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Die USA, Kanada und Mexiko verhandeln nach US-Angaben ab August über eine Reform der gemeinsamen Freihandelszone Nafta. Die USA, Kanada und Mexiko verhandeln nach US-Angaben ab August über eine Reform der gemeinsamen Freihandelszone Nafta. Ein Aus für Nafta würde Jobs in der US-Autobranche bedrohen.

The post Gespräche über nordamerikanische Handelszone Nafta appeared first on EURACTIV.de.

Kárpát-medence-szerte 65-70 új óvoda létesülhet, és 265 óvoda megújulhat a magyar kormány külhoni óvodafejlesztési programjának első ütemében – mondta Grezsa István kormánybiztos a 28. Bálványosi Nyári Szabadegyetem és Diáktábor (Tusványos) panelbeszélgetésén szerdán. Jelezte: szeretnék, ha a program folytatódna. Kiemelte: a magyar anyanyelvű óvodásokat szeretnék a programmal támogatni, s egyúttal az a céljuk, hogy a magyar kisiskolások számát növeljék. A program 60 ezerben jelöli meg a lehetséges érintettek számát.

Kitért az egyházak szerepére is, jelezve: stratégiai partnerek voltak az előkészületek során. Grezsa István közlése szerint a megszólított stratégiai partnerek minden nemzetrésznél nagy volumenű forrásokat megmozgató elképzeléseket fogalmaztak meg.

A kormánybiztos elmondta, első ütemként 17,1 milliárddal indították el az óvodafejlesztési programot. Ennek fele a történelmi egyházak lebonyolításában zajlik, a másik fele világi lebonyolítókat von be a programba. Erdélyé a legnagyobb forrás, amelyet szorosan követ a Felvidék, csak itt közel kétszáz olyan település van, ahol a lakosságszám indokolná, de nincs magyar óvoda.

Jelezte: szeretnék a kormány elé terjeszteni a program folytatását, amely már a tömbmagyar területeket is érinthetné. A stratégiai partnereket felkérték az újabb programelemek kialakítására.

Grezsa István reményét fejezte ki, hogy a program nagyon komoly nemzeti identitást képző erő lesz a jövőben.

Burus-Siklósi Botond, a Romániai Magyar Pedagógus Szövetség elnöke kiemelte: az óvodák, bölcsődék, és az itt folyó programok megerősítése előrelépést hozhat a magyar iskolákba történő belépés terén is. A bővítések, felújítások mellett fontosnak tartotta a szakmai-módszertani tevékenység megerősítését. Játszóterek, óvodaudvarok mellett oktatási terek kialakítását is javasolták – idézte fel. Hozzátette: a következő napokban el is indulhatnak a különböző fejlesztések.

Ballai Zoltán, az Erdélyi Református Egyház egyházkerületi tanácsosa azt mondta: aki kétségbe vonja egy ilyen program létszükségletét, nem lát tovább a következő napnál. A program gyümölcsét tíz év múlva arathatják le, ez most még “bimbózó” alakban van. A bölcsőde, óvoda az a szint, ahol a gyermek megtanulja magyarul a meséket, tulajdonképpen itt kezdődik az élete – fogalmazott. Hangsúlyozta: nagyon kell a magyar bölcsőde, óvoda, s ez a program óriási lehetőség.

Farkas Zsolt, a Királyhágó-melléki Református Egyházkerület közigazgatási tanácsosa kiemelte: a program segítséget jelenthet az elvándorlás, illetve elrománosodás mérséklésében, megállításában is.

Ha a lehetőség biztosított, van magyar nyelvű óvoda, bölcsőde, a családok kétszer is meggondolják, hogy elhagyják-e az adott települést – vélte.

Közölte: náluk két helyen rövid időn belül megkezdődhet az építkezés, s a továbbiak is megvalósulhatnak 2018-ban.

Hajnal Jenő, a Magyar Nemzeti Tanács elnöke kiemelte: fontos szerepet játszik a Délvidéken is az óvodafejlesztés, ezért nagy elszántsággal fogadták a kezdeményezést. A fejlesztések közül kitért többek között arra, hogy hat óvodai szórványközpontot alakítanak ki, ezek mikrobuszokat is kapnának, s három szórványóvodát támogatnak. Minden településen, ahol magyar nyelvű oktatás folyik, magyar óvodai sarkokat alakítanak ki, és szeretnének Szabadkán gyakorlóóvodát létrehozni – jelezte a jövőbeni tervekről.

