Africa

Fifa President Gianni Infantino is saddened that no African team made it to the second round of the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Leon Balogun says Nigeria need to play a bit "dirtier" and be more cold-blooded following the Super Eagles' World Cup exit.

July 3, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Sudatel, a telecommunications and Internet service provider in Sudan, and Nokia a Finnish telecommunications technology company announced Tuesday a strategic partnership to develop ultra-broadband services in the east African country.

Sudatel

According to the deal announced from Espoo, Finland the two parties will test "Nokia 4.5G Pro, 4.9G and 5G mobile technologies along with Nokia's fixed fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) portfolio to enhance the mobile and residential broadband experience in Sudan".

The technologies used in this trail which will be implemented in Khartoum, are dedicated to increasing capacity and speed through AirScale radio access.

Further, Sudatel will trial Nokia's passive optical networking (PON) fibre solutions to enhance the residential broadband experience. Also, it will be limited to Khartoum before to be extended to other regions.

Sudatel is a government-owned company. The Sudanese operator is present also in Mauritania and Senegal.

Tarig Zain El Abdein, Sudatel's President and Chief Executive Officer said “Bringing Nokia's technology expertise and innovations to Sudan is very strategic for us in the execution of our vision of becoming the most admired ICT provider in Africa"

Pierre Chaume, head of Nokia's North & West Africa Department at, said the partnership agreement “will support Sudatel's 2020 Strategy of becoming the most admired ICT provider in Africa, (..)"

(ST)

July 3, 2018 (JUBA) – Ugandan airline, Eagle Air this week announced the resumption of its flights to Yei town in the southwest of South Sudan and near the Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The decision was announced Tuesday after one-year suspension following "the harassment" of Eagle Aircrews by South Sudanese officials, according to the ch-aviation, a specialized website on aviation news.

The airline, in a statement, said the twice-weekly flights from Entebbe or Kampala to Yei town would commence from 2 July 2018 onwards.

The Eagle Air has two flights per week from Entebbe to Yei which is a business hub, attracting traders and customers from South Sudan, Uganda and Congo.

Yei is a business hub, attracting traders and customers from South Sudan, Uganda and Congo. Also, Ivory Bank and Kenya Commercial Bank have branches in the city.

The Ugandan carrier also offers scheduled flights from the Ugandan town of Entebbe to each of Pakuba, Adjumani, Gulu, and Arua in Uganda as well as Juba in South Sudan.

The only airline within Uganda, Eagle Air operates a diverse fleet of Let 410UVPEs, Beech 1900Ds, Piper (twin-piston) Seneca PA34s, and Cessna (single piston) 206s.

(ST)

July 3, 2018 (JUBA) - At least 2.2 million school-aged children have dropped out of schools in South Sudan due to the ongoing political and economic problems in the war-hit nation, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) said.

School pupils demand creating of a conducive environment for learning in Bor, May 22, 2014 (ST)

This was revealed during the launch of South Sudan out-of-school children study guide at a ceremony held in the capital, Juba.

"In the wake of persistent fragility conflict, at least 2.2 million children across South Sudan are now out of school, a figure that is projected to rise, if nothing is done," said UNECO's country representative, Sardar Umar Alam.

The report, he said, is part of a global initiative that highlights the challenges of out of school children in South Sudan initiated in 2013.

"The number of out-of-school children in the country has increased in recent years and this trend is projected to continue, reaching over 2.4 million children in the next two years, if present circumstances are maintained," stressed the official.

The country representative for the UN Children Fund (UNICEF), Mahimbo Mdoe said children from rural areas of the country are more likely to be excluded from school than those in urban areas.

South Sudan's education minister, Deng Deng Hoc Yai assured stakeholder that the country will work to ensure all girls and boys are enrolled in class, despite the ongoing war and economic troubles.

"We need to act so quick to reach the children that are out of school because every child deserve to be given opportunity to learn," he said.

The report demonstrates the urgency of the needs to tackle the issue of children out of school more quickly by ensuring all those out of school have the opportunity to go to back to school, he stressed.

The conflict in South Sudan, now in its fifth year, has displaced millions of people into neighboring countries since it started in mid-December 2013.

(ST)

July 3, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan transport minister and South Sudan presidential adviser on security affairs Tuesday agreed to open four border crossing points between the two countries within the next few days.

The agreement was announced by the two officials following a meeting held in Khartoum to discuss the implementation of directives of President al-Bashir to open border with South Sudan after the signing of Khartoum Declaration of Agreement on 27 June.

The decision is as a part of measures he announced recently to encourage the South Sudanese parties to implement a peace agreement they signed in August 2015. He said it would facilitate the movement of citizens and the flow of trade between the two countries.

Speaking in Khartoum after the meeting, Presidential adviser, Tut Galuwak told reporters they discussed the border opening and he asked to open all the crossing points as soon as possible to encourage trade between the two sides on the border.

