Africa

September 26, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour on Monday has said that his country wouldn't serve as a launching pad for any armed opposition activities against South Sudan.

Ibrahim Ghandour (Photo Suna)

In a press release extended to Sudan Tribune on Monday, Ghandour said "Sudan is a key member of the tripartite committee set up by the regional block IGAD to follow up the implementation of South Sudan's peace agreement".

"Sudan wouldn't allow any armed opposition to be launched from its territory against South Sudan," he said, pointing his country continued to play an essential and active role in all regional and international initiatives aiming to achieve peace in the newborn nation.

Sudan's top diplomat underscored his country's keenness to achieve peace in South Sudan, saying peace can't be achieved in the two Sudans unless it was achieved in the other country.

He said that Sudan under the leadership of President Omer al-Bashir was the first country to recognize the independence of South Sudan, pointing to the joint history and interests between the two nations.

South Sudan seceded from Sudan on July 9th 2011 following a referendum on whether the semi-autonomous region should remain a part of the country or become independent. 99% of the southern voters chose independence.

Relations between the two nations soured after South Sudan's independence following a series of disputes over a number of issues, particularly accusations of support to rebel groups.

Ghandour's statements come two days after the armed opposition faction (SPLM-IO) led by South Sudan's former First Vice President, Riek Machar, declared war on the “regime” in Juba under President Salva Kiir.

This declaration came in a resolution passed by the political bureau meeting convened for three days in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, under the chairmanship of Machar, also commander-in-chief of the SPLM-IO.

The armed opposition further called for reorganization of the SPLA-IO so that it “can wage a popular armed resistance against the authoritarian and fascist regime of President Salva Kiir in order to bring peace, freedom, democracy and the rule of law in the country.”

Also on Sunday, South Sudan's former Minister of Agriculture, Lam Akol, announced formation of a new rebel faction, saying his aim is to overthrow by all means the government of South Sudan under the leadership of President Salva Kiir.

South Sudan descended into civil war in December 2013. Tens of thousands of civilians were killed and more than 2 million displaced.

In August last year, a peace deal was signed by both Machar and Kiir, but fighting in Juba put the accord at risk of possible collapse.

(ST)

Addressing the United Nations General Assembly, two small island nations in Africa today stressed that among the many challenges they face, harnessing the transformative power of the seas and building the ocean-based economy is of fundamental importance for their countries’ survival and sustainable growth.

Former West Bromwich Albion and Sunderland midfielder Stephane Sessegnon signs for Montpellier on a two-year contract.

Telling the United Nations General Assembly that over the 25 years of Eritrea’s independence it has faced a “concerted onslaught” of difficulties – incessant hostility, occupation, and sanctions – the country’s Foreign Minister today said that resilient Eritrea and Eritreans, at home and abroad, were nevertheless able to fend off the attacks on their nation and protect their hard-won freedom.

Fifa defends its decision to scrap an anti-racism taskforce with critics branding the move "shameful" and "perplexing".

Nigeria's international players say they understand their federations financial woes and understand they may have to wait for their playing bonuses.

Prominent Ethiopian actor Znah-Bzu Tsegaye says that he has has sought asylum in the US after leaving the country about two months ago.

Ivory Coast footballer Serge Aurier, who plays for Paris St-Germain, is sentenced to two months in jail for assaulting a police officer.

The Swazi government has made little progress implementing the recommendations it accepted during its last Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in 2011. There has been no progress on essential rights reforms that Swaziland rejected during the 2011 UPR review. These include: removal of all legislative and practical restrictions on fundamental civil and political rights, in particular those related to freedom of association and expression to allow the registration and operation of political parties; permitting greater political freedoms through free, fair, transparent democratic elections; ensuring the right to health without discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity; abolition of the death penalty; and decriminalization of same-sex relations and prevention of discrimination based on marital status and sexual orientation.

The government has yet to repeal, or amend as appropriate, a number of repressive laws that restrict basic rights guaranteed in Swaziland’s 2005 constitution, including freedom of association and assembly. The laws in need of amendment include the 2008 Suppression of Terrorism Act (STA), the 1938 Sedition and Subversive Activities Act, and the 1963 Public Order Act. Police have sweeping powers under the Public Order Act. The king’s 1973 decree banning political parties remains in force despite repeated calls from local political activists to have it revoked. The constitution does not address the formation or role of political parties.

