Africa

June 3, 2018 (ADDIS ABABA) - The regional bloc (IGAD) has set June 30 as the deadline for face-to-face talks between the two South Sudan warring leaders, President Salva Kiir and former first vice-president, Riek Machar.

During the 62 extra-ordinary IGAD council of ministers' session in Ethiopia on Friday, foreign affairs ministers from IGAD member states said Kiir and Machar must resolve their differences for the good of the citizens of Africa's youngest nation, who have been nursing conflict since December 2013.

A communique issued by IGAD indicates that the ministers of foreign affairs have been tasked to consult the Heads of State in order to fast-track the face-to-face talks between Kiir and Machar before the 31st African Union meeting takes place.

“IGAD Assembly of Heads of State and Government to consult with members of the Assembly on the convening of an Extra-Ordinary Summit of the Assembly and a face-to-face meeting between H.E. SalvaKiirMayardit and H.E. Dr. RiekMachar before the 31st Summit of the Assembly of the African Union to be held on July 1-2, 2018 in Noukakchott, Mauritania," noted the communique.

IGAD ministers also regretted that efforts to resolve the South Sudan conflict, including the August 2015 comprehensive agreement on cessation of hostilities, have not been honoured by the main actors fuelling the South Sudan conflict.

“The IGAD Council of Ministers urges all the South Sudanese Parties to seize this opportunity to negotiate in good faith and make real compromises based on the Bridging Proposal on outstanding issues,” the communique noted.

South Sudan plunged into war in December 2013, barely two years after independence from Sudan, after a disagreement between President Kiir and his former deputy Machar deteriorated into a military confrontation.

Tens of thousands have been killed by the fighting between troops loyal to Kiir and forces loyal to Machar. The conflict has also left a quarter of the country's population of 12 million either internally displaced or as refugees in neighbouring countries.

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June 3, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Salah Gosh, National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) Director, made an unannounced visit on Sunday to Cairo for talks with the President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

In a short statement released after the meeting, the Egyptian presidency said that Gosh transmitted to al-Sisi al-Bashir congratulations on the beginning of his second term after his re-election last month.

"The meeting discussed the close bilateral relations between the two brotherly countries and means of enhancing them in the light of current regional challenges," further said Bassan Radi, the presidential spokesperson.

No further details were made public on the matters discussed in the meeting. But Gosh visit to Cairo came few days after a visit to Cairo of the new Sudanese Foreign Minister al-Dirdiri Mohamed Ahmed who was also received by President al-Sisi on 29 May.

The two countries last year agreed to enhance security cooperation between the two countries on the border control cooperation, as Libya is a source of security concerns for both countries.

Gosh's visit to Cairo came after the signing of a border security agreement between Chad, Libya, Niger and Sudan.

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June 3, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The European Parliament called on the Sudanese government to commute the death sentence on Noura Hussein and requested the EU Commission to observe human rights when it engages cooperation projects in Sudan.

European flags are seen outside the European Commission headquarters in Brussels (Reuters Photo)

Last May, a Sudanese court sentenced Noura Hussein, 19 years, to death for killing her husband who raped her following a forced marriage. Her husband's family refused to accept financial compensation.

The case raised international solidarity with the teenager female who had been forced into marriage at the age of 16. Also, it shed again the light on the difficult woman situation particularly Sudan remain among few countries that refuse to ratify the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) adopted in 1979 by the UN General Assembly.

The European Parliament "Deplores and condemns the sentencing to death of Noura Hussein Hammad; calls on the Sudanese authorities to commute the death sentence and fully take into account the fact that Ms Hussein was acting in self-defence against the attempt by a man and his accomplices to rape her," says a resolution adopted on Thursday 31 May.

It was reported the young girl had been held down by the brother of her husband, a relative and a third person to assist her husband to rape her. The next day he tried again to rape her but she stabbed him to death.

During an emergency debate on Noura Hussein situation on Thursday 31 May, the EU lawmakers pointed that the imposition of the death penalty against clear evidence of self-defence constitutes "arbitrary killing" in line with the international standards.

