Africa

South Africa's African National Congress (ANC) has gained its lowest share of the vote since apartheid ended in 1994 - the BBC's Milton Nkosi looks at four things the poll has shown.

In Tanzania the government has banned sugar imports to protect the country's own sugar growers, but many food and drinks firms say this is affecting their production and profits.

Senegal's Lamine Sane and Nigerian duo Victor Obinna and Chinedu Obasi all sign for new clubs ahead of the new season in Europe.

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

August 4, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese Presidential Assistant Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamid reiterated his government refusal for a national dialogue preparatory meeting, adding that talks on the cessation of hostilities and humanitarian access will start immediately after the signing of the Roadmap Agreement by the opposition.

Presidential Assistant, Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamid (SUNA Photo)

In a press conference held on Thursday, Hamid announced that the government received an invitation from the African Union High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) to resume talks on the Two Areas and Darfur from nine to eleven August, stressing the government readiness to reach a peace agreement.

"There is no room for a preparatory conference. The dialogue mentioned in the Roadmap Agreement is the one the President of the Republic called for in his speech of 2014," he said.

"Once the opposition signs the roadmap we will hasten to sign an agreement on the cessation of hostilities and to end war permanently, after what we will move to the humanitarian access," he added.

Following a meeting last July in Paris, the opposition Sudan Call groups said they would sign the Roadmap Agreement after talks with the AUHIP head on eight August .

They further said they received reassurances from the Chief Mediator Thabo Mbeki that the meeting mentioned in the Roadmap is actually the preparatory meeting and it would be inclusive as they can compose their delegation from all the factions of the opposition umbrella.

The presidential aide who leads the government negotiating delegation said that the government rejects the existence of two separate armies in the country adding that the political arrangements will be synchronized with the security arrangements.

The Sudanese official was referring to a demand by the Sudan Liberation Movement - North (SPLM-N) to maintain two armies during the transitional period until the full implementation of the peace agreement.

Regarding the talks with the armed groups in Darfur region; he said the framework agreement with these groups would not take more than two weeks. He further added that the international community formed a commission to follow the implementation of security arrangements.

On the power sharing in the transitional government after end of the process, the presidential assistant said "We do not want a large ministerial government but if the power sharing would stop war we have no objection to increase the cabinet members because the bill of war is expensive".

The Sudanese official told reporters that the African Union roadmap includes two steps to end the Sudanese crisis peacefully. The first is to end the armed conflicts and the second is to discuss the national issues in an inclusive national dialogue .

He added the purpose of the ongoing dialogue is to come out with a national document to manage the affairs of the state, but also through which an agreement will be reached on a system of governance and a permanent constitution will be adopted.

"The national document not be made by political parties alone, but all the Sudanese will be involved through the societal dialogue," he added.

In a related development the opposition Future Forces of Change (FFC) announced they received an invitation from the AUHIP to attend the signing of the Roadmap Agreement by the opposition Sudan Call and the launch of talks on security arrangements and humanitarian assistance from 9 to 11 August.

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By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

August 4, 2016 (ADDIS ABABA) – A Chinese company has commenced the construction of a major power transmission line project which will link grids of Ethiopia with Kenya.

The Grand Renaissance Dam is under construction on the Blue Nile River in Ethiopia. (Photo AFP/William Lloyd-George)

The firm, China Electric Power Equipment and Technology (CET) announced it has launched the construction of the $ 1.26 billion mega project this week.

The 500 KV transmission line which originates in Ethiopia's Wolayita Sodo will have power transferring capacity of 2,000 MW and runs about 1,045km, of which 445km stretches into Ethiopia's territory.

Kenya has a signed agreement to purchase 400 megawatts of electricity from Ethiopia but Nairobi says it wants to raise the power imports by multiple folds when Ethiopia completes the power plant projects currently under construction.

Currently, electricity access in Kenya's rural areas stands at around 4% however the government plans to boost power supply by tenfold to 40% by 2020 in a bid to curtail chronic power shortage.

The East African nation further intends to replace the fossil fuel based thermal energy by importing the mainly hydro-power processed clean and cheap energy from sources in Ethiopia.

