Africa

Natural aphrodisiacs for sale in Ghana - but what's in them?

The impact of recent fighting has had a devastating impact on communities in the Libyan capital.

Perpetrators behind the killing of a number of people displaced by conflict in the Central African Republic (CAR) must be brought to justice, the UN peacekeeping operation in the country said on Friday.

Virginia Gamba, the United Nations Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, on Friday called for much greater accountability and effort, to prevent grave violations against children across the world’s youngest nation, South Sudan.

The telecommunications giant was hit with a multi-billion dollar tax bill by Nigerian regulators.

A selection of the best photos from across Africa and of Africans elsewhere this week.

Nigerian teenager Chinedu Michael Okechukwu dreams of being a world-famous classical singer.

The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has applauded the verdict by a military court on Thursday, that found ten government soldiers guilty of murder, rape and other crimes against civilians and journalists at a hotel in the capital Juba, just over two years ago.

The status quo in Libya is “untenable,” Ghassan Salamé, Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) told the Security Council on Wednesday.

The top United Nations representative in Malawi is urging the Government to promptly prosecute those allegedly responsible for the death of a young man with albinism whose butchered body was found earlier this year.

Lions, giraffes, elephants, leopards and rhinoceros are illuminated in sunrises and sunsets.

By Daniel Pou

September 4 (JUBA) - The Foundation for Democracy and Accountable Governance (FODAG) Tuesday said deeply concerned by the split that the opposition National Salvation Front (NAS) which may again slow and derail the already signed peace agreement.

Thomas Cirillo Swaka (Photo Reuters)

“FODAG is deeply concerned that the division emanating from the National Salvation Front (NAS) doesn't speak to the recent successes and if not addressed may have potential to slow and derail the gains made by the parties in Sudan,” said FODAG executive director Jame David Kolok

Last August, a group of NAS officers led by Maj. Gen. Julius Tabuley disapproved the rejection of the deal on the revitalized governance chapter pointing out it had been taken without consultation with the movement's leadership. They also relieved General Thomas Cirillo Swaka from the chairmanship of the group.

In return, Swaka sacked the splinters and accused them of "subversive activities" to overthrow him.

The Juba-based advocacy body believes the division within NAS may confront and undermine the spirit of peaceful resolution of the conflict in the country.

“We, believes, the various factions within NAS may have genuine concerns, confronting these concerns without first addressing the divisions, is bound to impede on the party's collective effort to negotiating in good faith and may undermine the spirit of peaceful resolution of the conflict in the country,” Said Kolok.

The foundation appealed to NAS leadership to reconsider their different positions, unite and embrace the spirit of collective approach to engage with the rest of the parties.

“As the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) prepares to address some of the concerns raised by the SPLM-IO, FODAG believes their issues shouldn't be addressed in isolation of other emerging concerns, including the ones raised by NAS,”.said FODAG boss

South Sudanese parties and stakeholders signed are finalizing talks to revitalize the peace agreement of 2015. They are expected to sign the final revitalized agreement in the upcoming weeks as the negotiating delegations still have some disagreement to be arbitrated by the IGAd leaders who mediated the process.

(ST)

In early September 2016, in an academic interview, I was asked the question: who is a civil society leader? My answer was: Amin Mekki Madani. Last Friday, 31 August 2018, almost two years later, Amin passed away. As my words are silenced in the face of the sorrow of missing Amin, I am republishing this two years' old reflection on Dr Amin Mekki Madani.

By Monim El Jak

I am a fan Antonio Gramci's conception of the organic intellectual. I see a civil society leader as one who plays a significant role in the process of positive change: someone who deploys his intellectual capital into all layers of the public sphere in a humble and sincere manner. Such a civil society leader is usually also one who is aware of the fine line between being part of a necessarily politicized civil society and a partisan one.

Dr Amin Mekki Madani gained a high-level western education, occupied senior positions at the UN, and headed human rights organizations at national, regional and international levels. Yet he has continued right throughout to volunteer his knowledge and talents for positive social and political change in Sudan. In 2015 he risked his life, not for the first time, to spend months in prison because of his commitment to the Sudan Call Alliance that brought together the whole spectrum of political and civil parties around a platform for a genuine transition. In his late seventies, Dr Amin could have chosen to be a white cola intellectual—like many of his generation who are stuck in their egos and personal interests—but he has taken a path of advocating for the demands of his society as an organic intellectual and civil society leader.

