Africa

A selection of the best photos from across Africa this week.

Nigeria forward Ahmed Musa leaves Leicester City for Al-Nassr for an undisclosed fee, the Saudi Arabian club announces.

Zakarie Ali was scouted in Finland after moving there with his family at the age of three.

Striking scenes from a trek through the Sinai desert

Regional security topped the agenda of a United Nations-backed joint summit on Central and West Africa searching, among other things, for a practical approach to fighting terrorism.

A picture of a former prime minister meeting ex-military ruler Mengistu spurs controversy in Ethiopia.

Senegal striker Moussa Sow announces his retirement from international football to focus on his club career with UAE side Shabab Dubai.

Algeria's football federation appoint former international Djamel Belmadi as their new manager, after he agrees a four-year deal.

Many questions remain unanswered about the murder of three men shot dead in Central African Republic.

Residents of the Libyan city of Sirte say they feel "abandoned" nearly two years after Islamic State fighters left.

Egypt name Mexican Javier Aguirre as their new manager after Hector Cuper left following this summer's World Cup.

The Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) announced on Wednesday that preliminary laboratory results indicate a new cluster of cases of the deadly Ebola virus in North Kivu province.

After troops reportedly fired on demonstrators protesting election results in Zimbabwe, leaving three dead, the United Nations Secretary-General on Thursday called on the country’s political leaders, and the population at large, to "exercise restraint and reject any form of violence".

Bishop Merkorios is greeted by followers 27 years after the church split amid Menguistu's overthrow.

Farmers living on the Indian Ocean Comoros archipelago are being supported through a UN Development Programme (UNDP) initiative, to adapt to climate change in an effort to ensure they can continue to prosper in one of Africa’s poorest nations.

After 11 years in exile and prison, ex-Vice-President Jean Pierre-Bemba wants to run for president.

July 31, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Chief-Editor of Al-Jareeda newspaper Ashraf Abdel-Aziz said the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) has prevented sending print runs to distribution points for seven days inflicting huge financial loss on the news daily.

A Sudanese woman reads a local newspaper in Khartoum in 2010 (AFP PHOTOS)

“The NISS continued to prevent the distribution of the print runs until 8:00 am for a full week. This is an indirect confiscation of the newspaper because it is very difficult to send the newspaper to the states and main distribution centres in Khartoum after 8:00 am” Abdel-Aziz told Sudan Tribune.

“Does the NISS seek to destroy an independent newspaper that became close to people's conscience? We really don't know,” he wondered.

Abdel-Aziz added his newspaper has suffered heavy financial losses as a result of the continued confiscations and prevention of distribution in the capital, Khartoum and the various states.

Al-Jareeda has been one of the most newspapers in Sudan subject to suspension and confiscation. In May 2016, the NISS confiscated copies of the newspaper four times during five days.

The Sudanese security usually issues verbal directives to the Chief-Editors banning them from publishing particular news especially those pertaining to the protests and armed movements or other issues which the security sees sensitive.

It routinely confiscates newspapers either to prevent circulation of certain stories or to punish them retroactively for breaching unwritten red lines inflicting financial and moral losses on these media houses.

On January 7, the NISS confiscated 6 newspapers for publishing reports about the popular protests against the harsh economic conditions. Also, in February 2015, it seized entire print runs of 14 newspapers in one day without stating the reasons for its decision.

(ST)

July 31, 2018 (JUBA) - Deng Alor, a leading member of the opposition Former Detainees (DFs) group said they will sign the governance agreement next Sunday with some reservations related to the issues of contention which will be settled in the next round of talks.

Deng Alor Kuol (File photo)

Speaking to the Voice of America radio programme "South Sudan in Focus", Alors disclosed that their group has changed its mind and decided to sign the agreement on outstanding issues on governance after refusing to initial it on 25 July with the government and the SPLM-IO.

He said they will sign with reservations the agreement to not obstruct the peace process and will sit after that with the government to resolve in the next round of talks the issues that have been bracketed.

"The most important is that all these people are going to sign but with reservations that should be bracketed," the opposition leader said.

Alor stressed that they want the South Sudanese to be aware of their concerns including the incredibility of the referendum on the 32 states to be conducted before the end of the eight (8) months Pre-Transitional Period.