According to the African Development Bank the joint power interconnection will guarantee electricity access to around 870,000 households by 2018.

The joint venture slated for completion in 2017 will be jointly funded by the World Bank and the African Development Bank.

Sudan Tribune has learnt that the project launch ceremony took place on Monday at Wolayta Sodo, some 420 km south of the capital, Addis Ababa, in the presence of officials from the state power utility, Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP) and the Chinese company.

Mokenen Kasa, a political analyst based in Addis Ababa sees benefits of such joint venture between countries beyond economic benefits.

“Such cooperation not only does it boost Ethiopia's economy by generating foreign currency but also bolsters ties among countries which would have crucial role to foster regional peace and stability” Mokenen told Sudan Tribune.

He said countries should widely engage in peaceful co-operation to maintain stability and thereby to harness strategic and economic benefits.

According to official estimates, Ethiopia has potential power production capacity 60,000MW from hydro, geothermal, wind and solar energy.

The country is putting huge investments in building hydropower plants intending to become prime regional power exporter, with a potential of $1bn a year in revenues from renewable power.

Ethiopia currently exports electricity to Sudan, Djibouti and Kenya.

It also has plans to link its grids with South Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania and Yemen.

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Brazil experience a frustrating start to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games as they are held by 10-man South Africa in Brasilia.

Wakonta Kapunda, 25, is paralysed from the neck down, so she uses her tongue to write film scripts as she pursues her dream of being a screenwriter.

Nigerian Islamist militant group Boko Haram now has two rival leaders - Nigeria analyst Andrew Walker looks at whether the split will make it more or less dangerous.

August 4, 2016 (JUBA) – South Sudanese new First Vice President, Taban Deng Gai, said security reforms promised in the August 2015 peace agreement is still on course despite his view to speed up reunification of the rival armies in the country.

Gai, who replaced former First Vice President, Riek Machar, last week as new leader of the armed opposition faction of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO) in Juba, called for integration of rival forces before the eighteen months period enshrined in the peace deal.

“We must go along with full implementation of the peace agreement. This peace is for all South Sudanese and it talks about reforms. We are going to reform the army and other law enforcement agencies by providing them with resources that enable them to become professional and able to serve the people,” said Gai, speaking to leaders of the Federal Democratic Movement, a section of military officers that broke away from the SPLM-IO in July 2015.

The Federal Democratic Movement leaders, led by General Gathoth Gatkuoth, on Tuesday declared allegiance to the new SPLM-IO leader, Gai.

Gai said as part of his plan to restore peace in the South Sudanese capital, Juba, illegal arms will be collected and military barracks will be moved out of the city.

“We are going to collect all arms in hands of civilians so that they are only in the hands of the army, police and other security organs. We shall move the army from the population centers to their respective cantonment sites where they shall be retrained and under one command of chief of general of staff,” he added.

He did not indicate when exactly that will start.

The new first vice president said schools, health and shopping centers will be built at the military sites away from the civil population.

SPLA barracks, including the headquarters of Presidential Guards, are within civilian neighbourhoods in Juba. According to the peace agreement, Juba should have been demilitarized before forming Transitional Government of National Unity (TGONU).

The process however failed to materialize as tens of thousands of government troops continue to live in Juba.

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August 4, 2016 (GENEVA) – United Nations (UN) has said preliminary investigations into recent fighting in South Sudan, and its aftermath, have revealed that forces loyal to President Salva Kiir carried out killings and rapes, and looted and destroyed properties.

The UN human rights chief on Thursday called on the Security Council to take stronger action against the perpetrators of the crimes.

“Tensions remain very high, and violations continue to take place in Juba and other parts of the country,” said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, after providing a written update to the Security Council on the preliminary findings of ongoing UN investigations into the five days of fighting that began in the capital Juba on 7 July, and its aftermath.

The UN human rights top official said that information received by UN human rights officers suggested that hundreds of fighters and civilians were killed during the initial fighting.

It said while some civilians were killed in crossfire between the fighting forces, others were reportedly summarily executed by government's SPLA soldiers, who appeared to have specifically targeted people of Nuer origin.