Human Rights Watch urges the Swazi government to:

• Guarantee rights to freedom of association, peaceful assembly, and expression;
• Revoke the king’s 1973 decree on political parties, allow the registration and operation of political parties, and introduce multi-party democratic elections;
• Repeal or amend as appropriate repressive laws to comply with the constitution and international human rights standards, including the 2008 Suppression of Terrorism Act (STA), the 1938 Sedition and Subversive Activities Act, and the 1963 Public Order Act;
• Enact reforms to ensure equality for women and prevent their discrimination in law and practice, particularly under Swazi law and custom. This includes resolving conflicts between civil law and traditional law and values to ensure that human rights standards are not ignored; and
• Fully enforce and implement the constitutional provision that no woman shall be forced to take part in a custom to which she objects.

 

By Dr. Abdulkarim Seid

At a glance, wetlands – large expanses of swamps – seem like public nuisances, a waste of space; occupying prime land which could otherwise be turned into sprawling shopping malls, hotels or theme parks devoid of any green.

Indeed, several wetlands in the Nile Basin have undergone degradation due to multiple contributing factors; settlements and urbanization by an ever growing population, reclamation and conversion for agriculture. Other factors are upstream infrastructural development, over-exploitation by local communities and climate change.

Wetlands represent about five percent of the total basin area and are concentrated in two areas: the Equatorial Lakes region and the Sudd area in South Sudan. The Sudd wetlands – the most extensive wetland system in the Nile Basin – are highly variable in size, averaging roughly 30,000 square kilometres, but extending up to as large as 130,000 square kilometres during the wet seasons. The Nile Delta north of Egypt, once an area of lush natural wetlands, has now been almost entirely converted into agricultural land.

The majority of these transgressions have gone largely unpunished while encroachment on wetlands continues to flourish. However, this ‘honeymoon' usually ends at the onset of the rainy seasons when nature fights back. The difference here is that the dry season is often characterised by light showers, which hardly pose a threat to populations settled in the lowlands. It is a different story when the heavy rains begin, though.

With the advent of climate change and variable weather patterns, there has been a noticeable increase in floods in the Nile Basin. Kenya, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda have all witnessed El Nino rains in recent months that swept chunks of property and lives with their deadly force. It is perhaps at such times that many people realise the advantages of wetlands in absorbing excess water in the environment.

These factors threaten the intrinsic hydrological and ecological link between these wetlands and River Nile including its overall health and life. This is exacerbated by inadequate knowledge and experience for mainstreaming wetland conservation and for making full use of ecosystem services in the planning process.

Wetlands are crucial mainly because they act as a buffer for floods. They absorb the excess water or run off in the environment and release it systematically while causing no harm to the neighbourhood. However, when these wetlands are threatened, they implode with no escape route for the large amounts of water. Hence, floods run riot and cause destruction of the surroundings. Wetlands are also valuable ecosystems that play an important role in maintaining environmental quality, sustaining livelihoods and supporting biodiversity.

The wide range of animal and plant species wetlands support, provide an ecosystem that services in the form of fisheries, fuel-wood, timber, medicines, providing high ecological, cultural and economic value through recreation and tourism. Wetlands also exert significant influence on the hydrological cycle, altering flood flows, maintaining low flows and ground water recharge.

In light of these challenges, the Nile Basin Initiative Secretariat is spearheading a wetlands project and forum whose focus is on strengthening the technical and institutional capacities of the riparian States for sustainable management of trans-boundary wetlands and wetlands of trans-boundary relevance in the Nile Basin such as the Sudd, whose extensive network affects annual flows of the Nile in downstream countries.

Interventions include building strategic and demand-driven knowledgebase on trans-boundary wetlands for informed planning and development of river basins; facilitating wetlands management planning for sustainability of the Nile Basin trans-boundary wetlands and wetlands of regional significance.

The expected benefits cannot be overemphasised; improved water security through tapping on restoration and conservation of wetlands ecosystem services; enhanced livelihoods security for largely local population groups whose livelihoods heavily depend on wetlands ecosystems. Let us all remember to save wetlands.

The author is head of water resources management at Nile Basin Initiative Secretariat.

September 25, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - The head of the African Union United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) Sunday called on the Sudanese government to allow humanitarian access to the affected civilian in Jebel Marra.

UNAMID chief Martin Uhomoibhi, made his call during a visit to Zalingei, the capital of Central Darfur State. Also it comes after report about recent hostilities in western Jebel Marra between the government forces and rebels of the Sudan Liberation Movement-Abdel Wahid al-Nur (SLM-AW).

During his visit, Uhomoibhi met the state officials and discussed the humanitarian situation in the areas. He urged them to allow aid groups to reach the needy population affected by the conflict.

