Africa

Taking note of the wrap-up of the African-Union mediated national dialogue in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today urged the Government to remain actively engage with all political stakeholders, and called on political actors not involved in the talks to resolve their difference peacefully.

When a 62-year-old Swedish woman was scammed into paying a 24-year-old Nigerian, she took an unexpected turn by going out and visiting him, writes Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani.

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has partnered with the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) to generate job and business opportunities for young people in rural Benin, Cameroon, Malawi, and Niger, thanks to a $4 million grant from the Africa Solidarity Trust Fund.

After more than two years of being held hostage by Boko Haram, in northeast Nigeria, Chibok girls have finally been reunited with their families, however, their return emphasizes the necessity of urgent and intensive psychosocial care, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

There is a need to reforest Africa’s highest mountain to help protect vital water supplies that are under threat across large parts of East Africa, a UN Environment report urged today.

All of Ghana's five boxing world champions come from the Accra suburb of Bukom.

In the 1950s, Mau Mau troops in Kenya fought for independence from Britain. Gitu wa Kahengeri is a Mau Mau war veteran.

Somalis were promised that 2016 would see the country's first democratic poll in nearly 50 years, but the reality is much more complicated.

The white beaches of Zanzibar’s coast are home to the octopus hunters, in search of the delicacy.

United Nations human rights experts have welcomed the release of 21 Chibok school girls from Boko Haram and called upon Nigerians – particularly their families and local communities – to support their immediate reintegration and rehabilitation.

Millions of children across Africa suffer from malnutrition - one way to tackle this is a special type of sweet potato that can deliver an extra vitamin hit which is being developed in Uganda, writes the BBC's Nancy Kacungira.

Reports re-emerge that Angola has become the first country in the world to ban Islam. Only they were never true in the first place, writes Clare Spencer.

The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Central African Republic (MINUSCA) today strongly condemned repeated assaults against its peacekeepers, in the wake of two attacks over the past five days.

Ethiopia's government has issued a list of the restrictions under the six-month state of emergency that was announced last week.

October 16, 2016 (YAMBIO) – The governor of Gbudue, one of South Sudan's new states returned to the capital, Yambio Sunday, ending the widespread speculation that he had been detained in the country's capital, Juba.

Gbudue state governor Patrick Zamoi speaking to journalists at in Nzara airstrip March 4, 2016 (ST)

He was away from Yambio for nearly three months.

Governor Patrick Raphael Zamoi, however, told reporters on arrival that he was in Juba to meet investors on investment deals.

“I went to Juba to meet the national government and ambassadors to discuss with them on how they could come to Gbudue state to embark on developmental activities after conflict,” he explained.

The governor said he met investors from the United States and China who expressed willingness to invest in his state, stressing that such initiatives would benefit Gbudue states after months of instability.

Zamoi also dismissed reports that he had been detained in the South Sudan capital.

He said commanders of South Sudan National Liberation Movement (SSNLM), who signed peace agreement with government in April this year, were due to meet the president in coming days amid plans to integrate them in the organised forces.

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October 17, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's opposition National Consensus Forces (NCF) has considered that the national dialogue outcomes are just part of “conspiracies” hatched by the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) to buy time and polish its international image, stressing that these outcomes mean nothing.

In press statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Sunday, the left opposition alliance NCF said that the internal and external dialogues will be hindered by the mentality of the ruling party which used to thwart the signed agreements and understandings, adding its number has exceeded 40 agreements so far.

"For the Ingaz regime, these agreements mean only to offer jobs for the others to work as employees in its government," partly reads the statement.

The opposition group reiterated that Sudanese crisis will not be solved unless the regime is toppled, stressing it is the only way to achieve a comprehensive political solution to maintain the national unity and to reach peace and democracy.

The NCF rejects to participate in the African Union mediated process for peace and democratic reforms asking that the ruling National Congress Party should end war, open humanitarian access, release political prisoners and ensure freedoms.

During the past months, the alliance suspended some political groups that accepted to participate in an African Union brokered meeting in Addis Ababa with the government and its partners in the internal dialogue.

The statement pointed to the recommendations of the internal dialogue conference particularly the proposed post of prime minister who would implement the political reforms, saying he would be appointed by the president and also will be accountable before him.

The national dialogue's outcomes have been designed mainly to extend the regime's life and empower the president, who will also appoint the chief justice and security apparatus would be attached to the presidency, further said the statement.

The opposition alliance further said that the outcome of the dialogue conference does not affect the basic structures of the regime and does not bring any change to the economic and social policies of the regime.

