Africa

The Ivorian Football Federation appeals to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) against an alleged decision by Caf to strip the country of the 2021 Nations Cup.

Born in London, raised in Dublin and now a Tunisia international, Ayman Ben Mohamed has travelled an unusual road to this month's Fifa Club World Cup.

The US national security adviser says they are using underhand methods to expand their influence.

The Egypt FA now says it is interested in bidding to stage the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, pending government approval.

Lolu Tenabe is one of the only female superbike riders in Nigeria.

Ethiopia brings together the more than 80 national or ethnic groups that live in the country in a celebration of diversity.

Claudiah Wanjiru says that after a difficult journey her scars have made her beautiful.

Joseph Warungu says the struggle for gender equality in Kenyan politics is failing on many fronts.

Five years ago, Daniel lost everything to Ebola. Now he's training to become a doctor.

Foreign navies have played a key role in curbing piracy off Somalia's coast, writes the BBC's Anne Soy.

Six survivors speak about how a day of revelry turned into tragedy in Uganda as a party boat sank.

December 7, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir on Saturday would travel to Addis Ababa to participate in the Ethiopian Nations, Nationalities and People's Day celebration amid speculation that the Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki will also be there.

In January 2018, Sudan accused Eritrea of supporting rebel groups and closed the border after the deployment of thousands of troops. Four months later, Asmara accused Sudan, Ethiopia and Qatar of supporting armed opposition groups to overthrow President Isaias Afewerki's government.

But in July, Ethiopia and Eritrea reconciled and normalized relations between the two neighbouring countries.

The participation of President Afwerki in Ethiopia's celebration will be the first of its kind since the two countries resumed formal relations following two decades of rupture.

However, it is not certain that the Ethiopian Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, will be able to bring al-Bashir and Afwerki together on the sidelines of the celebration.

It is noteworthy that Ahmed has launched several initiatives to give Asmara a way to come in from the cold as he mediated between Afwerki and leaders of Somalia and Djibouti.

Last September the IGAD Council of Minister said it would discuss the normalization of relations between Djibouti and Eritrea; and between Eritrea and Sudan. However, the east African bloc did not make any mention to the matter in it its statement after the meeting of 12 September.

Ethiopia is the second-most populous nation on the African continent after Nigeria with over 100 million inhabitants who are distributed among 83 nationalities.

It has decided to celebrate Nations, Nationalities and People's Day on 9 December since 2005, to commemorate the day of the ratification of the nations' constitution.

The day serves as an important forum for nations, nationalities and people's to show their culture, know each other and show unity and strong solidarity for peace.

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December 7, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - A group of Sudanese refugees have organized a sit-in in front of the UN Higher Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) headquarters in the Ghanaian capital, Accra to protest against the latter's refusal to issue their refugee documents.

One of the protesters, Hib al-Din Mohamed said 764 Sudanese refugees including women and children have arrived in Ghana 6 years ago, pointing out that UNHCR refused to issue them refugee identification cards.

“I arrived in Ghana in 2014 after crossing six countries. However, the UNHCR refused to issue me a refugee ID which made me suffer from housing, food and health care problems” he said

He added the Sudanese refugees are facing great suffering, saying some of them have taken refuge at a nearby mosque.

Another refugee, Mohamed Salah, told Sudan Tribune that last week they decided to organize a sit-in in front of the UNHCR premises and submit a memo including their demands, pointing out that the refugees came from the war-affected areas in Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile states.

He said the first batch of Sudanese refugees had arrived in Ghana in 2004, pointing out that they were granted the right for resettlement in the U.S. and Canada.

Salah added the resettlement programme has stopped since 2009, saying the UN doesn't currently provide them with any kind of assistance.

Salah also said the UN has rejected the cases of 25 Sudanese refugees six months ago.

“However, when we met with the UNHCR officials, they denied that they turned down the application even though we had shown them the denial letters,” he said

He accused the UNHCR of discriminating against the Sudanese refugees, saying it has granted refugee status to 300 Syrians who arrived from Egypt and other refugee holding Sudanese passports.

Salah added the Syrian refugees were granted refugee status within 6 months and large numbers of them have been resettled in Canada, U.S. and Europe.

“I don't know what is the difference between us and the Syrians and why they differentiate between the refugees in this inhumane manner,” he said

He added that a Sudanese refugee had died since several months due to lack of health care, saying there are large numbers of sick people who don't have money to get medical treatment.

He added the Ghanian authorities treat the Sudanese refugees better than the UNHCR, saying the sit-in has been carried out peacefully.

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December 6, 2018 (JUBA) - The People's Democratic Movement (PDM) distanced itself from the ongoing rift within the South Sudan Opposition Alliance and denounced fraudulent involvement of its name in this matter.

