Africa

October 9, 2020 (JUBA) — South Sudan will introduce a new currency in a bid to control the hyperinflation in the country and the collapse of the exchange rate, the government announced on Friday.

Speaking to reporters during a briefing about the outcome of the cabinet weekly meeting, the government spokesman and Information Minister Michael Makuei advised South Sudanese to deposit their money in the banks instead of holding it at home.

"So the cabinet has decided that the currency should be changed so that anybody who does not take the money to the bank is left out and will lose it," said Makuei.

"This is an advice to those who are holding money, South Sudanese money in their houses to hurry it to the banks now so that you avoid queuing up when the time comes for exchanging the currency," he added.

The minister said the decision to introduce a new currency was taken on the light of reports to the Council of Minister made by the governor of the central bank and representatives of the commercial banks about the financial situation in the country.

South Sudan which imports basic commodities and food from neighbouring countries has suffered an acute shortage of hard currency following the reduction of crude oil production and the sharp collapse of oil prince.

The dollar is selling for 500 South Sudanese pounds in cash transactions by traders in the black market in Juba, while the official rate remains at 160 pounds.

The cabinet chaired by President Salva Kiir formed a committee including the cabinet affairs minister, ministers of finance, trade and higher education as well as the central bank governor and representatives of commercial banks to set up a plan to harmonize the national economic policy.

The committee should submit its proposals to the next cabinet meeting with seven days, stressed the government spokesman.

It is not clear if the costly currency change process will be immediately or gradually implemented.

Makuei pointed to the need to produce food at home, saying that the country still importing potatoes and onions while the country has a very fertile land that just needs to be cultivated.

The government is expected to announce a series of measures to promote food production and to accelerate efforts to increase oil production.

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A woman in her 70s whose daughter was killed and whose grandchildren were abducted during two decades of conflict and insecurity in Uganda, has been speaking about how religion has helped her to find a meaning in life.

Sophie Pétronin, one of four hostages released this week, alerted French officials to the killing.

The nine killings provoked outrage, especially in the southern city of Port Harcourt, last year.

October 9, 2020 (KHARTOUM) - Yasir Arman, deputy head of the SPLM-N led by Malik Agar and head of the SRF advance delegation, said that they will hold meetings in Khartoum with the government to harmonize the peace agreement and the transitional constitution, before the return of the alliance leader next November.

Khartoum witnessed yesterday a public meeting in the Freedom Square marking the return of the government negotiating delegation and the SRF advance to Khartoum after the conclusion of the peace talks in Juba.

The event was addressed by the Chairman of the Sovereign Council, the Prime Minister besides the heads of the government and SRF negotiating teams.

The orators emphasized that the signing of the peace agreement on October 3 is a realization of one of the revolution's slogans and a kick start to complete the programme of the transitional period.

In statements to Sudan Tribune, Yasir Arman renewed his happiness at his return to the country for the third time since the revolution and confirmed the arrival of the movement's leaders on November 3.

He revealed that his delegation would hold a series of meetings with the relevant committees to harmonize the text of the peace agreement and the constitutional document.

He said there is a clear way to harmonize the agreement with the text of the constitutional document and it was mentioned in the text of the peace agreement.

He stressed that the peace agreement will add great additions to the constitutional document, as it deals with vital issues that have not been addressed in the transitional constitution. Among these additions, he pointed to the issues of displaced persons, refugees, the system of government, issues of land, wealth and security arrangements.

"According to the text of the implementation matrix, the harmonization must take place within 10 days from the date of the signature, which took place on October 3," he added.

The peace agreement provides that if the text of the peace agreement contradicts the constitutional document, the text of the agreement shall prevail over the document.

Arman praised the international and regional support that the agreement finds, noting that the Arab League signed the agreement as a guarantor, joining the African Union, United Nations, European Union and the Troika countries.

He said that the peace agreement should be used to renew the transitional period, reviewing all that has been done, and forming a homogeneous transitional bloc for change from its three components: the civilians, the military and the armed groups.

Also, Arman welcomed the meeting of al-Hilu and Hemetti in Juba saying it represents a step forward towards a comprehensive peace in Sudan and expressed hope that al-Nur would join the ongoing efforts for peace.

"We hope that 2020 will be the year to silence guns in Sudan," he said.

Arman stressed that peace is the greatest success of transitional government during its first year.

He further stressed on the need to consolidate relations between Sudan and South Sudan to promote peace and stability in the two countries and the region.

"The cohesion between the two countries should constitute a model to be followed in Africa to resolve disputes between neighbouring countries," he added.

