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The Indian government on 22 September approved the long-pending acquisition of Boeing attack and heavy lift helicopters for the Indian Air Force (IAF) for an estimated USD2.5 billion, officials said. The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sanctioned the

Key Points The United States and Iran are likely to formally adopt the nuclear agreement by the official Adoption Day, 18 October; once adopted by the US, congressional authority to obstruct the implementation of the nuclear agreement is limited. Iran and the IAEA will probably resolve outstanding

A ROCKET, fired by a group of purportedly Islamic State-affiliated Salafist militants - identified as Kataib Omar Hadidi - was shot down by the Iron Dome anti-rocket system over the city of Ashqelon in Israel's Southern district on 18 September, Al-Jazeera reported. Kataib Omar Hadidi claimed

British contractor Meggitt has reached a deal to buy the composites business of EDAC, the company announced on 22 September. The sellers led by Greenbriar Equity Group will get USD340 million. The part of EDAC's business being bought by Meggitt was previously Parkway Aerospace & Defence before

THE alleged leader of a militant group identified as Tehreek-e-Imaraat-e-Islamia Afghanistan - Omar Hayat (alias Mavia Darwesh) - was detained by police during a counter-terrorism operation in the Orangi Town area of Karachi in Pakistan's Sindh province on 17 September, The Express Tribune reported.

Indonesia's state-owned PT Pindad and BAE Systems have signed a deal to explore opportunities for industrial collaboration, the UK-headquartered company confirmed to IHS Jane's on 22 September. The memorandum of understanding (MoU), which was signed at the DSEI 2015 defence exhibition in London,

The UK Royal Navy (RN) plans to test a directed energy weapon at sea later this decade, the service's most senior officer has revealed. Speaking at the DSEI 2015 exhibition on 15 September, Chief of Naval Staff and First Sea Lord Admiral Sir George Zambellas also disclosed that RN exchange

As of mid-September, 52% of arms and equipment supplied to the troops comes from domestic production, Russian president Vladimir Putin said 19 September at a meeting of the Military-industrial Commission (VPK) held near Orenburg at the Donguz training range. The announcement means that the Russian

EVENT Protest leader and activist Jose Marcos Mavungo was found guilty on 14 September of an "attack on the sovereignty of the Angolan state" in the exclave of Cabinda and sentenced to six years in prison. As one of the organisers of an anti-government rally in Cabinda on 14 March, he

AT LEAST two police officers were wounded when a suspected Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militant detonated his explosives targeting a joint police and paramilitary rangers search operation in the Malir area of Karachi in Pakistan's Sindh province on 20 September, The Express Tribune reported.

A SENIOR police officer - identified as Brigadier General Ahmed Mohamed Abdel Sattar Askar - was killed when suspected Islamist militants opened fire on him near a police station in the town of El-Arish in Egypt's North Sinai governorate on 19 September, Aswat Masriya reported. No group immediately

A new British Army regiment has taken over responsibility for providing trainers to prepare Iraqi Kurdish forces to take on Islamic State militants. Just more than 100 troops from the 1st Battalion, The Rifles (1 Rifles) base have replaced soldiers from the 1st Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment,

Le Premier ministre britannique reçoit ce mardi le président français pour discuter de la réforme de l'Union européenne sous la pression des eurosceptiques. A quelques mois d’un référendum au Royaume-Uni sur l’appartenance à l’Union européenne, David Cameron cherche comment faire avancer ses demandes. Même si leur relation n’a jamais été chaleureuse, pour cette visite de travail David Cameron a mis les petits plats dans les grands.

September 21, 2015 (JUBA) - Chol Thon, caretaker governor of Upper Nile state has issued a gubernatorial decree on Monday dissolving his entire cabinet and appointing new deputy governor.

The map of Upper Nile state

Governor Chol, according to the executive order following his last cabinet meeting with state ministers and heads of independent commissions, relieved Philip Gwyne from his position as the deputy governor and replaced him with Dak Tap Chol as the new deputy governor.

The new deputy governor, according to caretaker state information minister, Peter Hoth Tuach, was the former Nasir county commissioner from 2010 to 2014 when he was relieved from his position and given another assignment as the new minister of physical infrastructure and rural development in the previous government of Simon Kun Puoc.

