Africa

By Simon Yel Yel

Today the subject of my pen which Western sympathizers may call it vitriol is the inscrutable TROIKA. I have written before about it and I am still continuing until TRIOKA stop all its ill plans against South Sudan.

The self-anointed role that the United States, Norway and the United Kingdom have given themselves as “Masters of our destiny” and the way they had drafted the Compromised Peace Agreement are two reasons among several others that I have trouble in recognizing the TROIKA as a force for good in this ongoing crisis in South Sudan.

In my book, TROIKA is an Unholy Trinity working every second of a minute to topple Salva Kiir's regime under the pretext of bringing peace. There is no other hard evidence to proof it rather than the current an audio clip (in the custody of South Sudan's Military intelligence and others security organs) of TROIKA's recent meeting in Nairobi on 3rd January plotting the assassination strategy on how to kill Gen. Paul Malong.

As usual, the U.S. with its ungoverned mouth has chutzpah to impudently dismiss the existence of the assassination scheme and branded the gathered intelligence evidences as “reckless allegation.”

Indeed it is not a surprise to see United States denying this assassination plot because the fact is that the United States never ever accepted its involvement in all its sponsored assassination plots and coups though it is caught red-handed like in Cuba and Venezuela. The U.SA always has chutzpah to hypocritically dismiss everything and brand concrete evidences as “reckless allegations”

What is surprising so much is how they always crudely try to make everything suit their interest, calling the same thing black today and white tomorrow. They act as they want; here and there, plotting assassinations and overthrowing democratically elected governments and remain unchallenged. It is primitive and misanthropic.

The last time I checked in December 2016, the Washington has expelled thirty five (35) Russian diplomats based on reports of the CIA and other security organs which charged the diplomats of having influenced the election of Donald Trump; this month I checked, the Washington is branding the intelligence evidences gathered by South Sudan security organs on TROIKA's assassination plot to kill Gen. Malong as “reckless allegation.”

However, history is always the best guider of the future. And even any student of history or foreign policy be “C or D” can correctly testify that Washington has carried out many foreign regimes change through sponsored assassinations and coups and there is no doubt that the U.S is in a stern plot to assassinate Gen. Paul Malong and topple Kiir's government given the current auguries.

Understandably, the recent examination result in CIA's laboratory for foreign regimes change on how to topple Kiir has indicated that Gen. Malong is a great stumbling block for Kiir's downfall, and therefore his death is precondition to kiir's downfall. This result indubitably corresponds with the results that the CIA had once obtained when plotting to topple Allende in Chile in 1970.

In Chile, the Chilean Army Chief of General Staff Gen. Rene Schneider was seen as a greater barrier for military officers willing to accept the Washington's plan to overthrow Allende. In their quest to topple Allende's regime, Washington organized his successful assassination and Allende's regime was easily overthrown three years later.

Like Gen. Paul Malong, late Gen. Rene was a staunch constitutionalist. He was known of his doctrine called “Schneider Doctrine.”

In his doctrine, he enunciated that “the armed forces are not a road to political power nor an alternative to that power; they exist to guarantee the regular work of the political system and the use of forces for any purpose than the country's defense constitute high treason”

You can make plenty cheap connections between Gen. Paul Malong and late Gen. Rene Schneider. Both Generals can be defined by their firm constitutionalism stance whose beliefs of power belong to the people and the primary responsibility of the army is to protect the constitution, country and the citizens, suitably fit the demands of their people.

Before the election of Allende, the U.S. President Richard Nixon was worried that he may win the upcoming Presidential election given the position taken by the army to distance itself from politics. Imperially, Secretary Henry Kissinger had audacity to interfere in Chileans' affairs and brazenly say “I don't see why we need to stand by and watch a country go communist due to the irresponsibility of its people. The issues are much too important for the Chilean voters to be left to decide for themselves”

To Washington dismay, Chilean voters ignored Washington demonization of Allende and consequences of his election and overwhelmingly voted to elect him on September 4th 1970.

Before Allende could assume office, the United States again approached Gen. Rene to block him from taking office by organizing a military coup against Allende. But Gen. Rene rejected the idea and said “there are no options that would invite the armed forces to undo what the politicians had wrought in Chile; the only limitation is in the case that the state stopped acting within its own legality. In that case the armed forces have a higher loyalty to the people and are free to decide an abnormal situation beyond the framework of the law.”