The report cited as examples two separate incidents on 11 July in which soldiers of the national army, known as the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) reportedly arrested eight Nuer civilians during house-to-house searches in Juba's Munuki area and took them to two nearby hotels, where they shot four of them. On the same day, SPLA soldiers broke into another hotel where they shot and killed a Nuer journalist.

At least 73 civilian deaths have been catalogued so far by the UN, but it is believed the civilian death toll may in fact turn out to be much higher. The UN said it was denied access to some of the hardest-hit areas in the days following the conflict and a number of restrictions on movement remain in place.

“The fighting also resulted in widespread sexual violence, including rape and gang rape by soldiers in uniform and men in plain clothes,” Zeid said, adding that Nuer, Dinka and women from the three Equatorian states were all targeted, along with foreign nationals. Many victims were minors.

“We have documented at least 217 cases of sexual violence in Juba between 8 and 25 July,” Zeid said.

“In a few areas, women from various ethnic groups were raped by heavily armed youth believed to be affiliated to the SPLA in Opposition (SPLA/IO),” the report said.

“However, according to the information we have gathered so far, those most affected were displaced Nuer women and girls and those responsible seem to have been mostly SPLA.”

“Sexual violence continued after the initial fighting subsided and over 100 women and girls are reported to have been raped or gang-raped on the road leading out of Juba towards Yei. On 18 July, for example, 35 women and girls were reportedly raped in two separate incidents: firstly, 28 women, including 12 minors, were allegedly assaulted at an SPLA checkpoint at the Jebel Junction on the Yei Road; and in the second incident that day, seven other women were reportedly raped on the road between two Protection of Civilians sites, where people – mostly Nuer — displaced by earlier rounds of fighting are protected by UNMISS peacekeepers,” it further said.

During the five days of fighting in Juba, it added, thousands more people were forcibly displaced, and many civilians were denied access to safety in UN compounds by SPLA soldiers manning the various checkpoints that sprang up across Juba.

“There have also been reports of forced recruitment by the SPLA, including of children, in Bor,” it said.

The UN High Commissioner urged the Transitional Government of National Unity to restore dialogue and take steps to ensure justice and accountability, and called on the international community to put real pressure on the government to halt violence and respect the life of all South Sudanese.

“The severity of the recent violence, and the very dangerous ethnic undertone, call for urgent action by the Security Council,” he said.

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August 4, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - The Representative of nearly 3000 Sudanese staff of the hybrid peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID) said that their open-ended strike will continue until the United Nations headquarters commit itself in writing to the implementation of their demands.

Since last Thursday, UNAMID national staff members have gone on strike over alleged non-payment of due benefits. Also they ask to address all the outstanding entitlements, including the risk allowance, to be consistent with the increase in salaries in the period from 2012 to 2015.

The head of the UNAMID National Staff Union Khalil Tkras told Sudan Tribune on Thursday that they are determined to continue their strike adding that "It is the first strike in the history of the United Nations to last for more than one week in order to deliver specific demands to the UN headquarters".

Tkras further said they had a meeting with the UNMAID chief Martin Uhomoibhi and his aides to reach an agreement leading to suspend the strike and achieve their demands.

He pointed that they had informed Uhomoibhi they will continue the strike until they receive a written response from New York.

He added the head of UNAMID asked them to stop the protest first. But they refused, stressing that their movement is peaceful "despite the provocations of the mission and in spite of repeated reminders of UN rules and regulations".

DISRUPTION OF UNAMID OPERATIONS

However, the hybrid mission on Thursday issued a statement on the strike, saying it was "deeply concerned" about the ongoing protest action by the Sudanese staff.

"The strike has been accompanied by reports of attempts to disrupt the Mission's operations by locking entry gates to key areas in the Mission's headquarters in El Fasher and coercing non-participating staff members as well as individual contractors not to perform their duties," said the statement.

''UNAMID wishes to stress that such actions are in breach of UN rules and regulations as well as staff members' obligations as international civil servants,'' UNAID further stressed.

However, the head of the national staff union stressed that the strike is a guaranteed right in the United Nations conventions, and cannot be considered as a violation or breach of the laws.

