Africa

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A selection of the best photos from across Africa and of Africans this week.

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United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced today the appointment of Horst Köhler, former President of Germany, as his Personal Envoy for Western Sahara.

Condemning a series of terrorist attacks in north-eastern Nigeria, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called for those responsible for these &#8220repeated heinous acts&#8221 to be brought to justice.

August 15, 2017 (JUBA) – A former South Sudanese envoy to the United Nations has warned that the implementation process for the national dialogue initiative was likely to face numerous unforeseen challenges.

Francis Deng (Photo U.N.)

Francis Mading Deng, in a brief issued on Tuesday, said several committees were formed to help extend the process to different levels, including at the grassroot so that messages are disseminated.

The brief cited the visit in June of the national dialogue leadership to South Africa in an attempt to meet the armed opposition leader Riek Machar and another one to the Sudanese capital Khartoum for consultations with the former agriculture minister, Lam Akol Ajawin.

“If the momentum and integrity which the process has so far demonstrated are maintained through the regional and grassroots consultations, and continue on to the National Conference that will formulate the final recommendations, then the only remaining challenge will be one of implementation,” partly reads Deng's brief.

“Failure to live up to this challenge is bound to have serious consequences for the authority responsible for implementation. It is one to be wisely avoided”, it added.
Deng, a long serving career diplomat, called for moral pressure, both domestic and international on those who would be given the responsibility to implement the outcome of the dialogue process.

“Wherever the responsibility will ultimately lie, if the process maintains its integrity up to that point, then the weight of the moral pressure, both domestically and internationally, to ensure a credible, recognized, and respected implementation of the recommendations will be difficult to resist”, he further wrote.

Deng, now a roving ambassador for South Sudan, explained that the objective of the visit, which leadership of the committee undertook in June, was to engage as many South Sudanese as possible, inside the country and abroad, in a determined effort to end the violence that is devastating the country and turning its social fabric apart.

“The longer-term objective is not only to end the war, but also to promote a culture of peaceful engagement through dialogue to address the structural sources of conflict at all levels and to institutionalize the process of restoring sustainable peace, security, stability, and development in a beleaguered country,” wrote Deng.

He adds, “If the national dialogue process continues in the way it has so far been conducted, observing the principles of inclusivity, credibility, and transparency which have been widely advocated as crucial to the success of any national dialogue, then the prospects of success are quite promising”.

Officially launched in May this year, the national dialogue initiative is regarded as a forum and process through which the people South Sudan shall gather to redefine the basis of their unity as it relates to nationhood, redefine citizenship and belonging, as well as restructure the state for national inclusion.

Since mid-December 2013, tens of thousands of people have been killed and more than two million displaced in South Sudan's worst violence outbreak.

(ST)

August 15, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's Central Bureau of Statistics (CBoS) reported that inflation has increased to 34,23 % in July from 32,63 in June, a rise of 4.90%.

Sudan's inflation rate continued to rise for thirteen consecutive months since April 2016. However, last June it dropped to 32,63% from 35,52 %, a decline of 3,9%.
According to the CBoS monthly bulletin on Monday, the twelve commodity and service groups contributed to the increase in inflation at varying rates.

The food and beverage group contributed to the overall price rise by % 52,32 while the clothing and footwear group share was 8,82%.

The contribution of the other groups was as follows: 5,86% for the health group, 4,89% for the communications group, 4,69% for the transportation group, 3,46% for the housing, water, electricity and gas group and 3,02% for the home appliances group.

On the other hand, the education group contributed 2,93%, the miscellaneous goods and services share was 2,90% while the restaurants and hotels group contributed 2,64% and the tobacco group share was 2,62%.

The CBoS pointed out that the price of consumer goods and services in urban areas has increased to 29,82% in July compared to 28,98% in June, a rise of 2,89%.
In rural areas, the price of consumer goods and services has risen to 38,31% compared to 35,95% in June, an increase of 6,56%.

The highest increase in the price of goods and services in July was registered in Kassala State where inflation reached 39,17% compared to 32,40 in June.

Last May, Sudan's finance minister said inflation rate has jumped to 33,7% in the first quarter of 2017, compared to 12.3% for the same period last year, an increase of more than 260%.

He attributed the increase in inflation rate to the impact of the fiscal policy reforms implemented by the government at the end of last year.

In November 2016, Sudanese government lifted fuel subsidies and increased electricity price in a bid to control a surge in inflation and stop the fall of Sudanese pound in the black market.

According to the 2017 budget, the growth rate would decline from 6,4% in 2016 to 5,3% and the targeted average inflation rate is 17%.

Prices and services have soared in Sudan since South Sudan seceded in 2011, taking with it three-quarters of the country's oil output, the main source of foreign currency used to support the Sudanese pound.

The Sudanese pound has lost 100% of its value since South Sudan's secession, pushing inflation rates to record levels given that country imports most of its food.
Ordinary citizens continue to complain from cost of living increases that impaired their access to basic commodities.

(ST)