Africa

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October 28, 2018 (NEW YORK) - In a report to be discussed on Monday, United Nations Secretary-General has once again recommended reconfiguring the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) in spite of Sudanese government rejection last September.

Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix is expected to brief the Security Council on Monday on UNISA activities in the disputed border area of Abyei which include the stabilisation of the security situation and to support the monitoring of a demilitarized zone between Sudan and South Sudan.

In his report to the 15-member body, Lacroix recalled that he had submitted a proposal to reconfigure the UNISFA to adapt its role to include the security situation inside the disputed area, as the UN secretary-general report for the past six months shows the increase of criminal activities due to the lack of a local police force.

"A reconfigured mission would benefit from the ongoing reconciliation process between South Sudanese opposition and government forces that resulted in the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan, signed in Addis Ababa on 12 September," he said.

"In the event that this initiative leads to a return to stability in South Sudan, the two sides would be better positioned to discuss the outstanding issues from the Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 2005," he stressed in a recommendation in his report.

During a discussion of the reconfiguration proposal last September, the Sudanese ambassador to the United Nations strongly rejected the proposed change of mandate saying that Juba has to accept the formation the joint police for and local institutions as provided in the agreement signed on 20 June 2011.

Khartoum, in fact, fears that such proposal could invalidate the 20 June 2011 agreement and open the door for more actions from the Ngok Dinka who want to hold a self-determination referendum without the Misseriya nomadic herders.

The report estimated that some 37,000 Misseriya pastoralists arrived in the Abyei Area during the annual migration in 2018, before to return northwards between May and June, following the onset of the rainy season.

The Secretary-General also pointed to the failure of the Abyei Joint Oversight Committee and the Joint Political and Security Mechanism to hold regular meetings pointing that it threatens the consolidation of the gains made on the ground.

"I urge both Governments to undertake discussions at the ministerial level to review the implementation of their agreements, and I pledge the support of the United Nations to such a focused endeavour. I believe that the two sides have the ability, political will and capital to resolve their outstanding disputes in a finite timeframe," said the UN chief in his report.

(ST)

October 28, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese Army's Chief of General Staff Kamal Abdel-Marouf and Russia's deputy chief of staff, Admiral Igor Osipov, have discussed military cooperation between the two countries.

Abdel-Marouf on Sunday met with the visiting Russian Admiral in the presence of Sudan's chief of staff of the naval forces, Maj. Gen. Abdallah al-Matari al-Faradi besides the military attachés in Moscow and Khartoum.

During the meeting, Abdel-Marouf pointed to the strong relations between Sudan and Russia in all fields, stressing his country's keenness to further those relations to serve the interests of the two peoples.

He also extended the invitation to his Russian counterpart to visit Sudan soon.

For his part, Osipov expressed his thanks and gratitude for the Sudanese officials, saying the visit allowed him to identify the areas of joint cooperation between the two countries.

He also expressed keenness to promote bilateral relations and bring it to wider horizons.

During a visit to Moscow last July to attend the 2018 World Cup Final, the Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir was met with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Both leaders pledged to promote military cooperation in the near future.

The two leaders last met in November 2017 in the Russian city of Sochi, with both expressing a desire to enhance military ties.

At the time, al-Bashir offered to construct an airbase for Russia on the Red Sea coast and to re-equip the Sudanese army with the Russian weapons including SU-30 fighter jets and surface-to-air missiles.

Politically, Russia is seen as a major ally of the government of al-Bashir that faces isolation from the West. However, economic cooperation between the two countries has remained very low, with a trade balance that does not exceed $400 million.

In December 2015, Sudan and Russia signed 14 cooperation agreements in different domains, including oil, minerals and banks.

The agreements also include a concession contract between Sudan and the Russian Rus Geology to prospect for oil in Sudan's Bloc E57 and another accord for the geological mapping of the Jebel Moya area, North Kordofan State.

(ST)

October 28, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese National Assembly on Sunday said large consensus has been reached among the political forces to form the National Elections Commission (NEC).

The Sudanese Parliament building

Deputy head of the parliamentary sub-committee on legislation, justice and human rights Azhari Widaat Allah said the committee tasked with approving the election law is consulting with the political forces to endorse the law in the third reading.

He stressed the need to reach agreement on the disputed items on the election law, expecting the National Assembly to lead the consensus on the 2020 elections.

On October 10th, The National Assembly approved by majority the general features of the 2018 draft elections law.

Last June, the Sudanese Council of Ministers approved the 2018 elections law amid objection of several political forces participating in the national dialogue.