The innocent Rene didn't know that his refusal to stage a military coup against Allende is an affront to the Washington and the price for it would be his own dear life. Exactly, in less than six months later, CIA and other two Chilean Army Commanders ganged up to plot his assassination and they succeeded in killing him.

As it was expected by the Washington, his successor Gen. Augusto Jose became a cheap simpleton and the Washington easily got ride on him and staged a coup against President Allende three years later.

To relate this case to the alleged assassination plot by TROIKA to kill Gen. Malong, it is incontrovertible truth that Gen. Malong doesn't has a lust for power to be the President through a military coup nor election and that is why the TRIOKA is planning to kill him with expectation that his successor will be like Augusto Jose to oust Kiir because the SPLA-IO (Riek faction) has spectacularly failed to do it.

Comparatively, Gen. Paul Malong shares the same constitutionalism stance with late Gen. Rene as he assured the public several times that he will never misuse SPLA to further his own interest, Washington, or whoever it is.

He is on records uttering that “The responsibility and duty of SPLA is to protect the sovereignty and integrity of South Sudan from external and internal aggression; protect the constitution and more importantly protect the lives and properties of all South Sudanese from harmful groups; Power is in the hands of the people and SPLA is determined to protect the Constitution from any danger and will never allow the transfer of power by bullet but only by ballot.”

In conclusion, the truth is that to anyone willing to think with noggin, this assassination plot by TROIKA is true and it is a last fraught plan for to achieve their desired goal of regime change after the salient failure of an imperialized Compromised Peace Agreement to achieve it. This plan is prompted by unexpected exit of Riek coupled with SPLA-IO maladroitness to overthrow Kiir and miraculous ascendance of Taban Deng uniting all the files and ranks of SPLA-IO under him. Because of these unfolded events, the TRIOKA has realized that their trap is almost missing the targeted catch and hence to salvage the desired goal of regime change from dying, they came up with this plan B of assassinating Gen. Malong with a hope that his successor will be of Gen. Augusto type to cooperate with them and overthrow Salva Kiir's government. Therefore, dismiss it at your own ignorant!

However, with the help of God, Gen. Malong will defy all their ill plans against him like the late Fidel Castro of Cuba and it will be wiser enough if TROIKA can go to Somalia, Libya, Iraq, and Yemen and wait there till Gen. Malong and Kiir die of Typhoid or Malaria.

Simon Yel Yel can be reached via maandeng2017@gmail.com

The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) today condemned the attack on its camp in the country’s restive northern region of Kidal, which left one ‘blue helmet’ dead and two others seriously wounded.

January 23, 2017 (KHARTOUM) -The United Arab Emirates has agreed to provide the Central Bank of Sudan (CBoS) with a $400 million deposit, announced the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) on Monday.

In a statement released on its website the ADFD said the deposit of AED1.47 billion aims to "secure increased liquidity and stimulate economic growth in Sudan"

The agreement was signed by ADFD Director General Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi and CBoS Governor Hazim Abdel-Gadir Ahmed Babiker.

Speaking at the signing ceremony Al-Suwaidi said UAE President Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan directed to offer this deposit "to enhance mutual collaboration and underpin the Sudanese government's efforts to overcome economic challenges."

For his part, Babiker expressed his deepest appreciation for the UAE's wise leadership and praised the people of the UAE for their unwavering support to the Sudanese.

The statement didn't indicate the duration of the deposit.

President Omer al-Bashir paid several visits to Abu Dhabi since last year, following Khartoum's decision to shift away from Teheran, in a bid to improve bilateral relations with oil rich country.

The Emirati deposit comes alongside Qatari and Saudi efforts to support the Sudanese economy hit by the American sanctions during the nearly past 20 years.

(ST)

January 23, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The visiting British Special Representative for Sudan and South Sudan Christopher Trott Monday discussed with the Sudanese Presidential Assistant Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamid peace process humanitarian situation in the country.

The visit comes a week after Trott's participation in a meeting with the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) in Paris with U.S., French and Norwegian envoys in a bid to persuade the rebels to accept an American proposal on the humanitarian access.