Amin has also been central to trying to solve the twin polarities of politicization and depoliticization, which have been dominating public debate about the role of Sudanese civil society in shaping Sudanese politics. The Sudanese state has largely limited the civil society role to either oppression or co-option. Through his ongoing commitment and efforts, Amin- together with others principled civil society leaders— managed to engender the active focus of Sudanese civil society on day-to-day politics. He contributed to the development of alternative policies and the expansion of small, but sophisticated, efforts of civil society in day-to-day issue-based political struggle into broader processes of public opinion and policy-making.

I came to know Amin as a pioneering Sudanese who introduced the concepts and models of civil society engagement in peace and political processes. He continued prioritizing the need for such engagement for years and through tens of initiatives. His efforts ranged from participating in formal peace negotiations, building capacity, and teaching human rights, to contributing to forming and mediating political platforms, shaping agenda and charters, all the while infusing principles positions of peace, human rights, justice and development into the political agenda.

Throughout my short time knowing and working with Amin, he has always shown a strong commitment and dedication to achieving big goals through high standards and principles as well as a passion for supporting the new generation of activists. I saw him deploying his unique leadership and interpersonal and problem-solving's skills in many fora, perhaps most effectively during the creation of the Sudan Call alliance which brought together a hitherto fractured and ideologically diverse civic, armed and political opposition around an agreed political platform, rooted in human rights, justice and democratic principles.

Dr Amin taught me what it means to have personal commitment and consistency to principle, build constituencies across generations and ethnicities, and to influence other based on real ground knowledge and solidarity. This is my definition and understanding of a true civil society leader, the organic intellectual.

The author is a Sudanese human rights activist

September 4, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese government is determined to continue efforts to bring peace in Central African Republic (CAR), said the foreign ministry in a statement issued on Tuesday.

The statement comes six days after the end of talks brokered by the Russian government between the Christian anti-Balaka militia led by Maxime Mokom and Muslim Seleka armed faction led by Noureddine Ada.

At the end of the two-day meeting on 29 August, the two groups signed a framework agreement pledging to cease hostilities and to not obstruct free movement of persons and goods with the neighbouring countries and committed themselves to the African Union process for peace and reconciliation in CAR.

The Sudanese foreign ministry said the talks were held in Khartoum under the patronage of President Omer al-Bashir and stressed that Sudan will continue its tireless efforts to bring peace to the neighbouring country "in support of the African Initiative for Peace and Reconciliation in the Central African Republic".

The statement further reiterated Khartoum's full commitment to the African initiative as the agreed framework for resolving the CAR crisis.

In July 2017, the African Union adopted a roadmap for peace and national reconciliation in order to end the forgotten conflict in central Africa through dialogue between the armed groups, the government, and the disarmament advisory and monitoring committee.

Also, last April the African Union (AU) and the United Nations pledged to strengthen partnership to restore peace and stability in the CAR.

However, the factional fighting has continued across the troubled country as violence and criminal activities are reported in the whole country.

The Russian-led peace process aims to create a suitable environment for its mining companies after providing weapons to the government forces and ensuring the protection of the CAR president personally.

The United Nations peacekeeping mission in the CAR, the Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the CAR (MINUSCA), which has more than 11,000 troops was established in 2014.

(ST)

September 4, 2018 (JUBA) – The armed opposition faction (SPLM-IO) has accused the Juba government, one of the key partners in the ongoing peace process, of violating the recent ceasefire agreement by allegedly launching series of attacks on their positions.

The attacks, it said, has created a setback to reconciliation efforts.

“In addition to their recent attack on our positions in Kupera, another gun battle erupted when the SPLA [Sudan People's Liberation Army] stormed our positions at Kendiri and Managalatore in Kajo-Keji county yesterday [Monday] and today [Tuesday]. Yesterday the warmongers were ruthlessly crushed and repulsed,” the SPLM-IO said.