In October 2016, the political forces participating in the government-led national dialogue concluded the process by signing the National Document which includes the general features of a future constitution to be finalised by transitional institutions.

The NCG was installed in May 2017 to implement the outcome of the dialogue conference.

The rebel groups and opposition parties refused to join Khartoum process as they demand the government to end the war and ensure freedoms in the country ahead of the dialogue.

Also, last May, a coalition of some opposition left parties, the National Consensus Forces (NCF), announced the boycott of the 2020 elections, saying it won't meet with the ruling party to discuss these elections.

On the other hand, several opposition groups that are part of the opposition Sudan Call forces consider participating in the next general presidential elections in 2020 if the regime of President al-Bashir provides needed guarantees for a fair election and ensures freedoms.

(ST)

October 28, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan and Eritrea would normalise bilateral relations in the near future as a result of regional efforts, according to a press report published in Khartoum on Sunday.

FILE - Sudan's President Omer Hassan al-Bashir (R) receiving Eritrea's President Isaias Afewerki (L) in Sudan's capital Khartoum (Xinhua)

In January 2018, Sudan accused Eritrea of backing rebel groups unidentified opposition groups and closed the border after deploying thousands of troops. In return, Asmara last May accused Sudan, Ethiopia and Qatar of supporting armed opposition groups to overthrow the government of President Isaias Afewerki.

However, the Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed reconciled with Eritrea last July and sought to bridge the gaps between the two neighbouring countries as he did with Eritrea and Somalia.

Al-Meghar newspaper reported on Sunday that President Omer al-Bashir would meet his Eritrean counterpart Afewerki after a visit by the Presidential Assistant Faisal Hassan Ibrahim to Asmara in the upcoming days without further details.

The report said the normalisation of relations come after regional efforts to end the tensions between the two countries.

Also, the newspaper mentioned internal efforts by Sudanese political parties that have good relations with President Afewerki without naming these political forces. But it disclosed that Presidential Assistant Musa Mohamed Ahmed who is also the leader of the Beja Congress is currently in Asmara to discuss the normalization of bilateral relations and he would return next Tuesday.

Musa who was the leader of the rebel East Front signed a peace agreement with the Sudanese government brokered by the Eritrean government in October 2006 and remained close to Eritrean president.

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, nothing was announced after the meeting of 12 September about this matter.

(ST)

October 27, 2018 (JUBA) - The opposition South Sudan Patriotic Movement (SSPM) sacked one of its prominent members, Malong Majok Yor, accusing him of "harmful activities" and seditious conspiracy against the group.

Costello Garang Ring (ST Photo)

In a statement released on Saturday, SSPM leader Costello Garang Ring Lual announced the dismissal of Yor and saying he conspired with political enemies of the Movement on how to dilute its military strength with the subsequent act of taking it over.

Yor was behind the "Sabotage and unwarranted clandestine activities among SSPA High Command Members, which led to the recent misunderstanding between Chairman and Commander in Chief SSPM/A with his Chief of Staff," Costello said.

On 13 August, the SSPA Chief of Staff, General Agany Abdelbagi Akol announced the removal of SSPM Chairman Costello Garang Ring Lual who is also the Commander in Chief of the armed group.

But the two men reconciled three weeks later, after a mediation by, the father of Gen Akol who is also a Dinka tribal leader in Northern Bahr el-Ghazal region.

Costello said Yor continued to mastermind and coordinate plans between some high ranking SSPA officers and some "astray Juba elements who like him don't seem to understand that a peace agreement has been concluded ".

Sources close the SSPM say the group leader actually was referring to some presidential advisers.

However, Costello said that Yor has given a chance to defend his behaviour in front of an investigation committee.

(ST)

October 27, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - One Sudanese person was killed and four others injured by Libyan gunmen, said the head of the programme on curbing illegal migration among the Sudanese community in Libya, Malik Mohamed Salih

A Libyan rebel fighter arrives to take position at Misrata's western front line, some 25 kilometres from the city centre May 26, 2011 (Reuters)

Media reports last week said Libyan merchants have taken 5 Sudanese people hostages in Kufra demanding the Sudanese authorities to release 14 trucks confiscated on the border area.

According to Salih, Libyan gunmen have intercepted these people as they were heading from the Qatrion town in Libya to Sudan on private vehicles last week.

Salih on Saturday said the Libyan gunmen have opened fire on the hostages killing one instantly and wounding four others, pointing out that two of them have sustained serious injuries.

He pointed those two hostages have been rushed to Sabha Hospital for treatment while the rest of the group are still in Qatrion.