In remarks to the press following the meeting, Trott said the meeting discussed the recent developments in the country and way to achieve peace and deliver humanitarian assistance to the civilians in the war affected areas.

He further called for a comprehensive process including all the Sudanese.

"I discussed with Ibrahim Mahmoud the future of the political process, and we discussed on the composition of the new government and the necessity that the peaceful and political process should be inclusive of all Sudanese," he said.

Trott met with the Sudanese Human Rights Commissioner, and reiterated UK" engagement on these issues is a key element of our strategic dialogue".

In his page on Twitter, the British special envoy said during his visit to Sudan he would talk "about our support for AUHIP led Peace process, political dialogue and impact of lifting of sanctions".

Also following a meeting with the Sudanese Investment Minister Osama Faisal he twitted they discussed how to make it easier to do business in Sudan and how UK can help.

As part of its new economic strategy after the Brexit, London seeks to revive its economic relations with its former colonies in Africa and Asia and develop new markets there.

Trott was in Khartoum for the first time last September one month after his appointment.

Earlier this month, the Permanent Under-Secretary at the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Sir Simon McDonald, paid a three-day visit to Sudan where he held talks with Sudanese officials on bilateral relations and was also in South Darfur state to visit development projects funded by his government.

(ST)

January 23, 2017 (JUBA) - Hundreds of small businesses have closed in South Sudan over the last year due to hyper-inflation and failure by the local population to earn any meaningful income.

Women sell food at Konyo Konyo market in South Sudan (Reuters)

Shops, restaurants, lodges and transport businesses owned by foreigners were affected, citizens say.

One Hassan, a Kenyan-Somali, who owned a shop in Gumbo, a Juba suburb, has a dozen stocks.

"I am planning to close this shop by the end of this month and go back to Kenya," said Hassan.

"There were many shops here ran by Kenyans and other foreigners but they have gone back to their countries because there is no profit here now," he added.

Nearly all markets goods in Juba and other South Sudanese towns are imported from neighboring countries and that requires United States dollars to purchase.

"Right now, the value of SSP [South Sudanese Pound] is not stable. It keeps changing, losing value against the U.S dollar," said James Obari, Ugandan trader dealing in food items imports.

Obari, however, said the Ugandan Shillings had strengthened against the South Sudanese Pounds (SSP), hence frustrating any prospects of exporting from South Sudan's southern bordering country.

"In fact, selling my food items within Uganda is now much better than crossing over to South Sudan. It is waste of time and a financial loss," he added.

Like Kenyans, several Ugandan businessmen left the country and never returned, Obari said.

"I don't want close my shop but I will be left with little choice if the economic situation does not import," he added.

Since exchange rate for dollar was floated against SSP in 2015, the local currency has left 80% of its value and inflation stroke 800% in October. The government promised many items to address the crisis but little has changed.

Last week, President Salva Kiir fired the Central Bank governor and his deputy and made changes in the ministry of finance in an effort, economists said, aimed at making shake up in financial institutions.

Experts, however, called for more action, including independence of the country's Central Bank to ensure none interference from politicians.

"South Sudan needs an institutional reform – independent, accountable and transparent central bank. Otherwise, recent changes in Central Bank can be analogistic," economist Garang Atem wrote last week.

Atem said government should not use the Central bank as a tool for money withdrawn at will, but "as an institution charge to pursue a long term macroeconomic stability, when used in short-term political machination, a result is hyperinflation."

(ST)

January 23, 2017 (JUBA) – A South Sudanese civil society activist has been announced as 2017 winner of the prestigious Civil Rights Defenders award.

South Sudanese civil society activist Edmund Yakani (The Niles/File)

Edmund Yakani, the executive director of Community Empowerment for Progress Organisation (CEPO) was reportedly recognized for continuously striving for accountability, justice and respect for human rights in a context of conflict, violence and severe human rights violations, despite risks to his own security.

The annual prize is awarded a person who, despite risking his or her own safety, continues working to ensure that other people's civil and political rights are recognised and protected.

“Edmund Yakani has, on a countless number of occasions, demonstrated his commitment in promoting genuine dialogue and efforts among social and political actors. He is active in calling for a greater inclusion of civil society in the peace talks”, Robert Hårdh, the executive director of Civil Rights Defenders, said in a statement.

