Africa

The United Nations health agency is scaling up cholera response in South Sudan, where 17,785 cases, including 320 deaths, have been reported since the outbreak in June 2106.

Highlighting challenges facing South Sudan, a senior United Nations official today underlined that overcoming obstacles borne of a volatile combination of insecurity and political uncertainty is critical for the war-torn country to be put on the track to peace and stability.

Urgent action is needed now towards the meaningful participation of women in peace processes, as well ensuring their voices are heard in all aspects of society, the United Nations deputy chief told reporters in Abuja today as part of a first-ever UN-African Union trip focused on women, peace and security.

July 19, 2017 (JUBA) - Reporters Without Borders also known as Reporters Sans Frontières (RSF) Wednesday has called for the release of the director of South Sudan's state-owned national TV broadcaster, SSBC, detained since nine days ago by the security service.

Adil Faris Mayat (Photo from his page on Twitter)

Adil Faris Mayat has been arrested on 10 July after the station failed to relay a live broadcast of President Salva Kiir's speech during the sixth independence day anniversary held on 9 July.

According to RSF, Mayat attributed this failure of the live broadcast to technical problems. However, the South Sudanese officials were angered considered it as an act meant to undermine the South Sudanese president.

“We call for this journalist's immediate release,” said Cléa Kahn-Sriber, the head of RSF's Africa desk. “Frequent arbitrary measures of this kind by the security services and the accompanying impunity are killing media freedom in South Sudan and are holding back a return to peace and national reconciliation,” he said.

The director of the official TV station is detained without charges.

The freedom of information advocacy group further said that his family or lawyer have no information about his whereabouts or the conditions in which he is being held.

South Sudan has fallen 20 places in RSF's World Press Freedom Index since 2015 and is now ranked 145th out of 180 countries.

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July 19, 2017 (RIYADH) - Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir Tuesday said his country would continue its efforts to improve Sudan's relations with the United States and to lift the economic sanctions imposed on Sudan.

The Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir has arrived in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday for the second leg of an Arab Gulf tour that also took him to the UAE.

Last week, al-Bashir decided to suspend the participation of his government in a joint committee on the permanent revocation of sanctions in response to a decision by President Donald Trump to postpone his decision on the embargo for three months.

However, he agreed to a Saudi request to continue positive engagement with the U.S. administration and its official agencies for the permanent lift of economic sanctions on Khartoum.

In a joint statement with his Sudanese counterpart at the end of al-Bashir's visit to Riyadh Tuesday, al-Jubeir said they believe that Khartoum made significant progress to lift the economic sanctions and remove its name from the U.S. list of states sponsors of terror.

“We would continue our efforts in coordination with our brothers in Sudan and other brothers in the region to find a solution to return this situation to normal so that Sudan could focus on development, economy and prosperity,” he said.

Last January, former U.S. President Barack Obama issued an executive order easing the 19-year Sudan sanctions on a probationary basis. The sanctions relief was to become permanent on 12 July unless the U.S. Administration acted to stop it.

On 12 July, Washington said it needs to discuss with Khartoum the human rights situation and religious freedom in the east African country, besides its commitment to UN sanctions on North Korea.

It is noteworthy that Sudan was placed on the U.S. terrorism list in 1993 over allegations it was harbouring Islamist militants working against regional and international targets.

Despite intense lobbying by Khartoum, the U.S. administration kept Sudan on the terrorism list drawing frustration and rebuke from Sudanese officials.

Ahead of President Trump's decision on sanctions relief on 12 July, the U.S. State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said her country has no plans to remove Sudan from the list of states that sponsor terrorism.

“I can tell you one thing, and that is the designation of Sudan as a state sponsor of terror will remain,” she said.

COMBATING TERRORISM

Meanwhile, al-Jubeir said the talks between King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman with President al-Bashir on Tuesday have dealt with regional developments and ways to combat extremism and terrorism.

“The two countries are key partners in the Islamic [military] alliance to fight terrorism and extremism and partners in the coalition to support the legitimacy in Yemen and the two countries are also partners in the work to combat extremism and terrorism financing,” he said.

Last month, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE and Egypt severed ties with Qatar accusing it of supporting Islamist terrorist groups and arch-foe Iran. But Doha vehemently denies the charges.

Sudan is among the Arab states that refused to take part in the ongoing diplomatic crisis and declared its support for the Kuwaiti efforts to settle the rift.

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July 19, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's Defence Minister Awad Ibn Ouf Wednesday discussed with the head of UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) Jean-Pierre Lacroix the implementation of the Security Council's resolution to reduce the hybrid peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID).

Last month, the UNSC unanimously approved a resolution to extend the mandate of the UNAMID until 30 June 2018 and to reduce by a half its troops.

The hybrid mission will be reduced by withdrawing the military personnel by 44% and that of the police component by 30%, the closure of 11 team sites in the first phase and the withdrawal of the military component from another 7 team sites in the second phase.