The new state government will however last for only three months as it will be again dissolved and reconstituted in accordance with the peace agreement in which the opposition group will take the governorship and form a new state government.

In the new arrangement, the government will take 46% of the state ministerial positions while the opposition group led by Riek Machar will take 40% and the remaining 14% will be divided between the former detainees and political parties.

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Le Parlement hongrois a adopté lundi 21 septembre une nouvelle législation renforçant encore les pouvoirs de la police et de l'armée à l'encontre des migrants. La loi autorise l'armée à ouvrir le feu pour défendre la frontière. La droite populiste hongroise a la majorité des deux-tiers au Parlement et la loi a été adoptée sans problème. 

September 21, 2015 (KHARTOUM) - President Omer Hassan al-Bashir would soon announce new measures to promote efforts for creating conducive climate to ensure success of the national dialogue, said the ruling party

Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir has called on political parties to participate in national dialogue aimed at stimulating a reform plan announced earlier this year (Photo: Reuters/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah)

Following its meeting Monday, the ruling National Congress Party's (NCP) leadership office renewed the government readiness to engage in talks with the rebels in areas under their control in South Kordofan and Blue Nile to achieve a permanent and comprehensive peace.

NCP deputy chairman and presidential assistant Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamid told reporters following the meeting that the leadership office was reassured on the ongoing arrangements for the official inauguration of the dialogue conference on October 10th.

He said the leadership office has endorsed decisions of the dialogue coordination body known as 7+7 regarding the agenda and the opening session of the national dialogue conference.

According to Hamid, the meeting approved the entire moves made by the 7+7 committee including its decision that dialogue must be an exclusive Sudanese process and should be held inside the country.

“No [opposition] party will participate in a preparatory meeting outside Sudan as long as the those parties are present inside the country and allowed to carry out their [political] work,” he added.

It should be mentioned that the Sudanese government and the 7+7 committee reject the preparatory meeting proposed by the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) to facilitate the dialogue.

Hamid further said that the meeting underscored the need to continue efforts and contacts to secure participation of all political forces in the conference including those outside Sudan.

He pointed out that the meeting approved decisions of president Bashir to declare a cease fire and offer the necessary guarantees for the rebel leaders to participate in the dialogue inside Sudan.

On August 20th, Bashir said he is ready to declare a two-month ceasefire in Blue Nile, South Kordofan states and Darfur region and renewed his offer of amnesty for the rebels who are willing to join the national dialogue.

Also, last week, the rebel umbrella Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF) expressed its willingness to sign a cessation of hostilities for six months in the Blue Nile, South Kordofan and Darfur.

The Sudanese army has been fighting Sudan People's Liberation Movement/North (SPLM-N) rebels in South Kordofan and Blue Nile states since 2011 and the armed movements in Darfur since 2003.

Al-Bashir proposed in January 2014 to hold a national dialogue to end armed conflicts and to reach a political consensus on a permanent constitution in Sudan.

The imitative was welcomed by the opposition Popular Congress Party (PCP), National Umma Party, Reform Now Movement. However, the NUP and RNM decided to suspend their participation following the arrest of the NUP leader Sadiq al-Mahdi in May 2014.

Since the NUP and RNM joined calls by the alliance opposition National Consensus Forces (NCF) and the SRF to create a conducive environment through the end of war, release of freedoms and liberation of political detainees.

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September 21, 2015 (KHARTOUM) - The European Union (EU) has pledged to provide basic food, shelter and drugs to the needy in the conflict areas in Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile on the occasion of the Eid al-Adha (Feast of Sacrifice) next Thursday.

Ambassador Tomas Ulicny (Photo courtesy of the EU)

EU ambassador to Khartoum, Thomas Ulicny has sent a congratulatory message to the Sudanese people on the occasion of Hajj (pilgrimage) and Eid al-Adha, saying “I extend my greetings and congratulations to all those who are performing Hajj and celebrating Eid al-Adha”.

“Muslims celebration of Eid al-Adha is a commemoration of the willingness of Abraham, peace be upon him, to sacrifice his son and thus it is a good opportunity for providing food to those who are less fortunate,” he added.

