Africa

There is a Ghana recall after four years for Kwadwo Asamoah but no places for Asamoah Gyan nor the Ayew brothers.

eSwatini says it will maintain relations with Taiwan after China seeks diplomatic ties.

Sudanese photographer Ola Alsheikh shares her favourite shots from her hometown, Khartoum.

Driving cash-handling vehicles is seen as one of the most dangerous jobs in South Africa.

Soldiers were caught on film hitting a photographer covering a protest over the arrest of an MP.

The recent killing of villagers in Nigeria’s Borno State has been condemned by the UN Secretary-General.

The traditional priest placed a curse on those accused of links to a Nigerian church attack.

Nigeria forward Anthony Nwakaeme moves to Turkey rather than China in order to keep alive his hopes of playing for the Super Eagles again.

The former Arsenal manager is to be decorated by his ex-player, Liberia's President George Weah.

New Cameroon coach Clarence Seedorf drops China-based players, including captain Benjamin Moukandjo, from his first squad.

Somalia's capital has been described as the world's most dangerous city - but some people there are trying to change that. Mary Harper came to know one of them.

Children of Blood and Bone author Tomi Adeyemi explains the inspiration behind her best-selling book.

Four Ugandan students have developed a revolutionary way to test for malaria without drawing blood.

August 20, 2018 (JUBA) - The Chairperson of the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC), Festus G. Mogae, has decided to resign from his position by the end of September 2018.

JMEC Chairman, Festus Mogae, briefs the UN Security Council, on the implementation of the peace agreement on 31 March 2016 (ST Photo)

In a short statement released on Monday, the JMEC said Mogae who proposed the peace revitalization process sent a letter to the IDAG chair and Ethiopian prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali to inform him of his decision.

"as the process to revitalize the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan draws to a close, I have adjudged it appropriate to allow for the new phase of the transition period for South Sudan to be in fresh hands,” said the Former President of the Republic of Botswana in his letter.

Mogae was appointed on 19 October 2015 to head the monitoring commission tasked with the monitoring of the implementation of South Sudan peace agreement.

Mogae was the third president of Botswana from 1998 to 2008 when he voluntarily stepped down for his successor.

Before getting elected to the presidency, he served in many capacities including being the Chairman of Southern African Development Community (SADC) Council of Ministers from 1992 until 1996 and vice president of his country.

(ST)

Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, the Executive Director of the United Nations entity dealing with issues related to gender, UN Women, has encouraged Somalia to continue making progress in the areas of gender equality and women’s empowerment.

For the African continent to achieve sustainable development, more jobs must be created for its young people, including in the digitalized agriculture sectors, the United Nations agriculture chief told an international conference on Monday.

The 36-year-old musician turned politician has become a real thorn in the side of Uganda's long-time leader, Yoweri Museveni.

August 18, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The Leadership Council of the opposition Sudan Call alliance Sunday reiterated its rejection of the re-election of incumbent President Omer al-Bashir for a third term and adopted a plan to resist government plans to amend the constitution.

Sudan's ruling National Congress Party (NCP) earlier this month endorsed al-Bashir as its candidate for 2020 elections and decided to amend its statute before to amend the Sudanese constitution which limits an elected president to two terms in office.

In a statement issued at the end of a meeting held in the French capital Paris on Sunday, the alliance which gathers political and military groups said they decided to intensify the internal mobilisation and to carry out an international campaign against al-Bashir's re-election.

"The Leadership Council adopted a plan to resist amending the Constitution through a joint action with all the opposition (forces), says a statement released at the end of the meeting on Sunday evening.

"The alliance will launch a public and legal campaign, and will reach out international organizations, countries and parliaments". Further, they will take advantage of the lessons learnt from the successful campaign that forced Congo's President Joseph Kabila to abandon his bid for a third term, stressed the statement.

Several opposition groups including some Sudan Call members said they would participate in the 2020 elections if al-Bashir does not run for president again.

Several political forces had the idea that the future elections would provide the opportunity to achieve peaceful change in Sudan paving the way for democratic changes.