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Liban Abdullahi Omar, who was found not guilty this week, was abducted by armed men, witnesses say.

October 8, 2020 (WASHINGTON) – South Sudan's President Salva Kiir may have been commended for his successful mediation in Sudan's conflict, but his own management of affairs in the world's youngest nation has largely been “disastrous”, a leading political activist said.

President Kiir waves hand to greet the Sudanese during the signing ceremony of Sudan democratic transition deal on 17 August 2019 (Reuters Photo)

In an op-ed published in The Washington Post on Thursday, Peter Biar Ajak said under the leadership of Kiir, quality of life has deteriorated.

“South Sudan cannot address its enormous challenges and thrive with Kiir in charge. Any hope for a better future lies with finding a rapid path to credible elections, which will finally allow the South Sudanese people to vote for leaders of their choice,” he said.

An estimated nearly 400,000 people in South Sudan lost their lives following the outbreak of a civil war in mid-December 2013, while millions were displaced internally and into the neighboring countries.

According to the activist now living in exile, Kiir has shown little interest in implementing the revitalized peace agreement reached in September 2018.

“Although it brought many of the warring factions back to Juba, Kiir's unwillingness to deliver on the specific commitments within it, the merging of warring militias into a national army, the reconstitution of the parliament and the establishment of sub-regional governments has created great risks of a new conflict emerging,” he argued.

The activist blamed the South Sudan leader for the inter-communal violence in many parts of the country, weak economy, rampant corruption practices and numerous cases of human right violations.

“South Sudan cannot improve the quality of life for its people with Kiir in power. He knows that the South Sudanese people will never reelect him in free, fair and credible elections. He sees conflict, endless negotiations to nowhere and severe repression as the only way of maintaining his grip on power,” further wrote Biar.

He added, But if the people can finally vote, they will undoubtedly send him home and elect visionary leaders who will rebuild South Sudan and restore enduring peace, development and human rights for all its people,”.

Last week, African leaders gathered in South Sudan's capital, Juba to witness the signing of the Juba Peace Agreement, which promises to end decades of conflict in Sudan's Darfur, Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile regions. The agreement, brokered by Kiir, is yet another milestone in Sudan's gradual transition to peace and democracy.

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October 8, 2020 (KHARTOUM) - The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) on Thursday pledged its full support to a new solutions initiative by governments of Sudan and South Sudan for over 5 million citizens of their countries who live in exile or as internally displaced people.

Displaced South Sudanese wait in line for food at the Dzaipi transit centre in Uganda (Photo: F. Noy/UNHCR)

The Initiative was reportedly announced at UNHCR's Executive Committee in a meeting of the two foreign ministers chaired by High Commissioner, Filippo Grandi.

“Today marks a great leap forward for long-awaited solutions for Sudanese and South Sudanese people as both governments agreed today to address the needs of refugees and IDPs. We whole-heartedly support the Initiative to rally more international support for solutions,” said UNHCR's Representative in Sudan, Axel Bisschop.

UNHCR also welcomed the support the solutions initiative was receiving from the start, including from the European Commission.

The meeting to launch the initiative was attended by international partners, including the Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD). The regional bloc will lead the process to prepare a dedicated high-level meeting on solutions early next year.

All parties reportedly agreed that key factors for success will be the participation of refugees, IDPs, and returnees in the process, full regional engagement and contributions by other UN actors.

A first preparatory meeting will take place in Khartoum this month.

“The agreement can positively change the lives of over 1.8 million Sudanese displaced in their country and 700,000 who live in exile in the region,” stressed Bisschop.

“UNHCR stands ready to fully support solutions, with our expertise, presence and operational capacities across Sudan, from the Kordofans to Darfur,” he added.

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In a community torn apart by violence, this Kenyan school is bringing students together from opposite sides of the divide.

October 8, 2020 (JUBA) – A South Sudanese military court on Thursday sentenced at least 24 government soldiers to jail over rape and looting.

The soldiers, who were also dismissed from the national army, were found guilty of rape, looting as well as selling military equipment, obtained jail sentences ranging from two to 14 years in detention.

The military court tried 35 soldiers accused of rape and looting in Yei River county, but 11 of them were acquitted for lack of evidence.

"What we have done today is an indication that the SSPDF do not condone crimes against civilians and the government," SSPDF spokesperson, Lul Ruai Koang told reporters on Thursday.

Meanwhile, South Sudan army chief of general staff, General Johnson Juma Okot said SSPDF is committed to fighting criminality within the army.

