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The United Nations Children&#39s Fund (UNICEF) reiterated today that attacks on health facilities are a blatant violation of international humanitarian law and can amount to war crimes, in response to the recent airstrikes on four hospitals and a blood bank in eastern Aleppo city in Syria.

Recent fighting in South Sudan has forced 37,491 people to flee to Uganda in the past three weeks, averaging more than 4,000 a day in the past week, the United Nations refugee agency warned today.

The United Nations chief and his envoy for Somalia have denounced today&#39s terrorist attack in the vicinity of Mogadishu International Airport that killed at least a dozen people.

Mangroves are rare and vital ecosystems that help to protect coastlines and mitigate the effects of climate change, but their survival is being jeopardized, the United Nations cultural agency said today, calling for greater preservation efforts as the international community marks the first ever International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem.

The Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations peacekeeping operation in the Central African Republic (CAR) until 15 November 2017, keeping an authorized troop ceiling of 10,750 military personnel intact and providing time for the mission to assess the post-transition process in the country.

The United Nations Security Council today extended the mandate of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) for six months, until 31 January 2017, and welcomed the progress of the negotiations between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders to reach a comprehensive settlement.

The United Nations human rights expert on freedom of opinion and expression has condemned recent Government clampdown over public and social media expressions in Thailand ahead of a constitutional referendum scheduled for 7 August.

The United Nations refugee agency today appealed to donors for an additional $115.4 million to fund the voluntary return and reintegration of Somali refugees from Kenya&#39s Dadaab refugee camp.

Recent fighting in South Sudan has forced 37,491 people to flee to Uganda in the past three weeks, averaging more than 4,000 a day in the past week, the United Nations refugee agency warned today.

The United Nations chief and his envoy for Somalia have denounced today&#39s terrorist attack in the vicinity of Mogadishu International Airport that killed at least a dozen people.

Mangroves are rare and vital ecosystems that help to protect coastlines and mitigate the effects of climate change, but their survival is being jeopardized, the United Nations cultural agency said today, calling for greater preservation efforts as the international community marks the first ever International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem.

Le Haut-Commissariat des Nations Unies pour les réfugiés (HCR) s'est inquiété mardi du sort des milliers de réfugiés sud-soudanais qui arrivent chaque jour en Ouganda suite à la flambée de violence qu'a connue le pays début juillet, avertissant que les acteurs humanitaires ne disposent pas des fonds nécessaires pour répondre à leurs besoins.

Le Haut-Commissariat des Nations Unies pour les réfugiés (HCR) a lancé mardi un appel de fonds pour financer le retour volontaire ou la réinstallation des réfugiés somaliens du camp de de Dadaab, au Kenya, qui fermera bientôt ses portes après 25 ans d'existence.

Deux hauts responsables de l'ONU ont vivement condamné mardi l'attaque terroriste survenue ce jour dans les environs de l'aéroport international de la capitale Mogadiscio, qui a fait au moins une douzaine de mort.

A l'issue d'une visite officielle en Guinée-Bissau, le Secrétaire général adjoint des Nations Unies aux Affaires politiques, Jeffrey Feltman, a appelé mardi toutes les parties prenantes à faire preuve de volonté politique pour trouver une sortie de crise, à travers une solution consensuelle et un dialogue constructif.

Le Conseil de sécurité de l'ONU a adopté mardi à l'unanimité une résolution prorogeant jusqu'au 15 novembre 2017 le mandat de la Mission multidimensionnelle intégrée des Nations Unies pour la stabilisation en République centrafricaine (MINUSCA) et adaptant son mandat aux nouvelles circonstances qui prévalent dans le pays.

July 25, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese people, particularly the Darfurians, would celebrate after few days the completion of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) with the participation of all those who put efforts to sealing the peace deal except the former Joint Chief AU-UN mediator Darfur Djibril Bassolé, who is currently detained in a military prison in the capital of Burkina Faso, Ouagadougou.

Djibril Bassolé (Reuters Photo)

Bassolé, Burkina Faso's Minister of Foreign Affairs under the regime of former President Blaise Compaore, was arrested in September 2015 for allegedly supporting a coup against the interim government ahead of scheduled elections.

In November 2015; appeared in the social media recorded phone conversations Bassolé allegedly had with the president of Ivory Coast's National Assembly, Guillaume Soro, in connection with the failed coup. The source of the recording is unknown but this didn't prevent the government to claim that it represents the needed evidence for his involvement. The French Le Monde daily newspaper last February published an analysis of the recording by the acoustics expert Norbert Pheulpin who formally denied the authenticity of the recording.

Since, regional and international circles are exerting intensive efforts to convince the transitional government to release Bassolé or put him on trial.