While Hussein's lawyers have formally appealed the ruling, an international campaign to get the sentence overturned received over million signatures in addition to the support of high-profile figures including actors Mira Sorvino, Emma Watson and Rose McGowan, model Naomi Campbell and former Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

The EU Parliament recalled that the government of Sudan has the obligation to guarantee a fair trial and to take the necessary measures to ensure Hussein's protection.

The resolution called on the Sudanese government to ratify the Convention against Torture (CAT) and CEDAW.

Furthermore it "strongly requests that the EU and its Member States ensure that the implementation of projects with the Sudanese authorities observe the ‘do no harm' principle, which would rule out cooperation with actors responsible for human rights violations".

The EU is currently funding EUR 275 million - projects in Sudan, through the European Development Fund (EDF), the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) and the Instrument contributing to Security and Peace.

Khartoum also hopes that the EU resumes its development and economic support to Sudan which has been stopped after the coup d'etat that brought general Omer al-Bashir to power in June 1989.

CONTINUING WORRY

Speaking at the EU Parliament urgency debate, European commissioner for humanitarian aid and crisis management Christos Stylianides, expressed concern over the case, adding that the human rights situation in Sudan "constitutes a continuing worry" for the European Union.

The case of young lady "brings to the forefront many of the country's complex and interrelated human rights problems ranging from sexual violence, child and forced marriage to the continuing use of capital punishment," he stressed.

Stylianides who was in Khartoum in October 2017 pledged to continue to closely follow the case of Noura and raise it with the Sudanese authorities.

"The EU will continue to make use of the different means at our disposal to promote and protect girls' and women's human rights in Sudan," he further said.

He welcomed a statement by the Sudanese Minister of Justice last week to ratify the CEDAW.

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June 3, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The Qatari government on Sunday has renewed support for the resumption of Darfur peace talks on the bases of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD).

Qatari Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah bin Ahmed al-Mahmoud chairs the 11th meeting of the the International Follow-up Committee for DDPD Implementation in Khartoum on May 9, 2016 (ST Photo)

On Sunday, the Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir discussed with the Special Envoy of the Qatari Minister of Foreign Affairs for Combating Terrorism and Mediation in Conflict Resolution Mutlaq bin Majed Al-Qahtani ways to resume Darfur peace talks.

In press statements following the meeting, Al-Qahtani said the meeting discussed the various tracks of peace talks and ways to convince the holdout groups to join the process.

He stressed Qatar's support for the resumption of the talks on the basis of the DDPD, expressing hope these efforts would contribute to complete the peace process and achieve security in the region.

For his part, the Presidential Envoy for Diplomatic Contact and Negotiation for Darfur Amin Hassan Omer said the meeting discussed development programmes in Darfur as well as the resumption of peace talks.

He revealed a meeting would be held soon with the African Union representative to discuss the completion of the peace process and convince holdout groups to join the DDPD.

Omer pointed out that the recent meetings in Berlin were meant to reach a joint agreement on the resumption of the peace talks, saying they would focus on discussing IDPs and refugees return and stability in the region.

Last April, delegations representing the Government of Sudan, Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and Sudan Liberation Movement of Minni Minnawi ended two-day discussions in Berlin without signing a pre-negotiation agreement.

The two sides say willing for a negotiated settlement but failed to agree on how to proceed. The government put on the negotiating table the DDPD, but the armed groups say they want a new process on new bases, not this framework text signed in July 2011 with other former rebel groups.

The holdout groups including the JEM and SLM-MM refused to sign the DDPD in July 2011 and called to open the framework agreement for talks.

Other groups like the Sudan Liberation Movement - Abdel Wahid (SLM-AW) have declined to join the process and rejected its outcome.

The African Union High Implementation Panel (AUHIP) led by former South African President Thabo Mbeki proposed a holistic process to end the armed conflicts and produce political reforms in Sudan.

During the year 2015-2016, talks between the government and the SLM-MM and JEM failed to reach a tangible result despite international efforts to bring together the opposition groups and to narrow the gaps between them and the government.

Germany and the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) signed a deal to facilitate the two-track process for a comprehensive peace agreement in Sudan. Berlin already organised a number of meeting in this respect.

Last February, the Peace and Security Council of the African Union (PSC) urged the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) to make progress in the resolution of Darfur conflict during the upcoming three months.