Kántor Zoltán, a Nemzetpolitikai Kutatóintézet igazgatója elmondta: kutatást indítottak, az óvodáskorúak demográfiai prognózisai mellett a beiratkozási trendeket is elemzik, s kitérnek az óvodaválasztási attitűdre.

At the end of 2015 the number of refugees worldwide stood at 65 million. There has never been more. Most people flee from their home countries to neighbouring ones, with Iraqis and Syrians seeking refuge in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey; the efforts of these host countries in accommodating refugees cannot be adequately appreciated. It is hard to imagine the views of people in these countries when we in Europe claim that our continent is ‘full’.

When discussing refugees arriving in Europe, people often speak of a ‘river’ or ‘stream’ of refugees; sometimes  even a ‘wave’, or a ‘tsunami’. This imagery transforms those who arrive into an indistinct mass; it deprives them of their individuality. It creates the impression of being faced with a natural disaster. But this situation is anything but a natural disaster. It was caused by humans, and the wars which forced so many from their homes. Only humans can alleviate it.

Cologne has been at the centre of public debate about refugee accommodation, notably in the light of the 2015 New Year’s Eve attacks against hundreds of girls and women by men predominantly from North Africa. Our city has, however, upheld its welcoming culture, and a wealth of initiatives continue to encourage the integration of those residents awarded refugee status, now numbering more than one percent of the city’s population.

“If integration works once, it increases the chances that it will be successful again”

Cologne has just over one million inhabitants, and our population grows by several thousand each year. Over the past two years nearly 14,000 refugees have arrived in Cologne, as well as several hundred children and teenagers who were travelling alone. Some weeks we had to take in 400 people who arrived without prior warning. It goes without saying that these arrivals constituted an immense challenge. First, we had to find safe accommodation, food and clothing. Next, language courses had to be organised, as well as school and kindergarten places.

But I believe that, thanks to a joint effort with our city’s associations and organisations, we have managed it quite well. We have set up approximately 180 preparatory classes, and about half of arrivals are housed in adequate living spaces.

We only succeeded in this endeavour because we started to create the appropriate framework conditions for hosting refugees many years ago. Over the past two decades committees have been set up to establish a collective consensus on integration measures. We worked to ensure adequate public funding from the State of North Rhine-Westphalia and the German federal government in Berlin. We established guidelines for the provision of accommodation and a roundtable to create societal consensus on issues involving refugees. We established a clear common understanding: it is worthwhile investing in all people, even if they do not have the chance of being granted permanent residency.

All of these actions have been helpful in mobilising civic power. A considerable number of Cologne citizens have volunteered to help, including many church members. Among the volunteers were those who had arrived in Cologne as refugees or so-called ‘guest workers’ – something I was particularly pleased about. They were integrated; now they help integrate others. What this demonstrates is that if integration works once, it increases the chances that it will be successful again.

For a city that grows every year the procurement of housing alone poses a challenge. Our financial resources are limited. The coffers of German local authorities are not plentiful, and this applies in particular to Cologne. We need billions of euros to invest in the creation of housing and other infrastructure to keep up with our growing population, but we do not command the necessary financial resources.

From the start, we in Cologne have aimed to house refugees throughout the city, rather than confining them to accommodation outside the city gates. But living space is limited, so we have had to resort to offering places in container villages, sports halls and old hotels. Nevertheless, it is our priority to move as many refugee families as possible into regular flats, and avoid ‘ghettoisation’. Having refugees live among us allows us to get to know each other and engage in everyday interactions, which is the best way to prevent segregation, envy and resentment. This is evident from the lack of support for right-wing populists – of which, unfortunately, there are quite a few across Germany – in areas with a large migrant population.

If 14,000 people from a completely different cultural background suddenly come to live in Cologne, whether temporarily or permanently, existing residents will experience the stress of a new situation. But we must never forget: our stress is insignificant compared to the stress of those who were forced to flee. 14,000 refugees is a lot of people, but for a city of one million this amounts to a mere 1.3%. Look at this another way: imagine 80 people sitting together in a restaurant when one more person enters. He or she will be sure to find a place.