He pointed out that the manner in which the mission has issued the warning indicates a degree of "bad intentions" and "demonstrates that it does ignore the United Nations Principles".

Tkras further strongly denied attempts to obstruct the work of other colleagues or to lock entry gates. He added that what had happened during the first day of the strike they wanted to avoid that some try to infiltrate the UNAMID local staff, adding they wanted to protect the mission not and not damaging it.

The UNAMID said it implemented the new salary scale and payment of national staff salaries in US dollars, with an effect from September 2015.

"All retroactive payments due to staff have been paid in full," the statement emphasized.

Here again, the head of the national staff union categorically denied receiving the retroactive payments.

He described as "misleading" the statement. He added that the salary review was conducted in September 2015 but it was only made public in February 2016. Also, he said they didn't receive any payment of what is claimed in the statement.

The hybrid mission said it would keep seeking to resolve the concerns of the national staff adding that "Any action by staff members that may negatively impact mandate delivery or disrupt daily operations, should, therefore, be avoided".

There are some 2,900 local workers in the hybrid peacekeeping mission which is deployed in Darfur since December 2007.

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August 4, 2016 (JUBA) - South Sudan transitional national legislative assembly held the first sitting Thursday and unanimously endorsed Anthony Lino Makana as it's speaker.

Lino Makana reacts to his nomination to be the parliament speaker at SPLM Cancus meeting in Juba on July 27, 2016 (ST Photo)

The assembly has been expanded to 400 members from 332 in accordance to the peace accord. The amred opposition nominated 50 MPs. Only 20 opposition MPs attended the first sitting and were sworn and the 10 others nominated by from other political parties.

It is not clear if the absence of the armed opposition MPs is a protest to the leadership of first Vice President Taban Deng Gai who replaced armed opposition leader, Riek Machar.

Makana, who represents Yambio county in South Sudan's Western Equatoria, called on the country's rival forces to cease hostilities for peace to prevail in the young nation.

"We have to work hard to implement the peace agreement in spirit and letter. Our people have suffered enough and it is time to end the war in the whole country," he explained.

The outgoing speaker Mannese Magok Rundial pledged to cooperate with his successor. Magok, an MP from former Unity State in Greater Upper Nile Region, had to step down in accordance to the peace agreement that required a speaker from Equatoria region.

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August 4, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan and Italy on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understating (MoU) on combating crime, illegal migration and borders issues.

This handout picture released by the Italian police on June 8, 2016 shows Medhanie Yehdego Mered, 35, an Eritrean suspected of controlling a migrant trafficking network, escorted by policemen upon his extradition from Sudan to Italy late on June 6, 2016. (AFP Photo)

In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune, the Italian Embassy in Khartoum said the MoU was signed in Rome on Wednesday in the presence of Interior Ministry officials and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Head of the Italian Police, Dr. Franco Gabrielli, and his Sudanese counterpart, General Hashim Osman Al Hussein.

“The agreement falls within the broader framework of cooperation between Sudan and the European Union on migration issues, in particular the "Khartoum Process (launched in Italy in the autumn of 2014) and the “EU Emergency Trust Fund to tackle root causes of irregular migration in Africa Emergency Trust Fund for stability and addressing root causes of irregular migration and displaced persons in Africa” (launched in November 2015 at the Summit of La Valletta)” pointed the statement.

The statement further noted that the MoU represents the finishing line of a series of negotiations between the two countries which lasted several months and were carried out under the strong impulse given by the Italian Embassy in Sudan.

In June, Sudan arrested an Eritrean man suspected of controlling one of the world's four largest criminal migrant trafficking organizations and handed him to Italy.

The statement pointed that the MoU has covered some fundamental points such as fighting international organized crime, illegal immigration, trafficking human beings, telecommunications and financial crimes (such as money laundering), counterfeiting of documents and corruption

“The MoU has included a series of articles related to the repatriation of citizens who remain irregularly in the respective countries,” says the statement.

"This signature is essential for the clear differentiation between the citizens of the two countries, who we mutually consider welcome guests in our respective territories, and those citizens who have no right to remain in the territories of the two states" explained the Italian Ambassador in Sudan, Fabrizio Lobasso in the margins of the meeting.