According to the presiding judge Joseph James Mayen, the soldiers can, however, appeal their sentences within 14 days.

South Sudan laws provide for protection of women and girls from sexual abuse and exploitation and gender-based violence, including rape, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation.

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October 8, 2020 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese government said that the implementation of peace agreements requires huge resources amounting to at least $ 7.5 billion.

In line with a peace agreement signed with the armed groups, the government is committed to allocating a huge amount of money for the development of the war-affected regions.

On Thursday, the Ministry of Finance organized a workshop to discuss "Peace Development Projects" with the participation of most of the federal ministers, some state governors and state government secretaries, to prepare the implementation matrix of these projects.

In her remarks to the meeting, the Finance Minister Heba Mohamed Ali stressed on the need to unify the matrix and requested the states and federal ministries to determine the projects of utmost and urgent importance to be implemented in the first stage, such as the return of displaced persons to their areas, in addition to medium and long-term projects.

"The implementation of peace requirements need huge resources amounting to at least $ 7.5 billion, which must be provided over the next ten years," Mohamed Ali further said.

She pointed out that the agreement contains several protocols. Under the protocol of wealth sharing, the Ministry of Finance has to ensure that its economic policies - in the areas of the general budget, economic planning, investment and international cooperation - will be compatible with the goals and spirit of the peace agreement.

Under the peace agreement, the government is committed to paying $300 million to the Darfur Development and Reconstruction Commission immediately after the signing of the peace agreement. Also, it should annually pay $1.3 billion over ten years to the Peace and Development Support Fund in Darfur.

Similar funds should be allocated to the other regions in the southern and eastern part of the country.

The minister pointed out that the economic planning includes balancing national and state revenues and diversifying their sources, establishing development funds, improving natural resource management, ensuring the national character of development projects, grants and loans, and updating reconstruction and development studies to achieve positive discrimination in the less developed regions.

One of the main drivers of the conflict in Sudan is the systematic economic and development marginalization, especially in the countryside, and the failure to distribute the country's wealth in a fairway.

The achievement of sustainable peace all over Sudan depends entirely on addressing the fundamental problems that caused wars and conflicts, the minister stressed.

She said that the role of the Ministry of Finance will not be limited to the planning but includes mobilizing resources through the general budget, financial, regional and international institutions, friends and partners of Sudan, in addition to coordination with the United Nations Integrated Transition Support Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS).

Further, "the finance ministry has to improve the investment environment to attract the local and international private sector to work in the less developed regions," she concluded.

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A selection of the week's best photos from across the continent and beyond.

October 8, 2020 (JUBA/KHARTOUM) - The Vice Chairman of the Sovereign Council, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo "Hemetti" met in Juba on Thursday with the leader of the SPLM-N Abdel Aziz al-Hilu paving the way for the resumption of peace talks this month.

The Sudan People's Liberation Movement withdrew from the negotiations on August 20 to protest against Hemetti's leadership of the government negotiating delegation, accusing him of being involved in war crimes in South Kordofan and Darfur.

In press statements after the meeting, Hemedti and al-Hilu declared that the purpose of the meeting between them is to break the deadlock and restore confidence between the two parties for the sake of peace in Sudan.

They affirmed that they would resume talks after holding workshops in line with the Addis Ababa Agreement between Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok and al-Hilu to discuss all obstacles and enhance efforts to achieve just peace in all parts of Sudan.

Hemetti expressed his happiness to meet al-Hilu in Juba, adding that the meeting was friendly and positive in favour of the cause of peace, resumption of negotiations, and achieving security and stability for our people in South Kordofan and Blue Nile states.

"What happened between us passed away like a summer cloud"; he said alluding to the SPLM-N withdrawal from the talks in August. "We are, in fact, brothers, and our interest is the interest of our country. I also appeal to the leader of the Sudan Liberation Movement, Abdel Wahid al-Nur to join the peace process."

"I assure Abdel-Aziz al-Hilu that the new Sudan is based on confidence because the old situation is no longer present. I promise you that you will not be stabbed from behind (as before) and we affirm our readiness to achieve peace and achieve the slogan of Freedom, Peace and Justice," he asserted.

He thanked the South Sudanese President Salva Kiir Mayardit, and the Chief Mediator Tut Gatluak, for making this meeting possible.

The SPLM-N al-Hilu said in a statement that the two parties affirmed "returning to the negotiating table, with a new approach based on organizing workshops that discuss obstacles and reinforce efforts aimed at achieving a just peace in all parts of Sudan".

