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November 16, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) warned that unusually heavy and widespread rains that fell recently in northwest Africa, the Horn of Africa and Yemen could favor desert locust breeding.

A man holds locusts as a Swarm of locusts arrives in Israel near the Egyptian border on March 6, 2013 in Kmehin, Israel (Photo by Uriel Sinai/Getty Images)

"Extreme weather events, including torrential downpours, have the potential to trigger a massive surge in locust numbers. Rain provides moist soil for the insects to lay their eggs, which in turn need to absorb water, while rains also allow vegetation to grow which locusts need for food and shelter," said Keith Cressman, FAO Senior Locust Forecasting Officer.

"The effects of a locust plague can be devastating on crops and pastures and thus threaten food security and rural livelihoods," he added.

FAO said that in the winter breeding areas along both sides of the Red Sea, seasonal rains began in early October, which is slightly earlier than normal.

“If the rains continue, there would be sufficient time for two generations of breeding to occur this year in the coastal areas of Sudan, northern Eritrea, southeast Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Yemen”.

FAO emphasized that prevention through early warning and early reaction is the key in reducing damage caused by desert locust on agricultural areas.

“After unusually heavy rainfall, it is imperative that countries mount the necessary field surveys and maintain them on a regular basis for routine monitoring of breeding conditions and locust infestations. The finding of significant infestations requires control operations to avoid a further escalation in locust numbers. It is critical that the results of survey and control operations are reported quickly and accurately so that swift decisions can be taken to prevent the spread of locusts to other countries”.

FAO noted that it operates a desert locust Information Service that receives data from locust-affected countries. This information is regularly analyzed together with weather and habitat data and satellite imagery in order to assess the current locust situation, provide forecasts up to six weeks in advance and if required issue warnings and alerts.

In 2013, Sudan entered a dispute with FAO with the former saying that the latter is conspiring against the country in its attempt to combat a locusts invasion.

At the time, the Sudanese government said it wrote to FAO asking it for help but that the UN body offered a mere $25,000 in assistance which they saw as an insult.

(ST)

Le gouvernement israélien a annoncé dimanche 15 novembre autoriser l'immigration des Éthiopiens juifs, les Falashmoras, au cours des cinq prochaines années. En 2013, pourtant, Tel Aviv avait annoncé avoir rapatrié les derniers juifs d'Éthiopie et, depuis, fermé ses portes.

Vladimir Putin said that the Russian ports in the Far East region are likely to become a major infrastructure link between the Asia-Pacific region and Europe.

In the wake of attacks in Paris by the Islamic State, the head of the CIA on Monday said he wants to see "enhanced" ties between the United States and Russia in order to prevent future terrorist attacks.

En Angola, s’est ouvert lundi 16 novembre le procès de 17 jeunes opposants au régime du président José Eduardo Dos Santos. Un procès suivi de près par les ONG, dont Amnesty international, qui réclament depuis plusieurs mois leur libération, en réponse à quoi le gouvernement a dénoncé les « tentatives d’ingérence étrangère dans les affaires internes de l’Angola ». Les accusés estiment quant à eux que tout est joué d’avance.

KMT presidential candidate Eric Chu used his visit to the U.S. to question his opponent's plans for cross-strait ties.

(Own report) - Following last Friday's terrorist attacks in Paris, leading German media have begun speaking of a new world war. A renowned daily, for example, wrote that "a third world war" is currently being forced upon "the entire planet," warning that the war against IS "is not yet being waged with the intensity needed in a world war." Other journals are calling for resolute action without "half-heartedness" or even "self-recrimination." The fact that after 14 years of the "War on Terror," terrorism is stronger than ever before and the Arab-Muslim world is in shambles is allegedly not the result of a misguided western policy. The West supposedly bears no responsibility for the fact that "processes of disintegration and decivilization" have begun within the "Muslim belt of crisis stretching from Pakistan to Morocco," which has led to a "breakdown of civilization." In addition to the continuation - and even expansion - of the policy of military intervention, various media are also calling for broadening domestic repression. In the case of a "terror threat," the Bundeswehr should take on the task of protecting endangered streets. Among Germany's main national media organs, only one renowned business journal is not participating in this comprehensive orchestration of public opinion and preparation for a "world war." Military escalation "does not bring peace," it only "spawns suicide bombers," warns its chief editor and calls for finally searching for alternatives.