He added, “His contribution in promoting human rights and its defenders has been of paramount importance, in particular as he is working in the context of weak institutions and ongoing conflict”.

The South Sudanese activist has, on several occasions, demonstrated his commitment to defend and promote human rights, democratic transition and justice in the young nation.

He particularly stands out in his effort to ensure respect for rule of law and justice, and inclusion of civil society in the ongoing peace talks.

“For me, this award symbolises motivation and recognition of the efforts and hard work to protect human rights defenders in South Sudan. This is a call for more efforts to engage in further protection for human rights defenders and their families”, said Yakani.

South Sudan, the youngest country in the world, gained its independence as recent as in July 2011. By many social, economic and political standards, the country is among the poorest in the world. Respect for civil and political rights has never been established to the level its citizens wished for at independence.

The situation for human rights, however, worsened following the outbreak of inter-ethnic and armed conflicts in 2013. Since then, human rights defenders and outspoken critics have been increasingly targeted by the government, security forces and other armed actors and Yakani received several threats due to his work.

“State authorities see human rights work as part of a politically motivated agenda against them, and hence human rights defenders are seen as enemies of the state. In addition, the rule of law is compromised to the level that impunity has become a norm in the South Sudanese society”, explained the South Sudanese activist.

But despite facing these enormous challenges and risks, Yakani stands his ground, continuing to promote and ensure respect for human rights.

Meanwhile last year's recipient of the prize was Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, the Coordinator for the Vietnamese Bloggers Network who is well known for her use of social media to speak out against injustices and human rights abuses in Vietnam.

(ST)

January 23, 2017 (JUBA) – The South Sudanese president, Salva Kiir has directed state governors to lead the national dialogue process in their respective areas for the war to end so that people can live normal lives and the allow the nation to rebuild.

South Sudanese president Salva Kiir (AFP)

The new directive comes more than a month after the president launched a national dialogue that encompasses all the rival political parties and groups in South Sudan.

The dialogue, according to the president, should be led by eminent statesmen that are "trusted, genuine and credible."

“As you [governors] go to your areas, you have a very important task to do. You need to lead this dialogue process. The national dialogue which we have launched is the only way to stop this suffering,” the South Sudan leader said after the newly-appointed governors were sworn-in.

He added, “We need everybody to participate in this [national dialogue] process and it should be from the lower level. We don't need to start here. This war puts many innocent lives in grave jeopardy”.

The dialogue process, the president stressed, would be inclusive for the world's youngest nation to end its war.

“If we want to get out of the crisis, there should be no exception to any means that could help us. Everybody should be given the opportunity to participate in the process. This is why I made it open for people living outside to be able to participate in the process”, he added.

According to the South Sudanese leader, the committee for the national dialogue will work with independent experts from Juba-based think tanks such as the Ebony Center, Sudd Institute and Centre for Peace and Development.

The dialogue process will reportedly have a bottom-top approach with the first phase being "grass-roots consultation" to map out grievances unique to each community and the region, the second one will converge regional peace conferences while the final phase will lead to convergence in Juba for the national conference.

"The National Conference shall tackle remaining issues that are not addressed in the sub-national processes, which would have direct bearing on national cohesion," Kiir said, in what has been described by experts as his first detailed plans to address issues in a tribally divided, war torn country.

Over the years, Kiir said, experiences had shown that South Sudanese can dialogue, citing his previous disagreement with the late John Garang in 2004, return of Riek Machar to ruling party (SPLM) in 2002, the SPLM convention of 1994 and Dinka and Nuer communities' conference of 1999 as evidences that locally-led peace initiatives work.

President Kiir called for help from the international community and warned citizens against hate speeches targeting Americans and the United Nations.

(ST)

January 23, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese President Omer Hassan al-Bashir on Monday has discussed with the Saudi King, Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud bilateral relations between the two countries besides latest developments in the region.

Sudan's official news agency SUNA said that Al-Bashir has arrived in Riyadh on Monday in an official visit but didn't specify the duration of his stay, pointing he was received at the airport by Emir of Riyadh Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdul Aziz.

Following the meeting between President al-Bashir and King Salman, the two sides signed a Saudi grant framework agreement to fund a rural water project in Sudan.