The Sudanese warring parties in the Two Areas and Darfur signed the Roadmap Agreement proposed by the African Union mediation led by the former African Union President Thabo Mbeki in March and August.

However, the two sides failed to sign a cessation of hostilities and humanitarian access agreement. The two deals, if signed would be followed by a meeting on the confidence building measures that should create a conducive agreement for an inclusive constitutional conference.

The armed and political opposition groups propose that the internal dialogue conference be considered as the first phase, but President al-Bashir vowed to wage war on the rebel groups and to involve only those who accept the resolutions of Khartoum conference.

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October 16, 2016 (KHARTOUM). Sudan's President Omer Al-Bashir will visit Russia in the coming two months to discuss mutual cooperation, according to the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

On Sunday, Sudan's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ibrahim Ghanodur said that al-Bashir will visit Russia before the end of this year to discuss bilateral relations and coordination in international forums.

In press statements after a meeting with the First Vice President Bakri Hassan Salih, Ghanodur said that he met his Russian counterpart on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York last September and discussed with him mutual relations and issues of joint interests.

Last Tuesday, Russian Special Presidential Envoy for the Middle East and Africa and Deputy Foreign Minister, Mikhail Bogdanov met senior Sudanese officials in Khartoum including President al-Bashir. He discussed Sudan's political, and economic developments in Sudan.

Also, last Thursday, Sudan and Russia signed several agreements to develop mining sector in Sudan after three days of consultations.

In a separate development, The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Morocco's King Mohammed VI has invited al-Bashir to attend the climate summit that will be held in Marrakech next November.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued two arrest warrants against President al-Bashir in 2009 and 2010 for alleged war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide committed in Darfur.

However, he has continued to travel freely in Africa, Arab countries and Asia, defying the ICC arrest warrants. Last year he visited India and China.

The official Sudan News Agency pointed that Ghandour also briefed the first vice president on the diplomatic efforts exerted by his ministry to response to Amnesty International's claims on the use of chemical weapons in Darfur.

In September, the human rights group said that it has gathered "horrific evidence of the repeated use of what are believed to be chemical weapons against civilians, including very young children, by Sudanese government forces in one of the most remote regions of Darfur over the past eight months".

According to the report, between 200 and 250 people (including many children) probably died due to exposure to the chemical weapons.

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October 16, 2016 (MALAKAL) – Intense fighting between South Sudan's rival factions around the Upper Nile state capital, claimed about 56 lives, the army spokesperson, Lul Ruai Koang said Sunday.

SPLA soldiers sit at the back of a pick-up truck in Malakal, Upper Nile state January 12, 2014. (Photo Reuters/Andreea Campeanu)

The clashes, he said, occurred over the weekend as the armed opposition forces attempted to gain control of the strategic town.

Koang claimed a separate rebel attack on a government post was successfully thwarted by pro-government forces in Malakal Friday.

"Our forces were able to successfully drive them back with heavy casualties. Over 56 rebels were killed," he told Reuters.

The official rebel spokesperson was not immediately available for a comment.

South Sudan's rival factions traded accusations over clashes in their respective positions, raising doubts on the implementation of last year's peace agreement, which ended over 20 months of conflict.

The rebels, in a statement, claimed their position in the west bank of Malakal was attacked at about 6:00pm by pro-government forces.

“Today evening at 6pm, our military positions near Wajwok and Lalo villages had been attacked by SPLA forces stationed in respective locations mentioned and heavy fighting is going on right now”, said Brig. Gen. Nyagwal Ajak Dengkak in a statement.

He blamed the attack on government forces, further claiming that pro-government forces had deployed helicopter gunships to Malakal town with the view to reinforce ground forces with air cover should their forces attempt to move on the oil-rich town.

Sudan Tribune was unable to independently verify the rebel's claims.

South Sudan descended into war in December 2013 after President Salva Kiir accused his former deputy Riek Machar of a coup attempt. Tens of thousands of people have died and millions have displaced in the country's worst-ever violence.

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October 16, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's police on Sunday said it has reached a joint understanding with the German police on ways to combat illegal migration and human trafficking.

In a press statement extended to Sudan Tribune, the Director General of Sudan's Police Lieu. Gen. Hashim Osman al-Hussein, said a delegation from the Sudanese Ministry of Interior has concluded a visit to Berlin on Saturday where it held talks with the German police on transfer of crime-fighting technology and illegal migration.

