitation intends to retake the initiative from Khartoum and Nairobi which dispatched the opposition leader and former prime minister Raila Odinga to meet Machar in South Africa last week.

The two rivals will meet the IGAD leaders on the sidelines of the upcoming African Union summit in Mauritania next month.

The SPLM-IO reiterated its commitment to the IGAD peace forum to revitalize the 2015 peace agreement stressing it would continue "to engage positively with IGAD and all friends of South Sudan interested in helping our people achieve peace".

The South Sudan parties will hold Intensive Interlink Consultations from 16-18 June 2018 in Addis Ababa organized by the IGAD mediation to narrow the gaps on its proposals for a deal on the governance and security arrangements.

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The scourge of terrorism and violent extremism continues to affect all of Central Africa and divert government resources from much-needed development programmes to costly security operations, a senior United Nations official told the Security Council on Wednesday. 

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