"Minister Makawi expressed the readiness of his government to implement the directives of President al-Bashir and we would like to a announce the good news that the decision includes road, rail and Nile river crossing points," said Galuwak.

For his part, Minister Makawi Awad confirmed what Galuwak announced and added that four points would be opened very soon before the departure of the South Sudanese official from Khartoum.

"These four crossing corridors, Awad said, include, Kosti-Renk road and river, Meriam - Aweil, rails and road, Heglig-Bentiu, and Al Sumayyah corridors".

Some of the four points have been marked last March as the two countries did not yet finalize the talks on the border demarcation since the secession of South Sudan in July 2011 and they are part of the Safe Demilitarized Buffer Zone (SDBZ).

Following the South Sudan independence, President al-Bashir ordered the border closure accusing Juba of backing Sudanese rebels in South Kordofan and Blue Nile states.

However, the decision didn't stop totally the trade between the two sides as the border areas from both sides historically had strong trade relations.

Minister Awad said the Sudanese private sector will contribute to restoring the roads and transportation means.

(ST)

July 3, 2018 (ANKARA/JUBA) - The Turkish state development aid agency has donated 30 tons of seeds and agricultural equipment to farmers in war-torn South Sudan.

South Sudan agriculture (Getty)

In a statement issued Monday, The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) said it provided 500 farmers in the capital Juba and its surroundings with peanut, maize, sorghum, tomato, and okra seeds along with several types of agricultural tools.

The Turkish envoy to South Sudan, Hasan Sevilir Asan, South Sudan Agriculture Minister Onyoti Adigo Nyikwec, the head of South Sudan Farmers Union, Mathuc Akola, and TIKA's coordination in Juba, John Acer attended the seed distribution ceremony.

South Sudan has a wealth of untapped agricultural assets. With 30 million hectares of arable land, across six agro-ecological zones, South Sudan is capable of producing an array of agricultural products, from cereals to oil seeds, horticulture, and specialty products such as Shea butter and Gum Arabic.

But despite the huge agricultural potential it possessed, only about 5% of South Sudan's land is cultivated, yet the country also offers abundant water resources in the Nile basin, and forestry assets are plentiful, with tens of thousands of hectares of teak and other high-value hardwoods available for sustainable harvesting.

In 2012, South Sudan President Salva Kiir announced a goal to achieve food self-sufficiency in the country. That same year, the ministry of agriculture launched the national effort for agricultural transformation, and started to identify agricultural opportunities for foreign investors and agribusinesses.

(ST)

July 3, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's Foreign Minister El-Dirdeiry Mohamed Ahmed would visit a number of Western countries including the United States during the next period, said the official news agency SUNA

El-Dirdeiry Mohamed Ahmed (AFP)

El-Dirdeiry was appointed as Foreign Minister last May succeeding Ibrahim Ghandour who was sacked from his post after complaining to the parliament of the Finance Ministry's failure to pay the salaries of the diplomats for seven months.

According to the agency, El-Dirdeiry would tour a number of Western countries including the U.S. as soon as the ongoing South Sudan's peace talks conclude on 9 July in Khartoum.

He expressed satisfaction with the U.S. and European welcoming of the outcome of South Sudan's peace talks, saying the Sudanese-U.S. dialogue would resume during the next period to lift Sudan's name from the terror list.

“We expect [my] visit to the U.S. would witness the launch of a new phase of dialogue [between the two countries],” he said

In October 2017, Washington decided to lift economic sanctions on Sudan in line with a five-track framework reached by the two countries in December 2016. Khartoum, accordingly, authorized humanitarian access to civilians in Darfur and unilaterally declared a cessation of hostilities in Darfur, the Blue Nile and South Kordofan states.

The two countries agreed to resume talks on the normalization of bilateral talks and the lift of remaining sanctions particularly Sudan's designation as a state sponsor of terrorist groups. The measure is crucial to get a debt relief and allow Sudan to get international aid to build its economic infrastructure.

In November 2017, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, John Sullivan, was in Khartoum to launch the second phase of the normalization process and pointed to the need for reforms on human rights and religious freedom. Also, the two countries agreed to engage in written exchanges for Sudan's removal from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism.

(ST)

July 3, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan has condemned a travel advisory issued by the US State Department warning its citizens against travelling to Darfur region, Blue Nile state, and South Kordofan state due to crime and armed conflict.

Sudan's foreign ministry building in Khartoum (SUNA)

The issuance of that warning at a time Sudan is witnessing a positive political and security atmosphere (...) lacks objective justifications and negates the positive reality which recently allowed a U.S. Embassy delegation to travel to Darfur and move freely between all its states.

The statement said the security advisory ignore the reality on the ground in South Kordofan and Blue Nile states where the government has declared a cessation of hostilities.