In a short speech, al-Hilu stressed the importance of the meeting to break the deadlock.

He further described the meeting as "friendly and positive, and paves the way for continuing negotiations in order to achieve peace, stability and build a new Sudan"

Sudanese Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok and al-Hilu signed an agreement last September providing to hold extensive and informal consultations between the SPLM-N and the political and military component of the transitional authority over the SPLM-N's demand to separate religion from the state.

Once an agreement is reached on the relationship between the state and religion, the two sides enter into formal peace negotiations that address the other political and military agendas.

For his part, the chief mediator Tut Gatluak said the Sudanese government and the Movement are committed to returning to the negotiating table as soon as possible.

He stressed that al-Hilu and Hemetti committed themselves to achieve peace in Sudan and that this may happen today or tomorrow, but what matters is the continuous pursuit of peace.

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Mali’s transitional President has appointed a new Prime Minister, the UN’s top official in the West African country told the UN Security Council on Thursday, detailing the significant events which has ushered in a new political era, since the 18 August coup d’état.

October 7, 2020 (KHARTOUM) - The U.S. Envoy for Sudan, Donald Booth, discussed with the leaders of Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) the country's removal from the terror list parties in separate meetings on Wednesday.

Booth who is currently in Khartoum after attending the signing of peace agreement with armed groups in Juba for talks with the government officials and the ruling coalition alliance.

He met with the head of the executive office of the Unionist Alliance and Omer al-Digair of the Sudanese Congress Alliance.

Babiker Faisal said that they discussed several issues particularly the removal of Sudan from the list of countries supporting terrorism, the current economic conditions, as well as internal political developments and the peace process.

"We met with the U.S. envoy to Sudan at the party headquarters in Khartoum. We informed him about the continuing (devastating) economic impact of Sudan's inclusion on the terror list," he told Sudan Tribune after the meeting.

Sudanese are frustrated by the long process of Sudan's delisting and the recent developments in Washington about the normalization of relations with Israel and demands of some lawmakers to pay compensations for victims of 9/11 attacks.

Faisal said that the meeting also touched on separating the process of removing Sudan from the blacklist from normalization with Israel, noting that the envoy did not comment on this matter.

The unionist leader affirmed that the discussion with the U.S. envoy was "frank and transparent, especially as Sudan made appreciative efforts to rescind its name from the terror list and fulfilled all the required conditions."

On Tuesday 6 October, the Sudan Joint Review Committee of the U.S. Department of State held a meeting with the participation of the Political Under Secretary David Hale but no the statement was issued about the outcome of the meeting.

Last month Secretary of State Michael Pompeo told the Senat his administration is preparing to delist Sudan during his month of October.

In a separate meeting, the visiting U.S. diplomat also met with the head of the Sudanese Congress Party, al-Dugair to discuss the political situation in the country.

In a statement released after the meeting, the SCoP said they discussed the current political situation in the country and the challenge facing the country including the peace process.

The meeting also discussed removing Sudan from the blacklist and U.S. support for the transition in Sudan.

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The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) has strongly condemned an attack, on the night of 4 October, targeting a convoy carrying internally displaced persons in Burkina Faso, in which 25 people were killed.

October 7, 2020 (JUBA) – Trinity Energy, a South Sudanese oil marketing firm on Wednesday announced plans to construct a $500 million crude oil refinery in the Paloch oil fields of Upper Nile State.

South Sudanese soldiers at an oil refinery in Upper Nile state (AFP)

The refinery, an official said, will provide the region with refined oil.

"The idea is to build a scalable refinery that will eventually reach the size of 40,000 barrels per day. That is our plan," Robert Eric Mdeza, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Trinity Energy said on Monday.

He further revealed that the firm, which controls about 40 percent of the country's oil market, also plans to build a 50 million liter storage capacity of refined products along Juba-Bahr-el-Ghazal highway.

"We will refine it right near the sources and find the market. One market is obvious is South Sudan, next door is Ethiopia, Sudan and the surrounding countries are the potential market,” stressed Mdeza.

According to the official, the marketing firm would seek ways to partner with banks to finance the construction of the refinery project.

Oil production is crucial for South Sudan to recover from years of civil war that devastated the economy. While the nation is estimated to have the third-biggest reserves of the commodity in sub-Saharan Africa, production of about 170,000 barrels a day is less than half the output before fighting broke out in December 2013.

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October 7, 2020 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese authorities announced, on Wednesday, the resumption of activities at the southern section of Port Sudan on the Red Sea after its closure last Sunday by Beja protesters.