"Within 5 months you cannot conduct a referendum because who is going to be responsible for that referendum? It is the current government and this is the reason we are saying no, this is not possible," he stressed.

In line with the revitalized peace deal, the issue over the number of states in South Sudan will be resolved through the Independent Boundaries Commission (IBC) which should conclude its works and hand over its report within 90 days.

In case of failure to reach an agreement on the number of states, the IBC shall be transformed into Referendum Commission on Number and Boundaries of States (RCNBS) of the Republic of South Sudan.

"The RCNBS shall work under the direct supervision and support of the African Union and the IGAD, and shall conduct the referendum before the end of the agreed eight (8) months Pre-Transitional Period," says the agreement initialled on 25 July.

Alor further said they want to review the ratios of power-sharing at the level of states. He said they want to increase the percentage of the opposition at the state level from 35 to 45 per cent.

SSOA spokesperson Kwaje Lasu reiterated to Sudan Tribune that the opposition umbrella sticks to its position on agreement on the outstanding issue on governance.

"We in SSOA are standing our ground until our positions are addressed, nothing more nothing less," he wrote in a message to the Sudan Tribune.

Last Monday President said they will continue to discuss the few outstanding issues with the opposition groups and to ensure that peace returns in the country.

(ST)

July 31, 2018 (KAMPALA) - South Sudan minister for environment and forestry, Josephine N'apwon has commended Uganda for the hospitality rendered to its refugees settled in the East African nation.

South Sudanese refugees attend independence day celebrations at Kirayandongo resettlement camp 9, July 2017 (ST)

“Since the first war broke in Sudan, a number of people have crossed into Uganda as refugees,” said the minister.

She said hospitality provided by the Ugandan government has enabled South Sudanese children to attend school and the rest have settled and access healthcare from existing health facilities.

According to the minister, her country is trying to find everlasting peace solutions so that its citizens can return to rebuild the country.

“We have meetings ongoing supported by IGAD [Intergovernmental Authority on Development] and Uganda to ensure peace returns in South Sudan,” explained N'apwon.

She also encouraged traders from Uganda to continue trading with South Sudan, saying a lot is needed for Juba to settle economically.

“In the past, we have had ambushes by rebels along the roads, but since then, such activities have stopped,” stressed the minister.

Meanwhile the minister appealed to members of the international community to support the peace process in Africa's newest nation.

She commended President Yoweri Museveni's efforts in uniting rival leaders in South Sudan and other nations in the Great Lakes region.

(ST)

July 31, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's Foreign Minister El-Dirdeiry Mohamed Ahmed has called for completing border demarcation between Sudan and Ethiopia in order to settle border differences with the eastern neighbour.

A road leading to Ethiopia-Sudan border (Photo Jamminglobal.com)

According to a press release on Monday, Sudan's Foreign Ministry said Ahmed met with the Ethiopian Ambassador to Khartoum Mawtada Zoudi.

During the meeting, Ahmed underscored the need to resume border demarcation between the two countries and prevent infringement on agricultural land.

He pointed out that bilateral relations between the two countries have witnessed an unprecedented development recently.

It is noteworthy that bloody clashes between Sudanese and Ethiopian farmers on the joint border have erupted last month leading to many casualties on both sides.

Ethiopian and Sudanese farmers from two sides of the border dispute the ownership of land in Al-Fashaga area located in the south-eastern part of Sudan's eastern state of Gedaref.

In the past years, Sudanese authorities accused Ethiopia of controlling more than a million acres of Sudanese agricultural land in the area of Al-Fashaga, saying the area has been completely isolated from Sudan.

Al-Fashaga covers an area of about 250 square kilometres and it has about 600.000 acres of fertile lands. Also, there are river systems flowing across the area including Atbara, Setait and Baslam rivers.

The current borders between Sudan and Ethiopia were drawn by the British and Italian colonisers in 1908. The two governments have agreed in the past to redraw the borders and to promote joint projects between people from both sides for the benefit of local populations.

The joint Sudanese-Ethiopian High Committee announced in December 2013 that it reached an agreement to end disputes between farmers from two sides of the border over the ownership of agricultural land.

In November 2014, the former Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn and President al-Bashir instructed their Foreign Ministers to fix a date for resuming the border demarcation. The operation had stopped following the death of Ethiopia's former premier, Meles Zenawi.

(ST)