November 16, 2015 (KHARTOUM) - Security agents at Khartoum airport Monday have delayed entry of two opposition figures into the country upon their return from France where they attended opposition meeting.

Civil Society Initiative (CSI) delegation members Galeela Khamis (L), Abdallah Musa (C) and Babiker Mohamed al-Hassan wait to collect their belongings after their arrival to Khartoum airport on Nov 16, 2015. (Picture taken by Mariam al-Mahdi)

The deputy chairman of the opposition National Umma Party (NUP) Mariam al-Mahdi said in a WhatsApp text message the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) delayed her entry to the country along with the member of the Civil Society Initiative (CSI) Babiker Mohamed al-Hassan upon their arrival from Paris.

She pointed out that security agents handed them over their passports and allowed them to enter the country after 15 minutes.

However al-Mahdi didn't mention whether the two other members of the CSI delegation Galeela Khamis and Abdallah Musa who were accompanying them went through the same measure or not.

On Sunday, the opposition alliance National Consensus Forces (NCF) said that NISS detained the chairman of the Sudanese National Alliance Party (SNAP) Kamal Ismail early morning upon his return from Paris for several hours and expected that the rest of the returnees would face the same fate.

The opposition “Sudan Call” forces including the NCF, National Umma Party (NUP), rebel umbrella Sudan Revolutionary Forces (SRF) and the Civil Society Initiative (CSI) held a four-day meeting outside Paris to discuss issues of regime change as well as organizational issues pertaining to the alliance.

They decided to work for the establishment of a transitional national government either through dialogue or popular uprising.

(ST)

November 16, 2015 (KHARTOUM) - The African Union (AU) said that Khartoum and the rebel movements have officially approved to participate in talks on security arrangements in the states of Blue Nile, South Kordofan and Darfur region in Addis Ababa on Wednesday.

AUHIP head Thabo Mbeki chairs a meeting with of the government (R) and rebel delegations on 30 November 2014 (Courtesy photo/ AUHIP)

The head of the AU Liaison Office in Sudan, Mahmoud Kane, told the pro-government Sudan Media Center (SMC) that the Sudanese government and the rebel movements are ready to resume the talks on Wednesday, stressing that all negotiating teams will arrive in Addis Ababa on Tuesday.

He said that Khartoum informed the AU that its negotiating team for the Darfur issue would be headed by the Darfur peace implementation follow-up office state minister, Amin Hassan Omer, while the presidential aide Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamid will lead the delegation for the talks on the Two Areas.

Kane also pointed that all Darfur movements and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/North (SPLM-M) have named their negotiating teams except the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM-AW) led by Abdel-Wahid al-Nur.

The SLM-AW which refuses to participate in any negotiations with the government since Abuja peace process, says Khartoum provide security to civilians by disarming its militias and expel new comers from the land of IDPs before to negotiate a peace agreement of the root cause of the conflict.

In the same context, the secretary general of the Popular Congress Party (PCP) and member of the dialogue body known as 7+7 Kamal Omer said the presidential aide Ibrahim Mahmoud will travel to Addis Ababa on Tuesday, saying he is expected to discuss with the rebel leaders Thursday the necessary guarantees for their participation in the ongoing dialogue conference in Khartoum.

Omer told Sudan Tribune that he will also leave for Addis Ababa to convince Darfur rebels to participate in the dialogue conference, saying the PCP would seek to capitalize on its good ties with Darfur movements.