Of course we must face the negative side: the appalling New Year’s Eve attacks, which remain unsolved. This is a bitter fact, not least for the female victims. Some of the perpetrators had fled from their countries. But they were a tiny minority of all refugees. And it is never right to blame a group as a whole for crimes committed by a few wrongdoers. The Cologne attacks have polarised the discussion on hosting refugees in Germany, and provided a platform for those who oppose it. But the influx of refugees over the past few years has neither changed the security situation, nor our willingness to welcome them in Cologne.

“Europe is first and foremost a continent of cities”

It is my conviction that refugees are an asset to us, even in an economic sense. In Germany refugees are often divided in the qualified ones that we want to keep, and the less qualified that we do not. I believe this to be wrong. In my opinion, each and every one can help us; we can provide education and training to everybody. Germany has an ageing population and will soon suffer from a shortage of skilled workers. This is another reason why we cannot afford to marginalise migrants.

We must also consider that most refugees have lost everything: their relatives, their homes, their communities. But they have not lost their skills and knowledge. They have undertaken a journey into the unknown to improve living conditions for themselves and their children.

The European Union has not yet been able to create the necessary solidarity between its member states to handle the arrival of refugees properly, and this lack of solidarity has driven the EU into a deep crisis.

We, the cities, cannot sit back and wait for this to be resolved. Europe is first and foremost a continent of cities. We have to give constructive answers each day to deal with people’s concerns and problems. The Social Affairs Forum of EUROCITIES – a network of major European cities- recently launched a ‘Solidarity Cities’ initiative. It is a model for progress and a sign of hope that European solidarity will grow from the ground upwards.

IMAGE CREDIT: strassenstriche.net

The post Cities can create European solidarity and trust between residents and refugees appeared first on Europe’s World.

Komolyzenei vetélkedünk újabb állomásához érkeztünk. A nyár derekán különösen szívesen hegyezzük füleinket fülbemászó dallamokra, amelyek építik tudatunkat, szárnyalásra késztetik lelkünket, hevítik érzékeinket, biztonságot és emelkedettséget kölcsönöznek érzelmeinknek. Ilyen muzsikákból válogattunk...

July 18, 2017 (YEI) - Children suffering from the ongoing violence and poverty in war-torn South Sudan have urged the country's political leaders to restore peace and stability in South Sudan's town of Yei.

South Sudan President Salva Kiir (C) poses for a picture after the government swearing in with his first deputy Riek Machar (R) and second deputy James Wani on 29 April 2016 (Photo Moses Lomayat)

The situation in Yei, located about 150 kilometres south of the capital, Juba is currently dire following last year's outbreak of the violent conflict.

According to the United Nations, 70% of the population in Yei town fled last year after fierce fighting erupted between government and opposition forces, leaving the largely a “ghost” town.

The ongoing conflict in Yei has prevented cultivating crops because of the ongoing insecurity, murders, abductions, rape, and lootings.

Some children are reportedly remaining in Yei town, including a number of orphans who have sought sanctuary at the Catholic founded Christ the King Primary School.

2 MILLION CHILDREN DISPLACED

Over 2,000 children have been killed or injured, and much more have witnessed horrific violence due to the raging civil war in South Sudan, the U.N Children Fund (UNICEF), said in a new report released on the eve of the country's independence.

Millions of children in South Sudan, it said, are suffering unthinkable hardships and setbacks in their education, nutrition, and health.

UNICEF released its report ahead of South Sudan's sixth Independence Day on 9 July.

According to UNICEF, more than two million children have been forced from their homes to escape the fighting in a country with the highest percentage of children out of school, in the world.

South Sudan's war, sparked when President Salva Kiir accused his former deputy Riek Machar of plotting a coup in 2013, has been marked by numerous atrocities against civilians despite the presence of thousands of UN peacekeeping troops.

(ST)

Un analyste n'est digne de ce nom et ne mérite votre confiance que s'il se garde de toute subjectivité. Il sait qu'il ne doit pas céder au sentiment ambiant et qu'en aucun cas il ne " hurlera avec les loups ".

Cet article « Plan Merkel » ? est apparu en premier sur JeuneAfrique.com.