The renowned diplomat has contributed to the efforts to resolve several regional conflicts in Africa and he enjoys prestigious regional and international status and wide popularity in his country which sparked jealousy among his political rivals.

During his tenure as Joint Chief AU-UN mediator for Darfur, Bassolé has earned respect and appreciation of all parties to the conflict, including those who weren't party to the Doha peace document, who acknowledged his relentless efforts to reach a just and satisfactory solution for all.

The former Sudanese Presidential adviser who was in charge of Darfur peace file, Ghazi Salah al-Din has expressed surprise over Bassolé's arrest, saying the man he knew closely during their joint work on Darfur peace wouldn't seek to gain access to power through a military coup.

Speaking to Sudan Tribune, he pointed that he watched Bassolé closely and learnt about his manners and professional commitment as well as his belief in democracy and reform in African. He said "the man was an honest broker who demonstrated willingness for collective work to achieve joint goals".

“I noticed his apparent enthusiasm to the establish good governance and democracy as basic elements to resolve the problems in the African continent” he further said

“I strongly urge the authorities in Burkina Faso to not only release him [Bassolé] but to make use of his rich experiences and abilities in multiple domains,” he added

Salah al-Din further described Bassolé as one of Africa's wise men, saying it is our duty as Africans to stand by his side and provide him with our support.

In separate statements to Sudan Tribune, the chairman of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) Gibril Ibrahim has urged “the leaders of Burkina Faso to immediately free Bassolé and let him serve Africa and the international community”.

“I was honoured to work with Djibril Bassolé throughout his tenure as Joint Chief Mediator for Darfur representing both the African Union and the United Nations. Mr. Bassolé proved to be an outstanding African and international leader with unique qualities,” he said.

“He [Bassolé] travelled hundreds of thousands of miles in Sudan, the region and over the oceans in search of peace for Darfur and contributed immensely to the saving of a lot of lives. The Sudanese and the people of Darfur owe him direly,” Gibril added.

According to Ibrahim, Bassolé has brilliantly managed to maintain sound relations with both a government and its armed opponents and “succeeded in steering his ship in the troubled rocky waters of mediation without antagonizing any of the parties or humiliating himself”.

A court in Ouagadougou had earlier this year denied Bassolé's basic right to choose his lawyers by refusing the access of foreign lawyers despite the fact the Burkina Faso has signed international and regional agreements in this regard.

However, the Court of Cassation has later annulled the military court's ruling to refuse the foreign lawyers.

Also, on the first of this month of July, the Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has brushed off the decision to prevent Bassolé from hiring foreign lawyers as illegal.

On Thursday, Sudan Tribune learnt that Ouagadougou's government has allowed the foreign lawyers to take part in Bassolé's defence but not date has been determined for his trial.

(ST)

July 25, 2016 (EL-FASHER) - Police has re-established presence in the locality of Ambro, 350 km. north west of North Darfur capital, El-Fasher for the first time since the armed conflict erupted in the restive region.

The Sudanese army has been fighting several armed movements in Darfur since 2003. Following three months of fierce fighting in Jebel Marra, last April the army declared Darfur free of rebels. However, the different rebel groups dismissed these statements.

Commissioner of Ambro locality Ali Ahmed al-Tahir told Sudan Tribune that the return of the police to the locality after 13 years underscores that the situation in the area is stable, praising efforts exerted by police to maintain security across the state.

He added the deployment of police to the various administrative units in the locality is underway, pointing the police presence would allow the residents to return to normal life.

The commissioner added that the locality faced considerable problems and the residents suffered from clashes between farmers and herders in the absence of the police.

He hailed the efforts of the North Darfur governor, police director and the other security organs in establishing security and returning the police force to Ambro, saying they would make every possible effort maintain security and deploy police across the locality.

Al-Tahir further pointed that the North Darfur police director promised to send further police officers to cover all administrative units in the locality.

Last month, North Darfur state governor Abdel-Wahid Youssef acknowledged existence of security problems in the state particularly in the capital, El-Fasher.

He accused unnamed parties of seeking to keep the “insecurity and instability” situation in Darfur, and pointed to “hidden hands that prompt the security chaos in all Darfur's five states not only North Darfur”.

(ST)

July 25, 2016 (JUBA) – The editor of an Arabic newspaper has been detained and the paper shutdown by South Sudan security forces after it published inaccurate information.

Information minister Michael Makuei Lueth (R) speaks at a media forum as presidential press secretary Ateny Wek Ateny looks on in Juba on 7 September 2014 (ST)

The editor of Al-Watan newspaper, Michael Christopher was arrested on Saturday by security operatives and his whereabouts remain unknown.