The Sudanese foreign ministry spokesperson further said the warning contradicts United Nations reports on Darfur especially the most recent report on the UNAMID strategic review, which recommends continuing the implementation of the exit strategy of the hybrid forces from Darfur.

Several Sudanese media focused on a paragraph in the statement speaking about the presence of terrorist groups that target "foreign and local government facilities, and areas frequented by Westerners" in Khartoum.

"Terrorist groups in Sudan have stated their intent to harm Westerners and Western interests through suicide operations, bombings, shootings, and kidnappings," said the statement.

However, the foreign ministry reiterated Sudan's commitment to work with international partners to fight terrorism and promote regional security, without further details.

U.S. officials last October invoked Khartoum cooperation with the US to fight terrorism to justify the lift of economic embargo on Sudan.

Nonetheless, Sudan remains on the list of state sponsors of terrorism.

The two countries since January have declared they would begin talks on the removal of the east African country from the list but no date was announced. Only, U.S. diplomatic, security and military delegations visited Khartoum to prepare the discussions.

(ST)

July 3, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's White Nile State said it has received 225 South Sudanese refugees earlier this week.

Director of refugees department at the Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) in the White Nile Mustafa al-Fadil said the refugees arrived at Sangour camps via Jodat Al-Adl border crossing.

He pointed out that representatives from the United Nations and a number of donor countries have visited refugee camps at Al-Salam and Al-Jabalein localities, saying they vowed to provide food and the necessary services for the refugees.

Al-Fadil added several groups of South Sudanese refugees are stranded at Kuwaik and Megaineis border crossings, saying more than 10 aid groups are providing basic services for the refugees in coordination with the host communities.

Over 2 million South Sudanese refugees have been displaced as a result of the conflict that hit the world's youngest nation in mid-December 2013.

According to the UN Higher Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), as of 15 January 2018, the total South Sudanese refugee population in Sudan stood at 770,110.

Other sources estimate a total of 1.3 million South Sudanese refugees in Sudan, but this data requires verification.

South Sudanese refugees in Sudan have reportedly been distributed in four states including the White Nile, South Kordofan, East Darfur and Khartoum states, amid concerns the current numbers will rise.

In August 2016, Sudan officially declared that South Sudanese fleeing war in their country will be treated as refugees, which opens the door for the UN to provide them with aid and fund aid programs.

The UNHCR said 3,000 South Sudanese refugees have arrived in Sudan in the first half of January 2018.

According to UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance (OCHA), an estimated 200,000 new South Sudanese refugees are anticipated to arrive in Sudan in 2018.

(ST)

The US is deporting record numbers of Somalis - some of whom have lived in America almost all their lives.

A new exhibition reappraises the work of Harry Burton, who photographed the decade-long Tutankhamun excavation.

Yoga teacher Irene Auma wants to help rehabilitate female prisoners in Kenya.

In a visit to South Sudan on Tuesday, the UN Deputy Secretary-General spoke mother-to-mother with displaced women, pledging that she and other senior women leaders from the international community will not give up on the hope for peace for their nation.

The UN human rights office is urging Egypt to free a prominent married couple that has been arbitrarily detained for more than a year.

June 2, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The opposition Sudan Call alliance Monday dispatched a delegation to Geneva where UN Human Rights Council holds its annual meetings to sensitize the international community on the human rights violations by the Sudanese government.

A general view of participants during the 29th Regular Session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva on 3 July 2015 - (UN Photo)

According to a statement extended to Sudan Tribune, the delegation include among others, the opposition secretary for international relations Yasir Arman and Osama Said the secretary for human rights.

The statement said the opposition delegation plans to lobby the international community for the reappointment of a special rapporteur as part of renewed efforts to monitor and report on the growing human rights abuses in the country.

The group said the Special Rapporteur, which has been replaced in June 2009 by an Independent Expert, is best suited to monitor patterns of human rights abuses in the country.

The statement said the opposition alliance would seek to coordinate with the human rights and civil society groups during the meeting of the Human Rights Council next September.

The Sudan Call on Monday also denounced the decision of the government Egyptian to deny entry to its leader Sadiq al-Mahdi after his return from a meeting with the German officials on peace in Sudan.

(ST)

July 2, 2018 (JUBA) - The Sudanese rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) led by Gibril Ibrahim denied fresh accusations about their participation in attacks carried by South Sudanese army on rebel positions in Mboro of Wau State.

Rebel fighters from the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), active in Sudan's western Darfur region (AFP)

Lam Paul Gabriel, SPLA-IO deputy spokesperson on Sunday accused the Sudanese rebels of taking part in an attack carried by the South Sudanese army on their position in Mboro in the morning of the Saturday 30 June 2018.