The agreement was signed by the Managing Director of the Saudi Development Fund Youssef bin Ibrahim Al Bassam from the Saudi side and the Minister of State and Director of the Office of the President Taha Osman from the Sudanese side.

Media reports in Saudi Arabia on Sunday said al-Bashir's visit is the tenth of its kind during two years, pointing it comes just days after the U.S. decision to ease economic sanctions imposed on Sudan that was brokered by Saudi Arabia.

Sudan's foreign relations have witnessed a remarkable shift since fall 2015 particularly in its rapprochement with the Arab Gulf states following years of chilly ties.

The east African nation participates with over 850 troops in the Saudi-led "Decisive Storm" against the Iranian-allied Houthi militants in Yemen.

The Sudanese military participation in the military campaign in Yemen and the Islamic alliance reconciled Bashir's regime with the Saudi government, and marked the divorce with Iran.

(ST)

January 23, 2017 (DOHA) - Sudan's government and rebel Sudan Liberation Movement (Second Revolution) SLM-SR chaired by Abul Gasim Imam Monday have signed a peace agreement in the Qatari capital, Doha on the bases of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD).

Qatar brokered the Darfur peace negotiations which resulted in the signing of the DDPD by the Sudanese government and the Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM) in July 2011. However, the major rebel groups didn't join the deal.

The signing ceremony was attended by the Sudanese presidential assistant Musa Mohamed Ahmed, Qatari Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad bin Abdullah Al Mahmoud and the Joint Special Representative and head of hybrid peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID) Jeremiah Nyamane Kingsley Mamabolo.

Following the signing of the peace agreement, Al Mahmoud said the DDPD has “crowned efforts of all partners keen to achieve interests of the people in the region and laid the necessary foundations to resolve the conflict”.

He added the DDPD has also opened a wide door for implementing reconstruction and development projects, saying the SLM-SR has followed the lead of LJM and the JEM-Bashar by joining the document.

Al Mahomud further pointed the agreement was initialed in N'djamena following efforts made by the Chadian officials, describing the DDPD as general framework for peace.

“As such, the [DDPD] can't be renegotiated because opening it [for negotiations] denies rights of Darfur people, [Sudanese] government and the [armed] movements that joined peace on the bases of the document. The alternative [to the DDPD] is chaos,” he said.

He stressed the importance of creating favorable conditions for the voluntary return of IDPs to their original villages in light of the availability of basic components for a decent life.

“We must continue to implement development projects adopted by the International Donors Conference held in Doha,” he said.

The Qatari official urged donors to meet their pledges, calling for the need to search for new development partners to empower Darfur people who will bear the burden of reconstruction and development in the coming years.

For his part, SLM-SR chairman Abul Gasim Imam has described the signing of the peace agreement as “victory for the will of peace over the war agenda”, pointing to the adverse impact of war on the residents and development efforts.

He said they would join efforts with other signatories of the DDPD to implement the document fully, urging Qatar and donors to continue their efforts to implement development projects in Darfur.

Imam further called on holdout movements to join the peace process.

It is noteworthy that Imam has split from the SLM led by Abdel-Wahid al-Nour in 2007 and signed Abuja peace agreement with the Sudanese government. However, he rejoined the rebellion in 2010 accusing the government of dishonoring the deal.

Three rebel movements including SLM-MM led by Minnawi Minnawi, Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) led by Gibril Ibrahim and SLM-AW led by Abdel-Wahid al-Nour didn't join the DDPD.

JEM and SLM-MM, who have engaged in peace talks with the Sudanese government under the auspices of the African Union, call for opening the document for negotiations, saying some issues were ignored or not fairly treated, but Khartoum rejects such request.

SLM-AW, however, is not part of the African Union mediated peace talks. The rebel group rejects negotiating a peace agreement with Khartoum government, unless the government militias are disarmed and displaced civilians return to their original areas.

UN agencies estimate that over 300,000 people were killed in Darfur conflict since 2003, and over 2.5 million were displaced.

(ST)

January 23, 2017 (JUBA) - South Sudanese government under President Salva Kiir announced on Monday it was longer hosting Sudanese rebels in its territory, disclosing that a joint force will be deployed soon.