According to the armed opposition group, the Juba regime plans further attacks on their positions in Kupera and Mukaya payams of Lainya County and the other areas yet to be known in the state.

“After suffering a humiliating defeat at the battle of Jamara and Kupera which led to a great loss that included the death of their senior military officers, the government decided to deploy more troops in Yei yesterday [Monday],” further notes the rebels' statement.

It added, “Today [Tuesday] the regime's Governor of Yei River state transacted money to Oliver Duku, the regime's Liaison Officer in Moyo district to procure more fuel for their force in Kajo-Keji. All these are in preparation for the planned attacks against our positions”.

Meanwhile, the armed opposition has called upon the ceasefire monitoring body (CTSAMM) and the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) to expeditiously investigate, halt violations and take necessary remedial actions against the “warlike” regime in Juba.

“Nevertheless, we shall continue to observe the ceasefire and only counter-react in the face of any confrontation campaign against our positions,” further stressed the armed opposition's statement.

The government and the main armed opposition group signed a ceasefire agreement in December 2017 and recommitted themselves to it on 27 June 2018.

These attacks, if verified, will be the first of its kind for more than a month.

(ST)

September 4, 2018 (JUBA) – The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) is set to ensure South Sudanese refugee representatives hold face-to-face meetings with the parties involved in key peace negotiations in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum.

South Sudanese refugees in Gambela, Ethiopia (Photo: South Sudan Consul, Gambela)

This dialogue, UNHCR said, would help ensure that refugee voices continue to play a pivotal role in the revitalized peace effort to end the devastating civil war in the young nation.

Following the conclusion of “revitalized peace agreement negotiations” on August 30th, some 16 South Sudanese refugees across six countries will sit down with all parties involved in the talks.

The refugees, UNHCR said, flew in from the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda and Sudan, to share their views, aspirations and expectations and to urge participants to find peace for the millions of South Sudanese, like themselves, whose lives have been uprooted by the conflict.

“The talks mark a significant moment in the long quest for lasting peace for the people of South Sudan,” said Arnauld Akodjenou, the Special Adviser to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees on the South Sudan Situation.
“It is critical to have refugee voices heard, peace building efforts cannot afford to ignore them,” he added.

The current peace accord specifically calls for its dissemination to South Sudanese people inside the country and to refugees living in exile, so that the people most affected by the war, can understand, support and own the peace process.

“The refugee representatives in Khartoum will serve to remind the world of the human toll that continues every day there is not peace in South Sudan,” said Akodjenou.

He added, “But they can also become strong peace advocates by spreading the word to refugee communities where they live, or upon return to South Sudan if they voluntarily plan to do so.”

According to the agency, since the start of the conflict in 2013, some 2.4 million people have fled South Sudan – the world's youngest nation - as refugees and another 1.8 million are internally displaced inside the country.

(ST)

September 4, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for the Republic of Sudan, Gwi-Yeop Son, has acknowledged the significant improvement in security situation in Darfur.

On Tuesday, the UN official met with the acting governor of North Darfur State Mohamed Beraima Hassab al-Nabi in El-Fasher.

Son called on the Sudanese government to determine its priorities and needs in Darfur during the next period, expressing readiness to cooperate with the government to meet development, services and reconstruction needs in the region.

According to Ashorooq TV, she expressed UN and the international community keenness to achieve peace and stability and support development and reconstruction efforts in Sudan.

The UN official further praised the progress that has been made in the security situation in Darfur, describing it as “significant”.

For his part, the acting governor said the disarmament campaign has largely contributed to improving the security in the region, stressing the lawlessness situation has come to an end.

He pointed out that the security situation in North Darfur is calm and stable, saying the rebel movements are no longer present in the state.

Hassab al-Nabi also said 80,000 IDPs families have returned to their original areas in the state, saying the government has provided water, education, health and farming services in the voluntary return areas.

He called on the UN to press the holdout rebel groups to join the national dialogue, demanding the European countries to stop their support for the rebel leaders residing in their territories.

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.

(ST)

September 4, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Two opposition groups, SPLM-IO and the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA), said they refused to take part in the discussions on the implementation matrix of Chapter VI related to the permanent constitution-making process.