The Sudanese authorities prevented three members of the Leadership Council from travelling to Paris. The restrictive measure is imposed against the opponents every time the Sudan Call holds a meeting.

The government says opposition parties are not allowed to conclude alliances with the armed groups that fight the national army.

The statement said the alliance received two applications for the Sudan Call membership but it does not disclose the names of the applicants.

Earlier this week, the Sudan Call executive body announced the participation in its meetings for the first time of two representatives of the Internally Displaced People (IDP) and refugees.

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August 19, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudan Liberation Movement-Transitional Council (SLM-TC) on Sunday said four of its fighters captured by government forces have died in prison as a result of medical negligence and continued torture.

Nimir Abdel Rahman (ST)

In a press release seen by Sudan Tribune on Sunday, SLM-TC spokesperson, Nurraldine Kouki, said 11 captives from the movement are facing a tragic situation at Al-Huda Prison in Khartoum's twin city of Omdurman.

“Four of our comrades were martyred so far and the last of whom, Abdel-Salam Mohamed Salih, died on 13 August as a result of medical negligence of the hostages who were injured during the battles as well as the continued torture during the previous period” he added

In coordinated operations with the SLM-Minni Minnawi in May 2017, the holdout rebel group fought the Sudanese government army and militias in North and East Darfur.

However, the group suffered significant losses after the killing of its general commander Mohamed Abdel Salam Tarada in East Darfur and the capture of its leader Nimer Abdel Rahman in Ain Siro, North Darfur.

Kouki pointed out that the Sudanese authorities have prevented humanitarian and rights groups from following up on the conditions of the 11 captives according to Geneva Conventions.

He described the death of the four captives as “undeclared executions”, calling on the Red Cross to press the government to provide medical services to the captives.

The SLM-TC spokesperson also demanded to provide special accommodation for the captives away from the civilian prisoners and those convicted in other criminal charges.

The SLM-TC which is formed by breakaway rebels from the SLM-Abdel Wahid rejects negotiations with the government.

Last month, the rebel group joined the Sudanese Revolutionary Front led by Minni Minnawi (SRF-MM).

The Sudanese army has been fighting a group of armed movements in Darfur since 2003. UN agencies estimate that over 300,000 people were killed in the conflict, and over 2.5 million were displaced.

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August 20, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - India's Oil and Natural Gas Corp's (ONGC) said it wouldn't withdraw the arbitration process instituted against the Sudanese government.

Indian petroleum company, ONGC Videsh Limited

Last April, ONGC filed an arbitration claim against the government of Sudan in a London court seeking to recover $98.94 million, pending for years from a project hit by the breakaway of South Sudan in 2011.

Earlier this month, Sudan's Minister of Oil and Gas Azhari Abdel-Gadir said an agreement has been reached on all pending issues pertaining to financial claims between ONGC and the government of Sudan, stressing the Indian company has withdrawn a claim it has filed against Sudan in this regard.

However, ONGC said that Sudan's ministerial delegation that visited New Delhi earlier this month promised that Sudan was making sincere efforts to mitigate the issue of default on paying dues, stressing the arbitration process cannot be withdrawn as it is an intricate issue.

In a statement on Friday, ONGC said it would continue with the arbitration process while working with Sudan to arrive at a suitable mechanism of resolving the issue.

It added that ONGC has deployed a team of senior-level officials to Sudan to renew techno-commercial discussions so as to work out a way forward for the settlement of past dues.

ONGC's stake in the Greater Nile Oil Project (GNOP) comprised Blocks 1, 2 and 4, and the firm also agreed to build a 1,500-kilometre pipeline to Port Sudan on the Red Sea.

But in 2011 South Sudan broke away from Sudan and took control of blocks 1A, 1B and a part of block 4.

Also, due to the U.S. trade sanctions, Khartoum was unable to secure oil for its refineries and asked ONGC to sell its share of oil from blocks 1, 2 and 4.

In 2016, the Indian company signed a separate agreement with Sudan for the sale of its share of GNOP oil. However, Sudan has not yet paid $90.81 million to ONGC for purchases of oil in 2016 and 2017.

(ST)