Sudanese military personnel inspect the belongings of South Sudanese on the Sudanese border on 18 April 2014 (Photo: Reuters/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah)

Presidential advisor on security affairs told Sudan Tribune on Monday that there were no longer Sudanese rebels in the country after the two countries have agreed to improve ties

“There is no problem anymore with Sudan. The issue of security along the common border has been addressed. There will be a joint monitoring and verification team”, said Tut Kew Gatluak.

In accordance with the 2012 security arrangements agreement the parties committed themselves to deploy the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mission (JBVMM) and activate the Safe Demilitarized Border Zone (SDBZ).

Accordingly, the parties deployed the joint units but Juba suspended its participation in November 2011 when the South Sudanese government rejected the administrative and security map presented by the AUHIP.

The proposed map included the disputed 14 mile area in the buffer zone, the Malual Dinka of Northern Bahr el Ghazal and the then State Governor Paul Malong Awan refused the measure as they refuse even to accept Sudan's claim on the area and its inclusion among the disputed areas.

Unconfirmed reports says Juba and Khartoum discussed the situation of 14 Miles during the joint security discussions but nothing filtered about the agreement reached on this respect.

The presidential aide said the decision of the leadership of the two countries would do the best to promote peace and encourage any group with political grievances to use dialogue.

“South Sudan will never be a launching ground for hostile activities against any nation in the region. We will never be a host to hostile group. Political differences are always resolved through dialogues rather than through the use of violence approach”, he explained.

The two countries, he said, have agreed to not provide arms and training to non-state proxy groups.

(ST)

Households without mains electricity in rural areas of Kenya can now receive solar-powered satellite TV.

Spotlighting the desperate plight of millions in Africa’s Lake Chad basin, the top United Nations humanitarian official for the Sahel region called today for international solidarity with the people in urgent need.

Gambians have celebrated the end of Yahya Jammeh's 22-year rule but things are unlikely to change fast.

Nearly three years after Ebola hit Sierra Leone, millions of dollars in funds raised to fight the deadly virus have still not been accounted for.

The former Gambian president is not the first departing leader to be accused of looting his country's coffers.

By Rashid Abdi

Sudan and South Sudan's relationship is of vital importance to resolving conflicts in both countries. Khartoum, and other countries in the region, clearly benefit from a stable South Sudan.

Once-fraught relations between the two countries have improved in recent years, helped by substantive discussions over shared interests, including oil exports, support for armed groups, and border security. Khartoum should now use its influence in Juba to seek better regional cooperation and a peaceful resolution of internal and cross-border conflicts.

A more sophisticated Sudanese approach that ensures southern armed groups are part of a more inclusive, and thereby stable, government in Juba, is in Khartoum's own best interests. A constructive Khartoum-Juba relationship is likely to be significant, for instance, in the U.S. government's mid-2017 assessment of its recent decision to ease sanctions on Sudan.

Do not support South Sudanese armed groups

There is currently fighting in several parts of South Sudan, a disaster for those in the affected areas. But violence is not on the scale of the 2013-15 civil war, and is unlikely to escalate dramatically, partly thanks to Khartoum's refusal to support rebel groups.

When the former First Vice President of South Sudan, Riek Machar, arrived in Khartoum after fleeing fighting in Juba in July 2016, the Sudanese government severely restricted his capacity to re-start his rebellion. He then left for South Africa, and was subsequently denied re-entry to Sudan in November 2016; he was eventually obliged to return to South Africa.

Khartoum's actions are central to determining whether South Sudan moves towards sustainable peace or falls back into a complex and multi-layered conflict Ending armed rebellion in South Sudan is the primary responsibility of South Sudan's transitional government who must reach out to armed groups to make peace. Yet violence in South Sudan is most deadly and protracted when warring parties receive support from neighbouring states.

Khartoum should continue resisting requests from South Sudanese opposition leaders to arm or provide other forms of support to rebel fighters.

Political rather than military support

Sudan can go further by using its influence with Juba to implement relevant parts of the Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (ARCSS), to which Sudan was a signatory and guarantor in August 2015. Sudan should also work with other Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD, a regional body) member states – notably Uganda, Ethiopia and Kenya – to support Juba's commitment to conduct a national dialogue with opposition political parties and armed groups.