According to the official news agency SUNA, Ibn Ouf praised UNAMID's efforts to achieve peace and stability in Sudan, welcoming the U.N. decision to downsize the mission.

He said the decision indicates the stability of security and humanitarian situation in Darfur, expressing hope that the mission would continue its efforts to convince the rebel movements to join the peace and dialogue process.

The defence minister further expressed army's readiness to provide all forms of assistance and facilities to enable the mission to implement the reduction decision in coordination with the joint committees formed for this purpose.

For his part, Lacroix thanked the Ministry of Defence, hoping for further coordination in order to achieve the desired goals and make a positive shift in peace-related issues, including empowering the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) to carry out its duty and to complete the Joint Monitoring and Verification Committees.

The newly appointed French diplomat will visit Abyei to meet UNISFA chief and inspect the situation in the disputed border area, after what he will move to South Sudan to meet South Sudanese officials and UN peacekeeping mission in the restive country.

The hybrid mission has been deployed in Darfur since December 2007 with a mandate to stem violence against civilians in the western Sudan's region.

It is the world's second largest international peacekeeping force with an annual budget of $1.35 billion and almost 20,000 troops.

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July 19, 2017 (JUBA) - South Sudan president Salva Kiir has assigned the governor of Tonj state, Aker Tong Aleu, to spearhead the state of emergency situation he declared in Wau, Aweil East, Gogrial and parts of Tonj states.

President Salva Kiir addresses the nation from the State House on September 15, 2015, in Juba (Photo AFP/Charles Atiki Lomodong)

Aleu is expected to visit each of the states where emergency was declared or summon the governor in each of the state for briefings and provide guide on what needed to be done to improve the security situation in these areas.

He said it was an honour to oversee the security situation in the four states for three months. Some of the area where emergency was declared have witnessed significant unrest in past months, mainly communal conflicts in Gogrial, Jonglei and Tonj states.

Observers have, however, interpreted the order to mean an attempt by the president to deter supporters of the former chief of staff Paul Malong Awan from resorting to armed opposition in protest over the manner in which he was treated.

Awan remains under confinement since he returned to capital, Juba, after he abruptly left immediately following the announcement of his removal from the position. All his supporters in the military and other key institutions have been removed from influential positions and placed under strict security surveillance.

Kiir on Tuesday convened an emergency meeting of the national security committee in the capital, Juba a day after declaring a state of emergency in parts of the country.

The meeting followed the communal clashes in four states. The state of emergency covered parts of Aweil East, Wau, Gogrial and Jonglei states.

The order did not mention which specific places in the state were affected. It not known which areas will be affected since such a declaration is usually followed by the introduction of special measures such as increased powers for the police or army, usually connected to civil unrest or natural disasters like earthquakes.

Martial laws apply for civil unrest in the area and in most cases, the measures affect operations of local schools and other economic activities since it hampers movement.

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July 18, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir and the Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on Tuesday have discussed ways to enhance bilateral relations between the two countries besides recent developments in the region.

FILE - Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir shaking hands with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz (Riyadh newspaper)

Al-Bashir arrived in Jeddah on Tuesday for the second leg of his Arab Gulf tour that also took him to the UAE.

According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the two leaders “reviewed relations between the two brotherly countries and developments in the region”.

During the meeting, the two sides agreed to work together to promote cooperation to serve the common interests of the two countries.

The meeting was attended by Governor of Makkah Region Prince Khaled Al Faisal bin Abdulaziz, Advisor to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Prince Khalid bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz and the Minister of State and Member of the Council of Ministers, Prince Mansour bin Mteib bin Abdul Aziz from the Saudi side.

It was also attended by the Minister of State Fadl Abdallah Fadl, Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour, Minister of State, Director of the Office of President Hatim Hassan Bakhit, and Sudan's Ambassador to the Kingdom Abdel-Basit Al-Sanousi from the Sudanese side.

Last month, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE and Egypt severed ties with Qatar accusing it of supporting Islamist terrorist groups and arch-foe Iran. But Doha vehemently denies the charges.

Sudan is among the Arab states that refused to take part in the ongoing diplomatic crisis and declared its support for the Kuwaiti efforts to settle the rift.

(ST)

July 18, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - President Omer al-Bashir agreed to a Saudi request to continue positive engagement with the US administration and its official agencies for the permanent lift of economic sanctions on Khartoum, announced he Sudanese government Tuesday.

Last week, the Sudanese president decided to suspend the participation of his government in a joint committee on the permanent revocation of sanctions In response to a decision by President Donald Trump to postpone his decision on the embargo for three months.

At the time, Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour minimised the decision saying it does not mean the suspension of bilateral communications between the different agencies in the two countries.

In a joint statement read by the Sudanese foreign minister at the end of his visit to Riyadh where he met with the Kind Salman and the Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman, al-Bashir publically cancelled his previous decision and accepted that his government officials resume the bilateral meeting on the sanctions.