He added the delegation also discussed ways to promote cooperation between Sudan's police and German federal police in the various fields, pointing that cooperative ties between the two sides were old but have been severed during the eighties due to political reason.

Al-Hussein pointed to the professional nature of the talks, saying “crime has nothing to do with politics and we need to coordinate at the regional and international levels because we are all affiliated with the Interpol”.

He added the two sides discussed ways to provide technical, logistical and training support to Sudan's police to fight against illegal migration and human trafficking to Europe, saying the director of Germany's federal police has accepted their invitation to visit Khartoum for further talks on the issue.

Last August, senior Sudanese security officials said that Khartoum is carrying the burden of fighting illegal migration on behalf of Europe and pointed to significant difficulties that obstruct efforts to combat human trafficking.

It is worth to mentions that Sudan has forged a strategic partnership with several European countries and the European Union (EU) to combat illegal migration and human trafficking.

Sudan has been under EU sanctions since the 1989 coup d'état and didn't receive any development aid from Europe.

However, the European body reconsidered its position following the weaves of illegal migrants from Syria, Iraq, and Horn of Africa countries. Sudan is identified as a source of migrants to Europe and a transit country for migrants from Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia.

Last April the EU officially allocated Sudan €100 million to improve the living conditions for refugees, help Sudanese returnees to reintegrate back into society, and to improve security at the border.

In addition to this support, Sudan benefits from additional funding under the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa, in particular from a €40 million programme to better manage migration in the region.

Also, the German government has earmarked €12 million for projects aimed at stemming illegal immigration of Africans across Sudan to Europe.

In January 2014, the Sudanese parliament approved an anti-human trafficking law which punishes those involved with human trafficking with up to 20 years imprisonment.

Also, in 2014, Khartoum hosted a conference on human trafficking in the Horn of Africa, organised by the African Union (AU), the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Sudanese government.

Fifteen countries and EU representatives attended the meeting, during which a joint strategy and action plan to combat human trafficking was adopted.

Last June, a joint operation among Sudan, Italy and the United Kingdom has led to the arrest of an Eritrean man suspected of controlling one of the world's four largest criminal migrant trafficking organizations.

PRODUCTION OF IDENTITY DOCUMENTS

Meanwhile, Al-Hussein said Sudan's police have agreed with a group of German companies on ways to localize production of the identity and migration documents in Sudan, pointing to cooperation between the two sides in the fields of traffic police, criminal work and administration.

He said the German side promised to provide Sudan's police with advanced crime-detection equipments and training opportunities.

For his part, the head of Sudan's diplomatic mission in Germany Badr al-Din Abdalla said the delegation discussed the transfer of technology needed to issue official document, pointing that cooperation between Sudan and German companies in this field has begun since 10 years ago.

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October 15, 2016 (JUBA) – The U.S said the military support recently pledged by President Barack Obama for South Sudan will be directed to the body monitoring the permanent ceasefire, not the country's national army.

A U.S. Special Forces trainer conducts a military assault drill for a unit within the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) during an exercise in Nzara on the outskirts of Yambio November 29, 2013. (Reuters/Andreea Campeanu Photo)

"This waiver was necessary to ensure the U.S. government can continue to provide financial assistance to support implementation of the peace agreement, especially to the body known as the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Monitoring Mechanism (CTSAMM), which is charged with monitoring ceasefire violations," the U.S embassy in Juba said in a statement extended issued last Friday.

The waiver was wrongly understood to translate to military training for SPLA, the South Sudan army. Washington, however, said the "waiver does not indicate" assistance to Juba. Americans provided military advise to the SPLA between 2006 and 2013 but halted the assistance when fighting broke out and the army split between loyalists of President Kiir and former Vice President Riek Machar.

The embassy said the U.S would not extend any help to the fledging army before some provisions are met by Juba. Currently, the embassy stressed, there is no legal basis for South Sudan military to benefit from American resources.

The U.S urge the young nation to end hostilities and pursue good faith negotiations for a political settlement of the current conflict; provide access for humanitarian organizations; end the recruitment and use of child soldiers; protect freedoms of expression, association, and assembly.

It also said Juba must reduce corruption related to the extraction and sale of oil and gas and establish democratic institutions, including accountable military and policy forces under civilian authority as conditions to widen opportunities to access Washington financial and advisory support.

"The United States continues to urge South Sudan to take these steps which we believe would substantially contribute to stabilization and development," the stressed.

As South Sudan's largest donor, the Washington played a leading role in the process that led to the country's independence from neighbouring Sudan in July 2011.

(ST)