Sudan's visible engagement with these processes is critical to overcoming the trust deficit between Juba and armed groups.

As well as supporting peace in South Sudan, Khartoum should accept that there is no military solution to its own domestic conflicts in in the Two Areas (South Kordofan and Blue Nile states) and Darfur. These conflicts have cost billions of dollars and Sudan should seek a sustainable political resolution, supported by regional actors, including Uganda.

For recently improved relations between Khartoum, Juba and Kampala to translate into real regional harmony, Sudan should honour its commitment to a Cessation of Hostilities in both Darfur and the Two Areas and reconvene negotiations on humanitarian access to South Kordofan and Blue Nile states.

To help peace take hold in frontier areas, Sudan should also consider innovative approaches to border security that are based on the complex realities of armed groups and ethnic communities in both countries. Leaders are drawing from examples such as the 2010 agreement between Chad and Sudan which halted support for one another's rebels.

Without such measures, improved relations with Juba will not be sufficient to resolve Sudan's own internal conflicts, which have domestic drivers, require their own political solution, and are not simply the expression of a Sudanese proxy war with South Sudan.

The benefits of better relations with Juba

Overall, Sudan can benefit from improved relations with Juba in three ways.

First, by agreeing that it will not support South Sudanese rebel groups, it can continue to demand that Juba, in turn, deny support to Sudanese rebels in the Two Areas and Darfur.

Secondly, improved relations will bring much needed economic benefits. December's three-year oil deal profits both sides and improves the terms of South Sudan's transit fee regime. Production is also re-starting in Unity state which will increase exports. The new index-linked arrangement means that fees will reflect global oil prices, rather than simply being a fixed rate which, at a time of low prices and conflict-suppressed production, contributed to South Sudan's economic challenges.

Khartoum should understand that the oil agreement, together with support for security arrangements in South Sudan's Unity state that favour stability, ties both countries more closely in a regime of economic interdependence - to their mutual benefit. This makes it less likely that conflict will break out again along the shared border.

Third, the conflict in South Sudan is a major preoccupation for the international community. Continuing to play a constructive role in its resolution and preventing further escalation, coupled with renewed efforts to resolve its own internal conflicts peacefully, will help Khartoum lock in its improving relations with the U.S. and the European Union. This will increase the chances for complete sanctions removal and debt relief.

Diplomacy, not destabilisation, is Sudan's winning strategy in South Sudan.

Rashid Abdi is Horn of Africa Project Director at International Crisis Group, the independent conflict prevention organisation.

January 22, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - President Omer al-Bashir Sunday said Sudan is looking forward to working with President Donald Trump's administration for the development of relations between the two countries.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump gives the thumbs up (AFP Photo)

A week before to leave the White House former President Barak Obama partially removed economic sanctions on Sudan, allowing the east African nation to perform financial transactions after nearly 20 years. However, the decision will be fully effective within six months as the final decision will be in the hands of Trump administration.

"We look forward that the U.S. decision to lift the economic embargo be the door to the development of bilateral relations in all fields under the administration of President Donald Trump, to serve (bilateral) interests and enhance international peace and security."

Al-Bashir who was speaking at the opening of the new headquarters of the High Security Academy in Khartoum, also pointed to the efforts exerted by Sudanese political, security, economic, and diplomatic sectors to ensure the lifting of embargo.

He also reiterated that his government would cooperate with the new American administration to strengthen international peace and security.

In an interview with the UAE-based Al Khaleej newspaper on 29 november, al-Bashir said he is “convinced that dealing with President-elect Donald Trump will be a lot easier than dealing with others, because he is a straightforward person”.

“He [Trump] focuses on the interests of the American citizen unlike those who used to speak about transparency, democracy and human rights. He is a businessman who seeks to achieve interests and it would be easy to deal with him,” al-Bashir said.

Washington imposed economic and trade sanctions on Sudan in 1997 in response to its alleged connection to terror networks and human rights abuses. In 2006 it strengthened the embargo, citing abuses in Darfur which it labelled as genocide.

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January 22, 2017 (EL-FASHER) - Dozens of former local staff of the hybrid peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID) Sunday have protested in front of the mission's premises in North Darfur capital, El-Faher for non-payment of financial dues.