Following the fall of Muammar Gaddafi's 40-year-rule in 2011, Libya has slid into chaos and has become the most important transit country for illegal migrants to Europe.

In May 2016, Khartoum proposed to establish a joint force to monitor the common borders between Sudan and Libya to curb the movement of Darfur rebels and fight against illegal migration and terror groups.

(ST)

October 27, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The leaders of Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) Gibril Ibrahim and Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) Minni Minnawi slammed a call for sanction against another rebel leader in Darfur and urged the Security Council to not respond to this request.

In a briefing to the Security Council on 22 October, the head of the African Union-United Nation Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) and Joint Chief Mediator Jeremiah Mamabolo said the Abdel Wahid al-Nur persists in his rejection to participate in the peace process and called for sanctions against him.

" It is highly unlikely that he would change this position any time soon. The Security Council may wish to consider stem measures against the SLA leader," Mamabolo added.

"JEM and SLM strongly condemn the recommendation to the UN Security Council made by the Joint UN African Chief Mediator, Ambassador Jeremiah Kensley Mamabolo, to impose sanctions against Comrade Abdel Wahid Mohammed Ahmed al-Nur, head of the SLM/A," said a joint statement issued on Saturday.

The Gibril and Minnawi further pointed out that Mambolo as the chief mediator has no mandate to seek sanctions against a party to the conflict.

"Taking such an initiative indicates that the mediator is weak and lacks innovative means of communicating with all parties to the conflict, understanding their positions and persuading them of the importance of their participation in the peace process," said the joint statement.

"Accordingly, the Sudan Liberation Movement (Minnawi) and the Justice and Equality Movement recommend to the UN Security Council not to adopt this disappointing recommendation, which will not contribute to peace in Sudan," stressed the statement.

The SLM leader refuses to take part in the peace talks demanding that the consequences of the conflict be repaired by the government first before to engage in a political process to address the root causes of the conflict.

The return of IDPs to their areas of origin, accountability for the war crimes and compensations for the victims, are among the demands he made.

In the past, the Security Council put aside such calls for sanctions against al-Nur made by the Sudanese government. But this is the first time that the matter was discussed by the African Union Peace and Security Council and raised by the chief mediator.

After the recent downsizing of the hybrid peacekeeping force and the planned withdrawal of the mission in 2020, the 15 member-body is more insisting on the need for the armed group to conclude a political agreement with Khartoum after 15 of war in Darfur.

In a speech before the Security Council on 22 November, the Ethiopian Ambassador blamed the Darfur armed groups for the gap between the improvement in the security situation and the delay in the political settlement of the conflict.

"The Darfur rebel groups show no meaningful interest in ensuring peace in Darfur. They are amassing huge benefits from criminal activities in neighbouring states and have no real incentive to pursue peace," he said.

The SLM-Minnawi and the JEM are part of a peace process brokered by the African Union. The peace talks are expected to resume soon as the mediators have recently asked the parties to prepare for the talks.

(ST)

October 27, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The exchange rate of the U.S. dollar on Saturday went up to 53,00 Sudanese pound (SDG) on the black market.

Earlier this month, The Central Bank of Sudan (CBoS), formed a body of bankers and exchange bureaus to set the official exchange rate on daily basis.

The move was part of a package of financial and monetary measures designed to tackle the deepening economic crisis in the east African nation.

The government body on Saturday set the purchase price of the U.S. dollar at 47,00 Sudanese pounds while the selling price was put at 47,23 pounds.

Traders speaking to Sudan Tribune Saturday in central Khartoum said the purchase price of the U.S. dollar through cheques has reached 53,00 pounds while the cash purchase was 50,00 pounds.

It is noteworthy that due to the lack of liquidity in the banks, U.S. dollar carries two prices on the black market. The purchase price by cheques is usually higher than the cash price.

The same traders said the demand for the dollar has continued to increase despite the recent government measures, pointing to customers' lack of trust in the banking system.

They added the security services have carried out large arrest campaigns against money traders in an attempt to curb the rise in dollar price.

Last February, the government introduced a number of measures to curb the rise in dollar price including limiting cash withdrawal from banks to absorb liquidity, cracking down on black market Forex traders and restricting imports.

Economic conditions in Sudan have been challenging since the secession of South Sudan in 2011 and the loss of the bulk of oil production and exports.

The withdrawal of South Sudan oil has compounded the difficult external environment, including debt arrears, limited access to external financing, U.S. sanctions, and the withdrawal of correspondent bank relations.

The most recent International Monetary Fund (IMF) report indicated that Sudan's gross international reserves remained very low in 2017 ($1.1 billion, 1¾ months of imports).

(ST)