The two opposition groups signed the final document of the peace agreement with four reservations including their objection to the constitution-making process saying the permanent constitution have to elaborate through the National Constitutional Conference and not by the government-controlled National Constitutional Review Commission as provided in the draft agreement.

In a joint statement issued on Tuesday, The SPLM-IO and the SSOA disclosed their refusal to discuss the modalities of implementation of Chapter VI on the "Parameters of Permanent Constitution" saying they prefer that IGAD leaders resolve their reservation first.

The opposition groups said they were "shocked" by the decision of the mediators to open the discussion on this chapter follow the government position despite their initial promise to forward their this chapter to the IGAD leaders.

"Such a ruling is problematic in two ways. First, it ignores our reservations which they promised to forward to the IGAD Summit, thus throwing doubt into their commitment to that promise they made. By insisting that the Parties discuss the initialled text implies that it will not change. Second, a Matrix developed by some of the Parties without the rest has no chance of being implemented," reads the joint statement.

The opposition stressed they refuse to discuss the implementation matrix of chapter six only because the three other reservations are not "amenable to a time frame, therefore do not require time frames which is the reason why" they didn't have problem to agree with the Matrix related to the chapters of the revitalized peace deal, the statement says.

The SPLM-IO and the SSOA signed the final document after a meeting with President Omer al-Bashir who pledged to resolve their concerns with the IGAD leaders.

For his part, the government spokesperson and information minister Michael Makuei announced the conclusion of the discussions on the implementation matrix.

"The subcommittees that were working on the Matrix have accomplished their tasks and today the matrix is complete and ready for assembling in one implementation matrix in accordance with the chapters," he told reporters in Khartoum on Tuesday.

He further said the peace process will be concluded after a three-day workshop on Permanent Ceasefire Transitional Arrangement (PCTA) for the members of the security subcommittee.

The IGAD foreign ministers are expected to hold a meeting soon after their return from Beijing China to discuss the steps achieved by the parties and submit their conclusions for the IGAD leaders to decide on it.

(ST)

September 4, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's State Foreign Minister Mohamed Abdalla Idris and UK State Minister for the Commonwealth and the United Nations, Lord Tariq Ahmad, have discussed ways to promote bilateral ties and the situation in Darfur.

In a press release on Monday, the Foreign Ministry said the meeting also discussed the exit strategy of the hybrid peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID) besides the need to enhance bilateral relations between the two countries.

Last July, the United Nations Security Council unanimously decided to extend for one year the mandate the UNAMID and also to reduce the number of its troops in line with an exit strategy aiming to close the hybrid operation in two years.

According to the press release, the visiting British official expressed his country's desire to promote bilateral ties, stressing keenness to enhance joint coordination in international forums.

Ahmad, who also serves as UK Prime Minister's Special Envoy on Freedom of Religion or Belief, pointed to the need to promote religious freedoms and human rights.

For his part, Idris demanded the UK government to support Sudan's efforts to move from humanitarian assistance to peacebuilding and development in Darfur.

He praised the positive developments in bilateral relations and the strategic dialogue between Sudan and the UK, pointing to government efforts to achieve peace in South Sudan.

On Saturday, the British embassy in Khartoum said Lord Ahmad would seek to see how UK support for the UN is helping to change the lives of ordinary Sudanese people.

It added the British official will visit peacebuilding projects which are helping local communities establish stability and lasting peace in Darfur.

Since 2015, Sudan and the UK have started a dialogue upon request from Khartoum to push forward bilateral ties.

In March 2016, Sudan and the UK held the first strategic consultations meetings between the two countries in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum. The meeting was considered the first talks of its kind at the ministerial level in 25 years.

The two countries agreed to exchange visits at the level of senior officials from the two countries along with increasing cooperation in the fields of economy, investment and culture.

The UK Special Envoy for Sudan and South Sudan Chris Trott last year visited Khartoum several times to discuss ways to develop bilateral relations and encourage Khartoum efforts to reduce the illegal immigration from the Horn of African countries towards Europe and Britain especially.

The dialogue also was seen within the framework of the after-Brexit policy aiming to develop trade relations with the former British colonies.

(ST)

Joseph Warungu reflects on the time wasted by male Kenyan lawmakers talking about a dress code.