"PDM would like to condemn the fraudulent use of PDM's good name by both Ms Josephine Lagu Yanga and Mr Anas Richard Zanga, the duo are not members of PDM and are not known to be registered members of PDM," said Hakim Dario the PDM leader in a statement to Sudan Tribune on Thursday.

The PDM is one of several groups that rejected the signing of the Revitalized Peace Agreement and split from the SSOA under the leadership of Gabriel Changson.

Now, the former SSOA holdout factions including, the PDM, formed a new umbrella called the South Sudan National Democratic Alliance (SSNDA).

Dario recalled that Josephine Lagu was expelled from PDM before R-ARCSS was signed on 12th September 2018 while Anas Richard Zanga was never known to be a member of PDM, he said.

"The public should know that these individuals are fraudulent, masquerading as PDM factions, brought on as convenient substitutes by Mr Gabriel Changson and Dr Lam Akol, promising them with R-ARCSS government positions for their support to R-ARCSS of which PDM is not a signatory".

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Pre-Negotiation Agreement for the Resumption of the Peace Process in Darfur

The Government of Sudan (GoS), Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM/A) and Justice and Equality Movement Sudan (JEM) (the "Parties") reaffirm their commitment to achieving a negotiated resolution and durable peace for Darfur and declare their determination to create the conditions conducive for a sustainable resolution of the conflict, as envisioned in the Roadmap Agreement (signed on 8 August 2016).

Upon signing this agreement, the Parties commit themselves to conduct a credible peace process and to resume comprehensive peace talks on the following conditions:

• The Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) shall be considered the basis of future negotiations, on condition that all the issues that the movements deem instrumental to any sustainable and lasting peace, shall be open for negotiation towards reaching agreement(s), and that all parties agree to establish and create new and independent implementation mechanisms, and to negotiate the modalities of such mechanisms.

• The parties agree to enter into negotiations on substantive issues upon signature of this pre-negotiation agreement. Discussions on substantive issues shall be preceded by a Cessation of Hostilities agreement.

• In the course of the Cessation of Hostilities (COH) negotiations, the parties agree to address outstanding issues relevant to the COH.

• The AU-UN Joint Chief Mediator (as mandated by the UN Security Council and AU Peace and Security Council), and the Government of Qatar (as mandated by the Arab League), and the AUHIP (as mandated by the AU Peace and Security Council and as set forth in the AUHIP Roadmap Agreement) will work together to mediate the Darfur peace process with clearly defined and distinct roles and responsibilities for each.

• The Parties will request international entities - including Germany, the United States of America, United Kingdom, Norway, France, the European Union, the Arab League, and IGAD - to be observers and/or guarantors.

• Upon agreement on the principles set forth above, the Parties commit to resume talks, in Doha, commencing with establishing a framework to structure the process.

• The negotiations will be between GoS and JEM and SLM/A. Any additional parties will be allowed in with the consent of all three parties.

December 6, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The talks for peace in Darfur between the signatories of the pre-negotiations parties will start next month with a cessation of hostilities before to discuss substantive issues.

In line with the pre-negotiation agreement signed in Berlin on Thursday 6 December, the Sudanese government, Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and Sudan Liberation Movement - Minni Minnawi (SLM-MM) will hold negotiations on the basis of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD).

The text of the agreement seen by Sudan Tribune provides that the talks on substantive issues will be preceded by the signing of a Cessation of Hostilities agreement.

"In the course of the Cessation of Hostilities (COH) negotiations, the parties agree to address outstanding issues relevant to the COH," further read the text.

During Addis Ababa talks, On Darfur talks, the AUHIP said the rebel groups refused “balanced options” the mediation proposed on the location sites of fighters and mechanisms for the monitoring of humanitarian assistance.

However, there is no mention for the humanitarian assistance which was one of the difficult issues that the parties failed to address during the African Union-brokered talks in Addis Ababa in August 2016.

The deal further says the AU-UN Joint Chief Mediator and the host country in addition to the African Union mediation team, will work together to mediate the Darfur peace process with clearly defined and distinct roles and responsibilities for each.

While joint chief mediator and Qatar will mediate talks on the substantive matters, the role of the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel is limited to the talks on COH.

Germany, the United States of America, United Kingdom, Norway, France, the European Union, the Arab League, and IGAD will be observers and/or guarantors of the peace process and the deal that would result from it.

Observers point that this is the first time that France and IGAD are involved in the talks on peace in Darfur.

The deal finally provides that the peace talks will include the signatories of the pre-negotiations agreement, however, it does not close the door for the other groups which should be admitted with the consent of the three parties.

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December 6, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese government and two armed groups in Darfur region signed Thursday a pre-negotiation agreement paving the way for the resumption of peace talks in Qatar next year.

The signing of the declaration of principles with the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and Sudan Liberation Movement-Minni Minnwi (SLM-MM) took place in Berlin after two years of informal talks facilitated by the German foreign ministry with the support of the Berghof Foundation.