Al-Watan newspaper was ordered to cease publication after it quoted Information Minister, Michael Makuei, as having confirmed the arrival of additional peacekeepers from neighbouring countries.

The paper said the troops from Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) would arrive Monday 25 July. But that turn out to be untrue and the paper apologized for the mistake, which it attributed to poor translation from English to the Arabic dialect.

“All these are our mistakes. The right information is that the government has formed a committee to receive a team of African Union Security Council which is expected to arrive today [Monday], Faisal Hassan Lado, the acting editor for the newspaper.

“We apologize for this inaccurate information that came as a result of translation,” he added.

Al-Watan's lead story on Saturday with headline “Arrival of African Union soldiers on Monday” has a quote attributed to the minister.

Lueth, the newspaper reported, said a committee had been constituted to receive the visiting members AU Peace and Security Council on Monday. The government committee, he added, would be headed by his cabinet affairs counterpart, Martin Lomoro.

The Arabic newspaper later published an apology to the information minister he was wrongly quoted in Juba Monitor newspaper, which has remained closed and its chief editor, Alfred Taban still in detention.

Meanwhile, Bol Deng Mayen has been appointed the new editor of Al-Watan, the newspaper's management announced on Monday. He replaces the embattled Michael.

(ST)

July 25, 2017 (JUBA) – South Sudan President Salva Kiir's removal of the armed opposition leader, Riek Machar and appointing Taban Deng Gai as the country's first vice-president could ignite a “full-scale war”, an advocacy group warned on Monday.

Arms and light weapons have been used by both warring parties in South Sudan to commit abuses (Photo courtesy of SSANSA)

“This move represents another marker in the South Sudan's slow motion political suicide,” said Enough Project's Founding Director, John Prendergast.

“It unnecessarily brings South Sudan a step closer to full-scale war, shutting another door to dialogue and trampling on democratic processes espoused by both South Sudan's government and opposition SPLA-IO [Sudan People Liberation Army in Opposition],” he added.

A section of South Sudan's former rebels on Sunday announced they had replaced Machar with Gai, who was the mining minister in the recently established transitional national unity government.

Gai was the rebel's lead negotiator for a peace accord signed last year between Machar, President Kiir, religious groups as well as several other political groups, to end nearly two years of violence.

The deal created a transitional government to last for 30 months in which Kiir was to remain President and Machar as first vice president.

But Machar's allies say the move to substitute him with Gai, was illegal since he had already defected to President Kiir-led faction.

Brian Adeba, an Associate Director of Policy at the Enough Project said if President Kiir's action to remove the former rebel leader and replace him with Deng proves to be part of an elite pact without grassroots support, it could undermine the peace accord.

“It is imperative that South Sudan's leaders adhere to implementing the peace agreement and not allow inner-circle power plays to bring forth more violence and destabilisation,” he observed.

During the formation of the transitional government in late April, both Kiir and Machar agreed to implement the peace deal, which halted nearly two years of a bloody civil which took an ethnic dimension.

Both rival factions, according to the peace agreement, were to retain control of their respective armies until a merge is concluded.

Machar fled the capital, Juba when his forces clashed with those loyal to Kiir, killing over 270 soldiers and displacing 40,000 civilians.

The former rebel leader instead asked for a buffer between his forces and those loyal to Kiir as an assurance of his security in the capital.

Last week, President Kiir gave Machar a 48-hour ultimatum to return to Juba to continue as First Vice President or risk being replaced.

Machar failed to comply and a group of SPLM-IO officials including Gai, Secretary-General Dhieu Diing and Deputy Chairman Alfred Gore met in Juba and nominated Gai as Machar's replacement.

Machar said Friday that he had fired Gai as mining minister, removed him from the SPLM-IO Political Bureau and withdrew his chairmanship of National Committee on Reconciliation and Healing.

“This is to declare to all members of the SPLM/SPLA (IO) that Taban Deng Gai has defected to the SPLM-IG (in Government) under President Salva Kiir Mayardit,” Machar wrote to SPLM-IO members.

“By this, Taban Deng Gai is dismissed and no more a member of the SPLM/SPLA (IO),” adds the letter.

The Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC), a body charged with supervising the implementation of the peace agreement, said changes within the Machar-led opposition movement depends on the leadership of the movement itself.

“A change to the leadership depends on the Opposition itself and we are not here to speculate on such changes,” JMEC said Sunday.

“We do not see any value in speculating when the people and friends of South Sudan are working hard to ensure a return to the implementation of the Peace Agreement,” it added.

According South Sudan's peace agreement, each of the parties to the accord can either nominate or withdraw its respective minister.

(ST)