Concerning the implementation of the MoU, the statement pointed that the Sudanese authorities will send a list of priority projects and issues on which to work on together in order to organize short and long term missions of respective officials.

The Italian embassy hailed the agreement saying that it is a tangible Italian success, resulting from Italy's engagement in migration issues in Africa, of which the well-known Migration Compact, launched by the Government at the international level a few months .

In February, The European Commission announced a 100 million euro package to support Sudan to address root causes of irregular migration and displaced persons.

The 100 million euro come in line with the Valletta plan, and EU Emergency Trust Fund for stability and addressing root causes of irregular migration and displaced persons in Africa. The EU financial support aims to boost socio-economic development and self-reliance.

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August 4, 2016 (JUBA) – South Sudan's largest opposition party, the Democratic Change Party (DCP) has fired its chairman Lam Akol during a meeting held in Juba, Wednesday.

Lam Akol, chairman of South Sudan's main opposition party (AFP/Samir Bol Photo)

The decision followed Akol's resignation as the opposition party's leader this week.

Onyoti Adigo Nyikuach, the DCP leader in South Sudanese Parliament said Akol's decision to resign as chairman of the DCP during a “crucial time” was unacceptable.

“One who refuses to work as the chairperson of the party at this crucial time can no longer be a member of the party,” he said after a meeting held at the party headquarters.

The party executives appointed Donald Gideon as the acting chairperson of the DCP.

Akol resigned from transitional government of national unity (TGONU) last month and made his decision public in a press conference held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He accused President Salva Kiir of abrogating the August 2015 Peace Agreement and pledged “to work with other link-minded compatriots” outside Juba to effect a change.

He did not, however, disclose if the new change of what he called “eco-centric” system under the leadership of President Kiir would involve the use of armed rebellion.

The national alliance, headed by Akol, nominated Kornelio Kon Ngu as its leader on Monday. Kon was the South Sudanese deputy minister of agriculture and food security.

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Cheikhou Kouyate scores twice as West Ham mark the first match at their new home by beating NK Domzale to reach the Europa League play-off round.

The Egyptian military says it has killed the head of the Sinai branch of so-called Islamic State, along with dozens of its fighters, in air strikes.

The disputed leader of Boko Haram says he is still in charge of Nigeria's militant Islamist group despite a statement by so-called Islamic State that he had been replaced.

One of Nigeria's most high profile pastors gets social media cooking with comments about what makes an ideal spouse.

August 3, 2015 (JUBA) – At least 6 million people in South Sudan are in need of humanitarian assistance, with a quarter of a million children facing severe and acute malnutrition, a senior United Nations official has disclosed.

UN humanitarian chief Stephen O'Brien (UN Photo)

“Forced displacement remains a defining feature of the crisis, with some 1.6 million people internally displaced, and more than 900,000 having fled to neighboring countries, including more than 60,000 who fled to Uganda in July alone,” Stephen O'Brien, the under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs said Wednesday.

Last month, violence in the South Sudan capital, killed nearly 300 people lives, as rival forces loyal to President Salva Kiir clashed with those allied to Riek Machar.

According to O'Brien, South Sudan remains one of the most fragile nations in the world.

“The humanitarian response plan for 2016 is only 40 percent funded, leaving a gap of $765 million. More funding is urgently required for the scale-up of the response across the country,” said the official, who recently visited South Sudan.

The UN emergency humanitarian coordinator also condemned attacks on aid workers operating in South Sudan as well as seizure of assets belonging to humanitarian agencies, urging the country's authorities to investigate and act against such matters.

“We humanitarians are here in South Sudan to save lives and for no other reason. Our task and demand by the UN and beyond is to impartially meet the urgent and severe humanitarian and protection needs of the millions of suffering people in this country,” he stressed.

At least 60,000 people have fled South Sudan's recent violence in the capital city of Juba, bringing to nearly 900,000 the overall number of South Sudanese refugees in neighbouring nations since December 2013, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said.

However, with over 2.6 million of its citizens forcibly displaced, South Sudan reportedly ranks among countries with the highest levels of conflict-induced population displacement globally as an estimated half of the population rely on humanitarian aid.

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