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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June 3, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The Ethiopian Ambassador to Khartoum Mulugeta Zewdu on Sunday said 65% of the construction works of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) have been completed.

In statements to the official news agency SUNA, Zewdu said Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt would soon celebrate the completion of GERD construction.

He pointed out that the three countries managed to overcome their contention, saying all fears would disappear when the three parties reach a technical agreement on the dam.

The Ethiopian Ambassador underscored the three countries would benefit from the GERD.

Last month, Sudan, Ethiopia and Egypt have agreed on contentious issues pertaining to the technical impact studies and options for filling and operating the GERD.

The agreement was reached in a meeting of the ministerial committee on the GERD including foreign affairs and water ministers and heads of security and intelligence services of the three countries in Addis Ababa.

The agreement provides to send a letter to the consultant including observations and questions of the three countries on the introductory technical report and to discuss the response at the meeting of the national technical committee in Cairo.

Egypt in the past refused to accept queries from Sudan and Ethiopia on the terms of reference presented by the consultant firm.

But the most important point that the three countries agreed to set up a joint technical team - 5 members from each country- to study the filling of the GERD reservoir and operating the dam. Egypt withdrew its proposal to resort to the World Bank on the matter.

The move is seen as a major concession from Egypt ending an over a year-old outstanding issue. Ethiopia and Sudan strongly rejected the proposal, insisting they can resolve differences without involving a third party.

Also, it was agreed to hold two meetings in Cairo on 18 and 19 June. The first meeting would be held between the national technical committee and the consultant while the ministerial would meet to approve the introductory report after receiving the response of the consultant.

Following the Cairo meetings, the consultant would begin to prepare the social, ecological and economic impact studies as well as the hydrological study pertaining to the scenarios for filling the lake and operating the dam.

Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia in March 2015 signed a declaration of principles on the dam project that tacitly approves the dam construction but calls for technical studies aimed at safeguarding the water quotas of the three riparian states.

In September 2016, French engineering consultancy Artelia and BRL groups have been selected to undertake the dam impact studies. The U.K.-based law firm Corbett & Co was selected to manage the legal affairs of the tripartite committee.

The multi-billion dollar dam is being constructed on the Blue Nile, about 20 kilometres from the Sudanese border, and has a capacity of 74 billion cubic meters, and is expected to generate electrical power of up to 6,000 megawatts.

Egypt is concerned that the dam could reduce its quota of 55.5 billion cubic meters of the Nile water, while the Ethiopian side maintains that the dam is primarily built to produce electricity and will not harm Sudan and Egypt.

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June 3, 2018 (JUBA) - Ex SPLA chief of staff warned South Sudan president against insult and exposure of classified information, threatening to retaliate if he and his aides continue to damage his reputation.

S Sudan's President Salva Kiir is received by former Chief of General Staff of the SPLA Paul Malong Awan at the airport in Juba March 6, 2015 (Reuters)

"This is to inform President Salva Kiir Mayardit and his men, especially his Press Secretary Ateny Wek Ateny that they should cease from hurling insults at me and exposure of what they called sensitive and classified information to the public about the state matters and any other matter deemed so," said Paul Malong in a statement released on Sunday.

Last week, President Kiir said opposed to the participation of the Awan-led South Sudan United Front (SSUF) claiming that his former close friend was opposed to the peace agreement.

In return, Awan disclosed that in their meetings it was Kiir who was not refusing to sign the peace agreement. He added the president was backed by his information minister Michael Makuei Lueth.

Since, people circulated a message from Kiir's spokesperson, Ateny to a friend where he describes Awan as a corrupt man and pointed to the stepson of Gen Paul Malong, Lawrence Lual who is also known as the Young Tycoon.

Malong advised his former friend Kiir to direct his aides that " their loose lips ought to be zipped or else they will be attracting serious retaliatory statements".

He further said that if Kiir or his aides say anything in the future he would retaliate.

"Now that he is publicly exposing things he deemed classified, he ought to watch out that I will do the same to his satisfaction," he stressed.

Awan was the SPLA chief of staff from 24 April 2014 to 9 May 2017. During these three years, he reorganized the army and recruited thousands of militiamen to defend the regime of President Salva Kiir.

However, he was accused by the security service of seeking to overthrow the president, a claim he denies.

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