 Az amerikai Legfelsőbb Bíróság tegnap úgy határozott, hogy elfogadja Donald Trump migráns ellenes politikáját, míg újabb döntés nem születik ez ügyben, viszont nagyobb rugalmasságot enged meg 6 közel keleti és afrikai országból érkezetteknek. Az intézmény októberben fogja felülvizsgálni a migránsellenes érveket. A jelenlegi rendelet 90 napig nyújt vízumot Líbia, Irán, Szomália, Szudán, Szíria és Jemenből érkezett számára.

 Vertikális földgázfolyosó létrehozásáról írt alá memorandumot Bulgária, Görögország, Magyarország és Románia tegnap Bukarestben – közölte a román Transgaz gázvállalat. Így lehetővé teszik az energiaszállítást Görögországból az Európai Unió irányába Bulgárián, Románián és Magyarországon keresztül, biztosítva a kétirányú szállítás technikai feltételeit. A nyilatkozatot tavaly szeptemberben fogadták el Budapesten, akkor írták alá a bolgár–román–magyar–osztrák gázfolyosó 179 millió eurós támogatási szerződését.

Úgynevezett vertikális földgázfolyosó létrehozásáról írt alá memorandumot Bulgária, Görögország, Magyarország és Románia szerdán Bukarestben – közölte a román Transgaz gázvállalat.

A memorandumot a négy ország gázhálózatát működtető és kezelő vállalatok vezetői írták alá. Magyarországot a Mol-csoport részét képező FGSZ képviselte.

A Transgaz közleménye szerint az emlékeztetőben a felek megerősítették szándékukat, hogy összekötik a négy ország gázhálózatát, és lehetővé teszik az energiaszállítást Görögországból az Európai Unió irányába Bulgárián, Románián és Magyarországon keresztül, biztosítva a kétirányú szállítás technikai feltételeit. A memorandum képezi a jövőbeli együttműködés alapját.

A vertikális földgázfolyosó létrehozásáról tavaly szeptember 9-én Budapesten fogadtak el nyilatkozatot. Akkor írták alá a bolgár-román-magyar-osztrák gázfolyosó 179 millió eurós támogatási szerződését a közép- és délkelet-európai földgáz-összeköttetések megteremtését és az energiabiztonság megerősítését célzó CESEC munkacsoport miniszteri ülésén. Akkor egyetértési megállapodás született Ukrajna, Románia, Bulgária és Görögország szállítási rendszer irányítói között a transz-balkáni földgázvezeték kétirányúsításáról is.

A CESEC 2015. februárjában alakult, miután Oroszország leállította a Déli Áramlat projektet. A résztvevő országok: Ausztria, Bulgária, Görögország, Horvátország, Magyarország, Olaszország, Románia, Szlovákia, Szlovénia és az Európai Bizottság. Az együttműködés feladata összehangolni a határokon átnyúló energetikai projektek fejlesztését és végrehajtását.

July 19, 2017 (JUBA) - The United Nations says it plans to open a new base in the conflict-hit Yei region of South Sudan if the warring parties allow its peacekeepers unfettered access to outlying villages.

The Head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), David Shearer, visited the town yesterday on a mission to assess the needs of the community against the value of establishing a base.

The head of the UN mission in the country (UNMISS), David Shearer said several conditions must be met before the world body commits to a new base, including guaranteed access for peacekeepers to areas outside the town, the cooperation of local authorities, and a grassroots peace process that is genuinely inclusive.

“There's no point just talking to your friends. You have to talk to your enemies too or there will be no peace,” said Shearer.

Yei, an agricultural area that was relatively peaceful, became volatile in 2016 when violence erupted between government and Opposition forces as they fought for control over the strategic region.

Due to the renewed violence, most of the population reportedly fled, leaving Yei a ghost town, which it largely remains today amidst the ongoing violence, human rights abuses, and extreme poverty.

Shearer, however, expressed concerns that Yei region, the former breadbasket of war-torn South Sudan instead needed food aid.

“Everything you would want is here and yet it has been destroyed by war. Seventy per cent of the population is no longer here. They are in refugee camps or displaced.

"That's the real tragedy so whatever we can do to try and support bringing back Yei to what it was, we will try and do,” he said.

Members of Yei State Transitional Legislative Assembly, Christian and Muslim religious leaders, women and youth representatives support the establishment of a new UN base in the town to provide protection and help build a durable peace.