He expressed hope that God accepts prayers on this occasion and brings lasting peace, reconciliation and forgiveness not only to Sudan but also to South Sudan, Syria, Iraq, Libya and Yemen.

The EU envoy further hoped that their efforts reach those who are in need “for our humanity before our care”.

Meanwhile, the deputy joint special representative for the hybrid peacekeeping in Darfur (UNAMID), Abiodun Oluremi Bashua, urged the Sudanese people in a message on the occasion of Eid al-Adha to draw lessons of peace and sacrifice from the story of Abraham and his son.

“The road to peace is fraught with obstacles, difficulties, tests and sacrifices and peace won't be achieved unless everybody shows sincere intentions and resolve,” he added
He described the progress which has been made in the internal dialogue in Darfur as a positive step towards achieving peace, stability and development in the region.

Bashua added they still hope that a comprehensive national dialogue will take place, pointing that recent meetings of the rebel umbrella Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF) in Paris has given new breath for achieving peace in Darfur and throughout Sudan.

(ST)

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

September 21, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) –The Addis Ababa electrified light railway network officially commenced operation Sunday, head of Ethiopia Railways Corporation (ERC) said.

The secretive Red Sea nation, bordering Sudan and Ethiopia, has been dubbed the North Korea of Africa (HRW)

Getachew Betru said a 17-kilometers long portion of the railway stretching from the north to the south of the capital started producing services to tens of thousands of residents.

"A remaining 17-kilometer long route, stretching from East to west part of the capital will begin providing service next month," he told reporters in Addis Ababa Monday.

Trial operation, the official said, had been taking place since February this year, courtesy of a number of qualified personnel who had been receiving training overseas.

According to Getachew, the minimum tariff to a transport distance covering 4 kilometers is 2 birr ($0.096), while the cost for 17km covering a whole journey is 6 birr ($0.193).

Payment system of the railway service will reportedly involve both cash and electromagnetic card that has to be used when boarding and getting off.

Getachew said services would be provided to the public under huge government subsidy.

“If there are many loopholes, we are ready to identify and address in due course. We will make strong supervision in areas where movement of people is high”, he stressed.

The new rail transport network is expected to ease the huge public transport problems in one of the world's most populace city.

When contacted by Sudan Tribune, however, some Addis Ababa residents expressed delight after seeing the long-awaited railway system become operational.

Most of them said previously, they had to wait for up to half an hour or more to catch a bus or taxi, but with the start of the rail transport, they would now be able to arrive at their respective work places or schools on time.

Ethiopia's rail way, which is the first urban light rail transit system in sub-Saharan Africa reportedly has the capacity to transport 15,000 passengers per hour in one direction.

The Ethiopian government is spending hundreds of millions of dollars to build modern transport systems to support development. With an average annual 11% economic growth, Ethiopia is one of the world's ten fastest growing economies.

Ethiopia which intends to be a regional power exporter however is recently being hit by severe power blackouts.

But officials told Sudan Tribune that the electric power for the railway is directly connected to the main grid and blackouts won't affect route of trains.

The US $ 475 million double track electrified light rail transit project was launched by China's Eryuan Engineering Group in January 2012 under a contract signed in June 2009.

China's Export-Import Bank provided loans to cover 85% of the project while the remaining 15% was financed by the Ethiopian government.

Meanwhile, Arkebe Equbay, special adviser on economic affairs to the Ethiopian prime minister said Ethiopia was planning to build Africa's first Railway Academy.

According to government official, the aim is to build up qualified expertise in the field of railway engineering to run the railway projects now being undertaken in Ethiopia.

The railway academy will be built at the cost of $39.3 million using funds secured from China.

“The Academy would be an important element in accomplishing the goals of the Growth and Transformation Plan II”, said Arkebe.

Ethiopia's five year Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP I) has been completed earlier on September and the second five year GTP is launched during which the horn of Africa's nation intends to accomplish a number of massive projects including Africa's largest power plant project. The country intends to join middle income countries by 2025 however some economists say it is an over ambitious plan.

(ST)

September 21, 2015 (JUBA) - South Sudan's rival parties to the conflict have concluded a one week long ceasefire workshop without reaching consensus over contentious matters to sign a deal and form a joint command as part of the security arrangement.