He stressed that the chairman of the Reform Now Movement (RNM) Ghazi al-Attabani won't participate in the dialogue preparatory meeting because he is no longer member of the 7+7 mechanism following his party's withdrawal from the dialogue process.

For his part, the government spokesperson Ahmed Bilal Osman said the agenda of the talks with the SPLM-N on the Two Areas would revolve around the cessation of hostilities while negotiations on Darfur will based upon the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD).

He pointed that a dialogue preparatory meeting including the government, rebel umbrella Sudan Revolutionary Forces (SRF) and the National Umma Party (NUP) would be held subsequently if the government and the rebels reached an agreement on the cessation of hostilities.

Osman said the mini preparatory meeting will be based upon the roadmap approved by the 7+7 committee and the Addis Ababa agreement.

The SRF and the NUP from one side and 7+7 committee from the other side on 5 September 2014 signed an agreement on identical term with the AU High Implementation Panel (AUHIP) “on the national dialogue and constitutional process”.

Last October, the AU announced that a mini-pre-dialogue meeting will be held with the participation of the SRF and the NUP following the security talks on the Two Areas and Darfur , disclosing the Sudanese government agreed to take part in the meeting.

Khartoum had previously refused to participate in a comprehensive preparatory meeting including the political opposition and civil society groups. Only it reiterated its readiness to meet the rebels to discuss the conditions and guarantees related to their participation in the internal process.

However, the Sudanese president Omer al-Bashir last October instructed the 7+7 committee to meet with the signatories of Addis Ababa agreement.

REBEL LEADERS TO JOIN DIALOGUE CONFERENCE

Meanwhile, the 7+7 committee has disclosed that some rebel leaders will join the dialogue conference during the coming few days.

7+7 committee member from the opposition side Omran Yahia Omran told reporters Monday that the dialogue conference would reveal much of its outcome next week, saying the committee is delighted that some rebel groups are closely following the conference and seeking to participate in it.

“The ongoing conference is a Sudanese/Sudanese dialogue and it doesn't need international monitoring or guardianship of any party,” he said.

He added the national constitutional dialogue which was demanded by the opposition “Sudan Call” forces in its recent meeting in Paris could be held within the dialogue conference in Khartoum.

Omran said the dialogue conference is going on as planned, pointing the 7+7 committee held three meetings since October 10th to assess the dialogue process and challenges facing it.

He said the 7+7 committee has urged that holdout opposition to participate in the dialogue conference.

MEETING THE EU

In another context, information minister Ahmed Bilal Osman has briefed the European Union (EU) ambassador to Khartoum, Thomas Ulicny, on the dialogue process and the upcoming talks with the rebel movements in Addis Ababa.

Ulicny said in press statement following the meeting that the EU would support the talks between the government and the rebel groups.

He expressed appreciation for Sudan's stance towards the recent terrorist attacks in Paris.

(ST)

November 16, 2015 (JUBA)-South Sudanese government disputed media reports quoting leading officials in the armed opposition leadership expressing doubts of participation of their leader, Riek Machar, in the upcoming regional heads of state and government summit in Juba.

Riek Machar answers questions during a press conference in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on July 9, 2014 (Photo AFP/Zacharias Abubeker)

SPLM-IO said its leader Riek Machar will not attend a summit of IGAD leaders to take place in Juba during the upcoming days saying he was not informed about it. The group further insisted on the need to allow the advance team and to settle some political and security issues in the peace agreement before his return to Juba.

Presidential advisor on decentralization and intergovernmental linkage, Tor Deng Mawien, on Monday told Sudan Tribune that the government had received information from the intergovernmental authority on development and other key players in the peace process that Machar will be one of the participants of the summit aimed at building confidence and commitment between the parties to the conflict and who have signed the peace deal to end more than 21 month conflict in the country.