The signing ceremony was attended by Germany's Deputy Foreign Minister Walter Lindner, Qatari Special Envoy for Combating Terrorism and Conflict Resolution Mutlaq Al Qahtani, Amin Hassan Omer Sudan's Presidential Envoy for Diplomatic Contact and Negotiation for Darfur Amin Hassan Omer.

The Joint Chief Mediator Jeremiah Mamabolo co-signed the deal with the Sudanese government representative Mohamed Mukhtar, Ahmed Tugud JEM Chief Negotiator and Ali Trayo SLM-MM Chief Negotiator.

Were also present at the function, representatives from the U.S.A, France, the United Kingdom, Norway and the European Union.

The agreement provides that the signatories will resume talks on the basis of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD). However, also would be discussed the issues that the two groups consider crucial for a sustainable peace.

In addition, a new independent implementation mechanism will be set up to enforce the would-be agreement reached by the parties.

The parties agreed to resume peace talks in Doha during the third week of January 2019.

"The Government renews its full readiness to resume the Doha negotiations in the same positive and constructive spirit in order to complete the final and sustainable peace in Darfur," said Amin Hassan Omer who is also the government chief negotiator.

German Deputy Foreign Minister Lindner said they are pleased to bring to a successful conclusion the Berlin Track of Darfur negotiations. He further added that his country's ready to continue promoting sustainable peace in Darfur pointing that Germany will be a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in 2019-2020.

continue the process and become a future non-permanent member of the UN Security Council actively promoting sustainable peace in Darfur and the region.

"The course is set to continue along this path, and I urge all parties to continue to engage constructively in the peace process," he further said.

In a joint statement, JEM and SLM-MM said the signed deal is "is a roadmap for a new negotiating process" pointing to the possibility to add news items on the negotiating agenda and the establishment of a new implementation mechanism.

Noreldaem Taha, SLM-MM Information Secretary told Sudan Tribune this agreement is an important step to reshape the negotiation process and the role of intermediaries.

Taha added they reject partial solutions as they lead to the re-production of other crises in the country.

"Therefore, we reiterate our firm position that demands a comprehensive and genuine peace that addresses all the issues of the country and brings the displaced people back to their homes," he stressed.

JEM was the initiator of the DDPD but pulled out of the peace process as it had contested the representation of the other armed groups.

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December 6, 2018 (JUBA) - South Sudan President Salva Kiir and leader of the ruling party disclosed Thursday that the SPLM-IO faction of his First Vice President has not been yet merged into the SPLM-IG awaiting their formal request.

Speaking during the closing session of SPLM retreat held in Lobonok of Jubek state, President Kiir explained to the conference why Vice-President Taban and other leading members in his faction were not among them during the three-day meeting.

"My colleague Taban and his other comrades, asking me every time when am I appointing them in the SPLM Political Bureau so that they are considered as full members," he said.

He added that he gave his answer on the day before his departure to Lobonok to his oil minister Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth.

"Before I left I told Ezekiel that you did not do your homework in your house because when General Taban declared the dissolution of his SPLM-IO faction, we were expecting that you would sit alone in your Political Bureau to approve the dissolution of your party and declare you are joining the SPLM," said President Kiir.

He went further to add that the procedures provide that following the dissolution of the group they write to the SPLM leader who will submit their request letter for discussion and approval by the SPLM Political Bureau.

"But now you cannot tell me you just issue a decree appointing such a number of your members into the Political Bureau," he told the silent meeting room.

"This is what I told him and I added you talk about it among yourselves and when I come back from you come and raise it in the next meeting," he concluded his speech on this matter.

On 7 May 2018, the SPLM-IO led by Taban Deng Gai announced that it officially joined the country's ruling party (SPLM) under the overall leadership of President Salva Kiir.

"I would, therefore, like to announce on behalf of the SPLM-IO structures and the entire membership of the party, 'the dissolution of the SPLM-IO organs including Chapters and declare them to be united with the SPLM, the historic liberation party in the Republic of South Sudan," announced Taban Deng on that day.

President Kiir and his deputy James Wani Igga stressed during the opening session of the retreat on the need to restructure and rebuild a strong political organisation ahead of the upcoming elections at the end of the transitional period.

They pointed out that the party is very weak and destabilized by the internal divisions.

President Kiir said the party also has to support the return of refugees and displaced civilians to their home areas warning if they fail to support the people they should not take their support for the SPLM for guaranteed.

Vice President James Wani stressed the need to ensure the "effective transformation" of the party saying if they fail to agree on this matter during the retreat they will never transform it again.

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China helped build the museum with a donation of about $34m (£27m).

From training in parks to sleeping on a gym floor, WBO world super-bantamweight champion Isaac Dogboe is now set for Madison Square Garden.