South Sudan's rebel leader Riek Machar, second left, looks across after shaking hands with South Sudan's President Salva Kiir, center-right wearing a black hat, after lengthy peace negotiations in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Monday, Aug. 17, 2015 (Photo AP/Mulugeta Ayene)

Both representatives of the two warring sides cited differences over the size of the protection force required to remain at the national capital, Juba, with the government proposing at least an army division between 10,000 and 18,000 soldiers should be deployed to remain in Juba during the transitional period.

Armed opposition officials say such arrangement amounts to militarization of the capital in violation of the provisions of the agreement which demands the demilitarization and deployment of joint police.

These divergences of the views about transitional security arrangement at the workshop led to the failure of the armed opposition representatives to sign a deal on the implementation matrix of the permanent ceasefire agreement in Addis Ababa last week because it failed to demilitarize the capital, Juba.

General Dau Aturjong Nyuol, deputy chief of general staff for training and the overall commander of the opposition forces in Bahr el Ghazal region, blamed the government for intransigence at the workshop to reach a consensus to sign a security arrangement matrix on the implementation of permanent ceasefire.

“The team that went to the workshop from Juba was either not ready for a consensus or was not given the opportunity to read the document (peace agreement). If you read the agreement, you find that it is clearly stated that Juba will be demilitarised. It will not have more forces but now these talks of protection force of 5,000 soldiers and 3,000 integrated police. This is not demilitarisation,” General Aturjong, who was part of the leading opposition commanders at the workshop, said on Monday.

He explained during an exclusive interview with Sudan Tribune that demilitarisation means taking the army away from the capital city and not deploying more forces contrary to the provisions of the peace agreement.

However, the senior opposition commander revealed the parties in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, have agreed on the withdrawal of all foreign forces in the country by October 10, despite disagreement on the nature of the Joint Integrated Police Unit and the number of presidential guards.

The foreign forces targeted and which will now have to leave or stand down include Uganda People's Defence Forces who were deployed in Juba after the outbreak of fighting in December 2013 to shore up President Kiir's government under a special arrangement with Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni.

Others are the Sudanese Revolutionary Forces (SPLM-North) that are also fighting the Khartoum government in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile and the Dafur-based rebels, the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), the Sudan Liberation Army-Minawi (SLA-MM) and SLA-AW led by Abdul Wahid.

The agreement however exempts Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) based in Yambio, Western Equatoria state, because they had been deployed in 2010 as part of the African Union Joint Force to pursue Joseph Kony's Lord's Resistance Army.

PRESIDENTIAL GUARDS

On the issue of the presidential guard, the government delegation had demanded 17,000 presidential guards but Riek Machar-led rebel movement rejected the number arguing that it was too high and that the shared presidential guards could be about 2,000 to 3,000.

Observers say the government had taken advantage of the loophole in the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Compromise Peace Agreement which did not give the numbers, leaving it for the partners to negotiate. The earlier proposal had provided that President Kiir retains 265 presidential guards while the first vice-president-to-be Machar was supposed to have 195 guards.

These latest agreements were arrived at a workshop on security arrangement that was convened by IGAD in Addis Ababa from September 13-17.

General Aturjong argued that while the government side believes that the police unit will comprise small group of 1,000 to guard the civilians in Juba only, the rebel movement believes that there has to be a new police body where both sides contribute equally depending on the overall number agreed on.

Speaking to the state owned South Sudan Television on Friday the information minister Michael Makuei Lueth said the government delegation that went to Addis Ababa last week to attend the workshop on the implementation of a permanent ceasefire had returned with information that the rebels had refused to sign the security arrangements but other representatives of former detainees had signed.

“Yesterday (Thursday 18) the delegation that went to the workshop came back yesterday to inform us that the agreement on the implementation of the permanent ceasefire was signed by the government delegation and the former detainee delegation, and the rebels rejected the signing of the agreement. So the ball is now in the court of IGAD and the rebels,” he said.

(ST)

The United Nations Security Council took note of the recent appointment of Carlos Correia as the Prime Minister of Guinea-Bissau as an important step towards ending the country’s political crisis, and stressed the importance of forming a new Government at the earliest.