"In response to the request of Saudi leadership, the President agreed to continue to communicate positively with the U.S. Administration and its official agencies in the coming period, in order to ensure the permanent lift of sanctions on Sudan, in addition to removing Sudan from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism and resolving all existing problems between the two countries," says the joint communiqué.

On 12 July, Washington said it needs to discuss with Khartoum the human rights situation and religious freedom in the east African country, besides its commitment to UN sanctions on South Korea.

The three matters were not part of the five-track framework negotiated between the two countries last year but the Administration was under huge pressure from 53 Congressmen and activists.

The statement further said that al-Bashir thanked the Saudi leadership for the efforts exerted to improve relations between the Sudan and the United States.

"The two sides stressed the importance of fighting terrorism and extremism and combat its financing because it represents a threat to peaceful societies around the world. They also reiterate their commitment to all international resolutions in this regard. "

The Saudi Arabia pledged in the past to support the lift of economic sanctions on Sudan.

There were reports saying that Riyadh supported the delay of permanent lift due to Khartoum refusal to cut relations with Qatar. But the Sudanese foreign ministry denied these reports.

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July 18, 2017 (KWAJOK) – A least 18 people were killed and more than 30 wounded in clashes involving the Apuk and Aguok communities of South Sudan's Gogrial state, an official disclosed.

Map of South Sudan showing Warrap state in red

“Some of our people are now moving to the side of the former Western Bahr el Ghazal and Northern Bahr el Ghazal states for fear of their lives,” said the state information minister, Ariech Mayar Ariech.

Ariech, however, said tension remained high as some group of youth suspected to be from the Aguok community attacked the Apuk, burning down villages and forcing residents to flee their homes.

“We need the intervention of many troops to have the state special forces that are now at the places of the clashes,” he added.

Tonj state governor, Akech Tong Aleu and his Gogrial state counterpart, Gregory Deng Kuac have reportedly camped in Gogrial state as they try to persuade the youth to stop fighting.

South Sudan President Salva Kiir on Tuesday convened an emergency meeting of the national security committee, a day after a state of emergency was declared in parts of the country.

The meeting followed the communal clashes in four states. The state of emergency covered parts of Aweil East, Wau, Gogrial and Jonglei states.

(ST)

July 18, 2017 (JUBA) – South Sudan has reported an outbreak of fall armyworm pest in its Equatoria region, including Magwi, Yei and Juba, Northern Bahr el Gazal and in parts of Jonglei states.

Central Equatoria farmer, Regina Awate, in a field after a visit by the state Minister of Agriculture after the launch of a community seed and agricultural project in Yei County. (Source: Alfred Poverty Taban)

Fall armyworm is reportedly a new pest in Africa, preferring maize plants, but feeds on sorghum, millet and vegetables, among others.

However, as maize and sorghum are staple foods in the war-torn nation, there are fears the emergence of the deadly crop pest is likely to put an increasing number of people at risk of hunger.

“It is nearly impossible to eliminate this pest from South Sudan – now that it is here, it will stay. Following its initial detection in Magwi Country, it is spread to nearly all areas of the country at an alarming rate,” said Serge Tissot, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) representative in South Sudan.

“Given FAO's experience with the pest in other countries in Africa, we can say this could be a significant blow to prospects of agricultural recovery,” he added.

In the wake of the outbreak of the pest, FAO in close partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security are continuing with assessment of fall armyworm infestation across the country.

“The results of these assessments will give a more accurate picture of where the pest is found, and extent of crop yield losses incurred in the affected areas,” said Tissot, adding “It is likely that it will spread both geographically and in intensity unless farmers learn to manage it.”

The fall armyworm arrival is an additional challenge for South Sudan which currently faces an unprecedented food crisis. More than 80% of the population depends on agriculture for their livelihoods.

“Experiences that have been shared in three regional technical meetings on fall armyworm convened by FAO point out difficulties that farmers are facing in controlling the pest,” said Lawrence Kedi, a FAO Agriculture officer.

“The range of options available for immediate response are limited as the knowledge of control interventions are low, and costs are high, leaving them out of reach for the majority of farmers in South Sudan,” he added.

The fall armyworm pest, experts say, has developed resistance to several pesticides and this reportedly calls for more coordinated research on the pest to understand how it adapts to the local environments and training of farmers in how to manage it.

South Sudan has a wealth of untapped agricultural resources. With 30 million hectares of arable land across six agro-ecological zones, the East African nation is capable of producing an array of agricultural products, from cereals to oil seeds, horticulture, and specialty products such as Shea butter and Gum Arabic.

However, despite the huge agricultural potential it possessed, only about 5% of the country's land is cultivated. Moreover, South Sudan also offers abundant water resources in the Nile basin, and forestry assets are plentiful, with tens of thousands of hectares of teak and other high-value hardwoods available for sustainable harvesting.

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