The state assembly speaker, Naphtali Hassen Gale, said there was little evidence of rule of law in the town and many crimes were tolerated instead of being prosecuted.

“This had created a breakdown between the Government and the people and it would take time to restore confidence again,” stressed Gale.

But while a local peace agreement was signed last month, many in the community say, unless killings, abduction, rape and robberies stop, there is little hope of enduring peace or the recovery of the once vibrant and prosperous Yei region.

UNMISS was established on 8 July 2011 by UN Security Council Resolution 1996 (2011). As of August 2015, it comprised of 12,523 total personnel, 11,350 military, and 1,173 police personnel. It is headquartered in the South Sudanese capital Juba.

(ST)

July 19, 2017 (WASHINGTON) - U.S. State Department Wednesday once again praised Sudan for its counterterrorism cooperation with the American agencies and described the east African country as a "cooperative partner" despite its designation as a pariah state.

In June 2016 Washington for the first time publically praised Khartoum for its cooperation on counterterrorism. Also in September of last year, it acknowledged Sudan's efforts in the global fight of the Islamic State group.

However, in its annual report on international terrorism for 2016 released on Wednesday, the State Department underscored Sudan's positive cooperation but maintained the east African country in its small list of "State Sponsors of Terrorism" with Iran and Syria.

"(...) Countering terrorism is today a national security priority for Sudan, and Sudan is a cooperative partner of the United States on counterterrorism, despite its continued presence on the State Sponsors of Terrorism List," said the report which is released on Wednesday.

The State Department stated that during the year 2016 there were no terrorist attacks in Sudan. It further said the Sudanese government didn't tolerate or assist terrorist groups during the period covered by this report.

"Reports indicate that the Government of Sudan ceased providing Hamas (with) any direct support as they did in years past," it added.

In its report of 2015, the State Department mentioned Sudan cooperation to counter the terrorist threats but pointed to the declining support for Hamas which had been in the past allowed to raise funds, travel, and live in Sudan.

Following the signing of the five-track framework in 2016, Khartoum has enhanced its cooperation to combat terrorist groups in the region the reports stressed.

"The Sudanese government has taken steps to improve its counterterrorism efforts through enhanced interagency and international cooperation to address the ISIS threat".

Recently, President Donald Trump postponed the lift of economic sanctions on Sudan but underlined Khartoum's cooperation on counterterrorism. The State Department pointed to the need to further discuss human rights, religious freedom and Sudan's commitment to UN sanctions on North Korea.

Being a designated as a sponsor of terror, Sudan remains under a special regime of sanctions including a ban on arms-related exports and sales; controls over exports of dual-use items, prohibitions on economic assistance and imposition of financial and other restrictions.

Sudan was labelled as a State Sponsor of Terrorism on August 12, 1993, for its support to three Palestinian terrorist groups, including the Abu Nidal Organisation, Palestine Islamic Jihad, Hamas, and Hizballah.

(ST)

July 19, 2017 (JUBA) - South Sudan's rebel leader, Riek Machar said the late Kawac Makuei Mayar, who died last Saturday, deserves a state burial for roles he played in the struggle for self-determination and the independence of South Sudan.

South Sudan's opposition leader Riek Machar speaks during a briefing in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa April 9, 2016 (Photo Reuters/ Tiksa Negeri)

Machar said he learnt of the death of Mayar, a war veteran and one of the founding members of South Sudan's 1983 rebel movement, with sadness.

He described the departed veteran politician as a committed nationalist who fought for self-determination and independence of South Sudan from neighbouring Sudan.

“He [Mayar] shall also be remembered for his courage, honesty and integrity. Above all, he was a friendly person," said Machar on Wednesday.

"He shall be missed not only by his family but all. He was a towering figure in the political life of South Sudan that deserves state burial in recognition of his role”, he added.

Kawac died on Saturday morning in Juba on a return trip from Cairo, Egypt, where he sought medical attention. It was not clear what the illness with which he was battling and the level of severity that took him to Egypt for treatment, and whether or not the death is associated with the condition of his health. The family members have confirmed he died but did not release the detail to the public.

LEGACY OF THE LATE VETERAN COMMANDER

The veteran soldier became a towering figure after taking to the bush and fought in the first, second and third wars as a leader in the Anyanya one during the First Sudanese Civil War in 1955. When the first war ended in 1972 with the signing of the peace agreement in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, he decided to return to the bush in 1983 when peace could not meet the expectations of South Sudanese and became one of the founding members of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM).