The Sudan Ports Corporation (SPC) resumed activities at Port Sudan after an agreement with the representative of the Supreme Council of Beja Chiefdoms and a representative of the Central Police Headquarters Lt Gen Sadiq Ali Ibrahim.

Last Sunday, demonstrators protesters Southern Port Sudan to express their rejection of a peace agreement the government signed with some Beja factions in Juba.

The Governor of the Red Sea State, Abdallah Shangari, stated that the agreement to open the port was based on several points "centred on reaching positive results for the Eastern Sudan Track in the Juba negotiations".

Shangari was alluding to their demand to no implement the peace deal struck with the Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF) within the framework of the comprehensive peace agreement in Juba.

The police official stressed that the agreement included some measures to prevent impeding the activities of the port, such as the sit-in should be held far from the port gate, and not to block the arrival of workers and the circulation inside the port, under the supervision of the police.

In a meeting held in Khartoum on Tuesday, the Security and National Defence Council said that it had taken decisions to prevent disruption of activities of Port Sudan facilities or roads in eastern Sudan.

The legitimacy of the Beja Council has been contested by three Beja groups. Also, the government seeks to peacefully contain the political obstruction exerted by some tribal leaders who reject the appointment of a new governor in Kassala State and the peace deal for East Sudan.

In a speech at a ceremony held in Juba on Wednesday, Osama Said the head of Beja Congress called for negotiations with the opponents to the peace agreement to "avoid bloodshed and to promote security and community peace".

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October 7, 2020 (KHARTOUM) - The South Sudanese government said that the unification of the armed forces in the country will be effective in November of this year.

The unification of the armed groups with the government army of South Sudan had to be achieved during the first six months of the pre-transitional period after the signing of the revitalized peace agreement.

However two years after the signing of the agreement, the matter is still pending due to the lack of resources and international support for the costly process.

The deputy head of Sudan's Sovereign Council Mohamed Hamdan Daglo "Hemetti" on Wednesday met in Juba with First Vice-President Riek Machar, and the South Sudanese Presidental Advisor for Security Affairs Tut Gatluak to discuss the implementation the revitalized peace agreement.

"Concerning the implementation of the security arrangements, the forces (of the armed groups) have been gathered in training camps. They will be graduated within a month from now and integrated into the South Sudan People's Defence Forces (SSPDF)," said Gatluak in statements to the media after the meeting.

"On the political side, the government has been formed, and the formation of state governments is imminent," said the presidential aide according to a statement released in Khartoum by the Sovereign Council.

He added that the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement is moving towards its goals to achieve security and stability in South Sudan.

On 12 September 2018, the parties to South Sudan peace process signed a final peace agreement in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, in the presence of the heads of state of the East African Development Authority (IGAD) which mediated the talks.

On Tuesday Hemetti was received by President Kiir o discuss peace implementation in South Sudan.

"Several factors have delayed troops' training, including the lack of weapons due to the arms embargo imposed on South Sudan," he said after the meeting.

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October 7, 2020 (JUBA) - The African Development Bank (AfDB) has called for proper utilization of non-oil revenues during the revitalized transitional period for South Sudan to achieve economic growth.

Speaking in the capital, Juba on Tuesday, Benedict Kanu, AfDB Country Manager for South Sudan appealed to financial institutions in the country to be transparent and accountable to the public.

He was speaking during a ceremony organized by the Finance ministry to welcome Patrick Magoya, a Tanzanian national who has been appointed to head South Sudan National Revenue Authority.

For his part, Alain Noudehou, UN humanitarian coordinator for South Sudan, said proper public financial management is important for the prosperity and development of the war-torn East African nation.

"Managing public financial management in South Sudan is very key for the country's ability to recover and the country's own development going forward. When you talk about public financial management, there are two parts. One part is how you generate revenue; the other part is how you spend it. Either way, you have to do it in a way that is transparent, efficient and effective," he said.

The First Undersecretary in the Finance Ministry, Garang Majak said he is optimistic the new team at the national revenue authority will address challenges in revenue collections.

"We know very well, we are facing a lot of economic challenges. But with the new team, they will make sure that sufficient and effective mechanisms are designed to collect sufficient revenues to make sure that we prioritize our financial obligation, our financial services to the government and to the people of South Sudan," he said.

The economy of South Sudan is one of the most oil-dependent economies in the world. This is despite being endowed with a lot of natural resources, including very fertile agricultural land and a vast number of livestock of over 60 million cattle, sheep and goats.

Over the years, however, political instability, poor governance and corruption continue to hinder the development of the young nation.

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