Chairman of the Dismissed Staff Committee, Hafiz Abiad, told Sudan Tribune that the former workers protested peacefully to force the mission to acknowledge their rights, saying the security services asked them to leave the mission's premises and meet the head of the security committee in North Darfur state.

He stressed they would continue to hold peaceful protests until they receive their rights, saying the deputy governor and head of the security committee vowed to meet them on Tuesday to resolve the issue.

Last December, 263 former UNAMID workers protested in front of the mission's premises in four capitals in Darfur for non-payment of financial dues owed to them since 2010.

At the time, UNAMID issued a statement expressing serious concern over the protests by some of its former staff members saying they are “not peaceful in nature” and are “based on unfounded accusations and demand for payments that are not in line with the rules and regulations of the United Nations”.

The mission stressed that “all national staff that separated from the Organisation on 31 December 2015 have received all benefits owed to them for the period of their service with UNAMID, except for a relatively small group whose pension entitlements are being processed”.

“UNAMID is working closely with the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund, the body solely responsible for administering pension benefits, to finalize this category of payments” added the statement.

It is noteworthy that the former staff members protested seven times during 2016 in four Darfur states to demand overtime pay.

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.

(ST)

January 22, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) Sunday said it has no fighters harboured in the neighbouring South Sudan, pointing that its forces are in control of vast areas inside the Sudan.

A SPLA-N rebel soldier, in South Kordofan (AFP)

South Sudanese Defence Minister Kuol Manyang Juuk disclosed that an African Union team would come to verify that his country is free of SPLM-N combatants, pointing that the latter moved its fighters from Raja, areas in Western Bahr El Ghazal province.

It was the first time that a South Sudanese official mentions the presence of SPLM-N rebels in the neighbouring country. The Sudanese army in the past years carried out air attacks on the area and accused Juba of harbouring Darfurian rebels.

SPLM-N negotiating team spokesperson Mubarak Ardol dismissed any presence of his group in the South Sudanese territory saying "The Movement has no presence at all in the territory of the Republic of South Sudan."

"The SPLM-N controls a liberated territory larger than Belgium and other countries in the heart of Sudan," he said pointing that this territory is inhabited by more than a million civilians. He added that their forces are at five kilometres from Kadugli the capital of South Kordofan State, and 24 km from the capital of the Blue Nile State El-Damazin.

In line with the peace agreement signed by the South Sudanese political forces in August 2015, the warring parties committed themselves to disarm, demobilize and repatriate the Sudanese rebel groups from the country.

In the past, UN and SPLM-IO rebels pointed to the participation of some Sudanese rebel groups from Darfur region in the fighting alongside the forces loyal to President Salva Kiir.

(ST)

January 22, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The rebel umbrella Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF)- Agar faction Sunday has renewed confidence in Malik Agar as its chairman and head of the Leadership Council.

Sudan Revolutionary Front leader, Malik Agar, July 2011 (Reuters)

SRF is a coalition established in 2011 between rebel groups in Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile including the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), Sudan Liberation Movement/SLM-AW led by Abdel-Wahid al-Nour and Sudan Liberation Movement/SLM-MM led by Minni Minnawi and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/North (SPLM-N).

Divergences appeared within the SRF groups in October 2015 when the three groups from Darfur region, JEM, SLM-AW and SLM-MM, issued a statement announcing the appointment of the leader of JEM, Gibril Ibrahim, as chairman of the rebel umbrella.

Since, the SRF has practically split into two factions, one headed by the leader of the Sudan People's Liberation movement/North (SPLM-N) Malik Agar and the second by Gibril Ibrahim.

In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune Sunday, leadership Council of the SRF-Agar said it has appointed Nasr al-Din al-Hadi as Deputy Chairman, Zeinab Kabashi as Secretary General and Osama Said as Spokesperson.

The statement underscored commitment to overthrow the regime and establish the state of equal citizenship and democracy, calling for the need to strengthen contacts with opposition forces and alliances to establish a unified opposition center.

It also underlined commitment to stop the war and deliver humanitarian assistance to the needy population in the war-affected areas as priorities and in accordance with the international humanitarian law.

The statement further pointed that the Leadership Council has received a number of requests from political forces demanding to join the SRF, saying it welcomes these opposition forces as part of the alliance.

(ST)