“I have not received any new information. What I know and this was the information which the government had received from the office of the IGAD mediators and other players in the peace process was that Riek would attend the summit. He was not coming to stay. This has not changed,” said Mawien.

The presidential aide said he was getting information in the media statements suggesting Machar will not attend the summit contrary to the information which the government had received.

Meanwhile defence minister Kuol Manyang Juuk also confirmed in a separate interview that Machar will be in Juba with the leaders of IGAD countries, who will be attending the summit.

“Preparations for the summits are completed. The heads of state of the IGAD member countries will come for a one day summit here in Juba. The summit will be attended by Riek Machar and members of the former detainees”, said Juuk, a close political and military ally of President Salva Kiir.

The top defence official accused an unnamed people of discouraging the participation of the rival officials at the summit allegedly for lack of assurance of safety and security once in the country.

“I think those who may be talking of insecurity, telling them that they will be insecure are people who do not want peace,” Juuk told Eye Radio in an interview on Monday.

“They are happy to see these people remain out, but why? For what reason? We are people of South Sudan. It is not the first time for us to disagree, to fight. Even in our own tribes, we fight and reconcile by ourselves, he said.

He stressed Machar and members of former detainees who would attend the summit will be accompanied by a force ranging between 300 to 500 combat personnel.

(ST)

November 16, 2015 (JUBA) – South Sudan government announced on Monday that the meeting of Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) leaders was rescheduled due to the need for better arrangements.

South Sudan's President Salva Kiir (seated) signs a peace agreement in Juba, August 26, 2015. (Photo Reuters/Jok Solomu)

Initially the heads of state and government had to meet on Sunday 14 November but the meeting was postponed to 19 November before to announce that the summit will take place on Thursday 26 November.

“There are some logistical issues that needed to be set for the summit,” said foreign ministry spokesperson, Mawien Makol Ariik, when contacted for a comment by Sudan Tribune on Monday.

“The parliament is reopening this week and these are some of things that needed to be done first,” he added.

The National parliament is due to reopen after a month of recess next Wednesday.

On Sunday, information minister Makuei Lueth said that the meeting of IGAD heads of states and governments was delayed from to Monday 23 November.

Also, it was reported that the first delay was decided by the east African bloc to give more time to the former president of Botswana, Festus Gontebanye Mogae to settle the outstanding issues between the signatories of the peace agreement.

Last week, the first vice-president designate Riek Machar declined to take part in the gathering, saying suitable atmosphere was not yet created by Juba, alluding to Juba refusal to receive his advance team and the presidential decision to divide the country in 28 states.

(ST)

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A panel of experts in drug control policy examined the interactions between sustainable development and the world drug problem at an IPI panel, “Debating the Intersection between the Sustainable Development Agenda (SDGs) and United Nations General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) 2016” on November 16th, 2015.

The meeting, co-organized with the Conflict Prevention and Peace Forum (CPPF), was held to prepare for UNGASS, which will take place in April 2016.

Jürg Lauber, Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the UN, opened the discussion by stating that the comprehensiveness of the Sustainable Development Agenda would require members to rethink their approach to drug policy.

“When you look at the agenda, we talk about a paradigm shift,” he said. “It really, really is. When you look at the ambition of the agenda, but also the universality, the approach, the reach, and we need to recalibrate the discussion we have on the world drug problem, or at least it gives us the opportunity to recalibrate the discussion.”

Ambassador Lauber listed six aspects of the development and drug policy agendas in need of improvement over the next fifteen years – peace, governance, human rights, public health, gender equality, and environmental impact.

The last UNGASS on the world’s drug control priorities was held in 1998. Since then, the session’s stated objective for the total elimination of drugs from the world has clearly not been achieved. The 2016 UNGASS, however, offers an opportunity for member states to shift their strategy from being entirely focused on eliminating volumes of drugs, to analyzing the impacts of drug control policies on people.

There are growing calls to take a broader view of the related health, human rights, and safety concerns related to drug control, Mr. Lauber said. He called for “a sincere analysis of what has worked, and what has not worked.”