He, however, joined the Anyanya 1 movement between 1962 and 1963 and became a major by the time the Addis Ababa Accord of 1972 was signed. He did not integrate into the Sudanese army but served in the regional government brought by the peace agreement as a member of parliament in Juba. Kawac became Commander of the Jamus battalion in the SPLA, resulting into a successful operation into Wathkec, on the Mouth of the Jonglei Cana, in February 1984 as the commanding officer of Jamus brigade.

His military knowledge and experience reportedly resulted into successful military operations that opened up the way for recruits from Bahr el Ghazal, western and northern Upper Nile regions to pass to the military training camps in Ethiopia.

Kawac inspired and trekked with thousands of recruits from Bahr el Ghazal for a long walk to Ethiopia at the inception of the movement. He fell out with late John Garang, founding leader of the SPLM in September 1984 over the death of Benjamin Bol Akok, a former minister in the regional government in Juba. Late Akok whose death annoyed Kawac and protested it was the first SPLM official representative to the United Kingdom (UK) when the movement was founded. Akok was killed in Ethiopia on his way to London after visiting the headquarters of the SPLM at the Sudan and Ethiopia border. His death caused commotion, resulting in the arrest of commander Kawac in September 1984.

Garang, it is said, feared Kawac would mobilize men he recruited and who formed the majority of the rebel forces against the leadership of the movement in which he also arrested several other influential figures in the movement, centralizing leadership around him.

Kawac left the movement after the split in 1991 forced his release and on 21 April 1997 and he was among southern leaders who signed the Khartoum Peace Agreement of 1997, representing the Bahr al-Ghazal Independence Movement for Southern Sudan. The Agreement provided for self-governance of the south during a transitional period when a referendum would be held on the future form of government. That agreement was boycotted by the faction under the leadership of John Garang with whom he fell out and the left the movement.

He was appointed governor of Northern Bahr el Ghazal State as part of the provisions of the peace agreement. In June 1998 an attack was made on his house, apparently by members of a rival pro-government militia. When the civil war ended in January 2005, Kawac Makuei was appointed Chairperson of the Southern Sudan War Veterans Commission by the Government of South Sudan.

In February 2010, he declared his candidacy for governorship of Northern Bahr el Ghazal state, running on the United Democratic Salvation Front platform. In the April 2010 election, the incumbent Paul Malong Awan of the SPLM got 162,209, General Dau Aturjong Nyuol won 84,452 and Kawac Makuei Kawac trailed with 9,854 votes.

(ST)

Face à la reprise des combats dans deux régions du Soudan du Sud, le Sous-Secrétaire général aux opérations de maintien de la paix, El Ghassim Wane, a appelé le Conseil de sécurité à fournir un « appui actif » à l'initiative de l'IGAD d'organiser un forum visant à relancer la mise en œuvre de l'accord de paix de 2015.

The United Nations health agency is scaling up cholera response in South Sudan, where 17,785 cases, including 320 deaths, have been reported since the outbreak in June 2106.

Highlighting challenges facing South Sudan, a senior United Nations official today underlined that overcoming obstacles borne of a volatile combination of insecurity and political uncertainty is critical for the war-torn country to be put on the track to peace and stability.

Urgent action is needed now towards the meaningful participation of women in peace processes, as well ensuring their voices are heard in all aspects of society, the United Nations deputy chief told reporters in Abuja today as part of a first-ever UN-African Union trip focused on women, peace and security.

Amid the worst drought in nearly two decades in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the United Nations agricultural agency is calling for emergency food assistance, as well as irrigation and farming equipment, to help farmers get through the lean season.

The scales have tipped for the first time in the fight against AIDS as more than half of all people living with the HIV virus now have access to treatment, while AIDS-related deaths have nearly halved since 2005, according to a new United Nations report.

Expressing deep concern over a surge in tensions and violence around the holy esplanade of Jerusalem&#39s Old City, the United Nations envoy on Middle East peace today called for de-escalation of the situation.

Highlighting challenges facing South Sudan, a senior United Nations official today underlined that overcoming obstacles borne of a volatile combination of insecurity and political uncertainty is critical for the war-torn country to be put on the track to peace and stability.