However, in a statement extended to Sudan Tribune, JEM spokesperson Gibriel Bilal rejected the accusation stressing they have no forces in the troubled country

"JEM categorically denies any involvement in the alleged skirmish between the warring parties in South Sudan," Bilal said before to add "the war in South Sudan does not serve the cause for which JEM struggles".

"Peace in South Sudan benefits Greater Sudan, and war damages the future of both nations," he stressed.

The statement further congratulated the South Sudanese warring parties for the signing of the Khartoum Declaration of Agreement which include the implementation of the permanent ceasefire agreement.

JEM "wishes them every success in its implementation for the sake of the masses who suffered hugely as a result of the wars," said JEM spokesperson.

(ST)

July 2, 2018 (JUBA) - The main armed opposition group in South Sudan Monday renewed accusations against the government forces saying they are preparing to carry out against their positions in the Yei River State.

A SPLA soldier stands in front of a vehicle in Juba on December 20, 2013. (Photo Reuters/Goran Tomasevic)

The strategic state which borders Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been the theatre of continued clashes between the government and rebel forces in the southern part of South Sudan.

"It came to our knowledge that, Emmanuel adil Anthony, the regime's Governor of Yei River State has ordered Brigadier Pitia, Commander of the SPLA in Kajo-Keji to capture all SPLA (IO) territories in Kajo-Keji County," said local rebel spokesperson Wayi Godwill Edward on Monday.

He went further to say that the planned attack is part of the governor's plans to dispatch commissioners of Kangapo and Liwolo counties.

On Sunday, the SPLA-IO forces managed to repulse an attack on their position in Kendiri area of Kajo Kaeji county. It was the second attack on the rebels in the area.

The statement stressed that these attacks are in clear violation of the permanent ceasefire declared in Khartoum on 27 by President Salva Kiir and SPLM/A leader Riek Machar and called on the monitoring body, CTSAMM, and the UNMISS to investigate their claim.

The statement urged the ceasefire observers and peacekeepers to hold the "anti-peace" Governor Emmanuel Adil and Brigadier Pitia accountable for sabotaging the peace process and derailing the suffering of the South Sudanese".

The Khartoum Declaration of Agreement is implemented on the basis of the cessation of hostilities agreement as the warring parties did not yet reach an agreement on the outstanding issues in the security arrangements.

An agreement on the determination of demilitarized areas and the modalities of cantonment which are among the pending issues is crucial for a successful implementation of the ceasefire.

(ST)

July 2, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The United States has warned its citizens against the risk of terrorist and criminal attacks in Sudan troubled areas, saying they should avoid travelling to Darfur region, Blue Nile state, and South Kordofan.

“Terrorist groups continue plotting attacks in Sudan, especially in Khartoum. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting foreign and local government facilities, and areas frequented by Westerners. Terrorist groups in Sudan have stated their intent to harm Westerners and Western interests through suicide operations, bombings, shootings, and kidnappings” said the State Department in a travel advisory released on Monday.

According to the travel warning, “violent crime, such as kidnapping, armed robbery, home invasion, and carjacking, is particularly prevalent in the Darfur region. Westerners are frequently targeted”.

“Tensions remain high between the government of Sudan and opposition forces and violence continues along the border between Chad and Sudan and areas that border South Sudan (including the disputed area of Abyei). Armed opposition groups are active in Central Darfur and parts of Blue Nile and South Kordofan states,” added the travel warning

It pointed out to the state of emergency in Kassala and North Kordofan states, which gives security forces greater arrest powers saying “arbitrary detentions, including of foreigners, have been reported across the country”.

Unidentified gunmen on 7 October 2017 abducted a Swiss aid worker from her residence in El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state. She was released unharmed thirty-five days later.

Also, in March 2017, a French national kidnapped in eastern Chad near the border with Sudan's Darfur region has been taken into the western Sudan region, before the Sudanese authorities secure his release.

(ST)

July 2, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese government and the European Union (EU) on Sunday have underlined continued cooperation to combat human trafficking and illegal migration.

EU's ambassador to Sudan Jean-Michel Dumond (EU Photo)

Sudan's Foreign Minister El-Dirdeiry Mohamed Ahmed on Sunday met with the EU Ambassador to Sudan Jean-Michel Dumond.

According to a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry, the two sides stressed the need to continue cooperation and dialogue on issues of illegal migration and other joint issues.

The meeting also discussed a number of bilateral and regional issues of common concern as well as ways to enhance EU developmental assistance to Sudan.

The two sides stressed importance for cooperation to arrive at solutions for the regional crises.

Sudan is considered as a country of origin and transit for the illegal migration and human trafficking. Thousands of people from Eritrea and Ethiopia are monthly crossing the border into the Sudanese territories on their way to Europe through Libya or Egypt.

The East African nation is cooperating with the EU countries to combat the illegal migration from Sudan and Horn of Africa countries including Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia.

In April 2016, 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.

Also, 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.

(ST)