UNGASS 2016 must consider “the full range of links between the world drug problem and sustainable development in areas affected by illicit drug cultivation, trafficking, or use, and be particularly candid of situations in which the side effect of the cure have been far worse than the disease itself,” he said.

Julia Buxton of Hungary’s School of Public Policy, Central European University, asked whether the SDGs most closely linked to drug policy, such as eradicating poverty and HIV, would be possible to achieve if member states continued with their present militarized counter-narcotics strategy. “Absolutely not,” she answered, “not so long as we have this astonishing contradiction in policy and coherence between the securitization of drugs and pressing development issues.”

Ms. Buxton criticized “alternative development” programs aimed at encouraging peasants to switch from growing illicit drugs-related crops. Alternative development programs have been central to UN drug control strategies, but she warned they have had a negative impact.

“Rather than being a solution to these rather catastrophic global security and development problems we have, this is, as I like to say, a sticking plaster on a gangrenous leg that requires amputation,” she said. “It is a wholly inadequate response to the scale of the problems that we face.”

Ms. Buxton quantified alternative development programs’ mixed record. Despite significant alternative development aid from the United Kingdom, Afghanistan’s Helmand province saw an increase in opium cultivation in the past two years—34% in 2012-13, and 23% in 2013-14. Of Britain’s failure with this program, Ms. Buxton said, “this record is a travesty of why alternative development cannot work, and it cannot work because it is part of a counter-narcotic strategy.”

Ms. Buxton summarized her critique of alternative development by highlighting why it is not a way to promote development. “It’s driven by security concerns, and not development concerns and it re-enforces structural and national inequalities,” she said. “For those reasons, besides the fact that China, Russia, and US can’t even agree on what constitutes development, there’s no consensus, there’s no agreement, and these projects do more harm than good.”

Tenu Avafia, Team Leader of the HIV, Health and Development Group at the UN Development Programme (UNDP), brought the perspective of the United Nations to the panel’s discussion. He reminded the audience that “many people incarcerated for drugs are indigenous and ethnic minorities.” Further, he said, children of those incarcerated in many countries may be locked up with their parents, or “left to fend for themselves on the street, or in the no less ideal setting of institutionalized or foster care.”

A central part of the SDGs are the 179 targets to be met. “We’re all familiar with the term, whether we like it or not, ‘what gets measured gets done,’” Mr. Avafia said. Traditional measures of the success of drug policies focused on statistics such as the number of drug-related arrests made or the volumes of drugs seized. UNDP reported this has been problematic, because such measures say little about “the impacts of drug policies on people’s lives,” he said.

Bearing this disproportionate influence that past measures have had on the most vulnerable, Mr. Avafia stated it is his hope that the UN will “join the growing number of actors who call for a rethink of metrics that measure the impact of drug policies on human rights, on human development, and on public health, and we support these calls.”

Summer Walker, Drug Policy Project Manager for the United Nations University think-tank, said that a complementary set of metrics specific to drug policy were needed in conjunction with the SDGs. The SDGs have catalyzed a new conversation about indicators, and UNGASS can build upon that energy. This is why UNU’s report recommends, “that member states use UNGASS to measure the human development impacts of drug policies and drugs.”

Developing this particular set of targets and measures for drug policy, she said, “would help the drug policy/development action plan better align with both the SDGs and human development more broadly.”

Adam Lupel, IPI Director of Research and Publications, moderated the conversation.

Related Event:
IPI Panel: Focus on Prevention, Not Repression, Needed in Response to Drug Problem

Watch event:

 

 

The country’s deputy prime minister takes aim at Beijing’s actions.

A deputy speaker in the State Duma floated the idea of restricting entry to Russia for citizens of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

Sam Rainsy cancels his return trip to Phnom Penh where he risks being jailed in an ongoing crackdown on dissent.

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