OCHA weekly bulletin reported that between five thousands to 12.500 people mainly women and children have arrived in IDPs camp of Nertiti North, citing aid groups and community leaders there.

Central Darfur government and SLM-AW admitted last week clashes in western Jebel Marra.

Last April the government declared Jebel Marra free of rebels however, local authorities say they are clearing the mountainous areas from the remnants of the insurgency.

(ST)

September 25, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's dialogue body known as 7+7 committee will meet on Monday to reach an agreement on pending issues such as the creation of Prime Minister's post and the term of the national consensus government.

Members of the national dialogue general assembly and President Omer al-Bashir attend the third session of the internal process in Khartoum on August 20, 2015 (Photo AFP/Ashraf Shazly)

National dialogue general assembly will convene on the 10th of October to agree on a national document that will serve to establish a permanent constitution for Sudan.

Launched on 10 October 2015, the dialogue process was initially expected to wind up on 10th January. But the opposition groups have refused to join the process and called on the government to implement a number of confidence building measures aimed to create a suitable atmosphere for dialogue.

The 7+7 committee meeting to discuss 15 contentious issues in the recommendations of the national dialogue was delayed from Sunday to Monday

A member of the Quartet committee assigned to reach consensual solutions on the outstanding issues, Tadjadine Bechir Niam, said the committee met on Sunday and reached satisfying results that would strengthen the consensus on 13 of the contentious issues.

In statements to Sudan Tribune following the meeting, Niam said he and Hamid Mumtaz of the ruling National Congress Party represented the government, while the opposition is represented by Amin Banani and Mohamed al-Alem. He added their committee will submit its reports to the Committee on Contentious Issues, headed by the leading member of the Popular Congress Party, Kamal Hassan Omer.

“If the two committees fail to reach an agreement, the issues would be referred to 7+7 national dialogue committee. If no deal has been struck at this level, then the contentious matters would be referred to the National Dialogue General Assembly for voting on the 10th of October,” said Niam.

He further pointed that the main pending issues include the creation of the Prime Minister's post, issues related to National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS), term of the transitional National Consensus Government and the mechanisms to implement National Dialogue Document after the general assembly.

Niam further pointed that Presidential Assistant, Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamid, will brief the meeting of the 7+7 national dialogue on Monday on the National Dialogue Document.

NATIONAL SOCIETAL DIALOGUE

In a related development, the general assembly of the national society dialogue will meet on Monday to hand its final document to President Omer al-Bashir. The document would be aligned with the recommendations of the political dialogue.

Some forces of the national dialogue have expressed reservations saying they would not accept the outcome the national societal dialogue which was announced by President al-Bashir before launching the national dialogue in January 2014.

According to the official Sudan News Agency (SUNA), the national societal dialogue document has covered 11 sectors that include identity, equipments of national consensus and mechanisms of popular participation.

(ST)

September 23, 2016 (BENTIU) – A South Sudanese official has expressed dismay after a United States senator described the country's First Vice President, Taban Deng Gai as a leader "lacking consistency in representation".

President Salva Kiir Mayardit greets state minister Lam Tungwar Kueigwong in Juba where he received a delegation led by Unity State deputy governor Mabek Lang to discuss the security situation there on Friday 25 September 2015 (ST Photo)

Lam Tungwar, a minister in Northern Liech, one of South Sudan's new states, claimed the senator interfered with Gai's ethnic background.

“This is a vague statement, unprofessionally fake, unfounded and a baseless accusation. The senator used a major street jargon that shouldn't be entertained by all nationals in South Sudan,” said Lam.

He said the humiliation of the first vice president was “disappointing”.

“Gen. Taban Deng Gai comes from the constituency of Northern Liech state and particularly from Jikany sub-clan of Nuer community and it's very unfortunate to see foreigners who strongly meddle in our local affairs and lower themselves to encourage ethnicity through a statement like this,” the minister told Sudan Tribune.

He urged the U.S. official not to interfere in the affairs of the world's youngest nation.

“America is a country of immigrants and a country of multi-ethnicity and colours. It is astonishing to hear a complete senator talking about a person whose nationality is clear and is not questioned by any of his countrymen and women. Who is [Benjamin] Cardin to question the vice president about his constituency?” he asked.

Lam said he was optimistic the new vice president will bring peace.

Gai, a former chief negotiator for the armed opposition faction, replaced Riek Machar as first vice president, after the latter fled the young nation's capital in July.

Last week, the State Department says the United States is pledging nearly $133 million in additional humanitarian assistance to South Sudan's refugees and internally displaced people.

The aid comes amid discussions over whether the U.S. should cut its aid to the country trying to recover from a violent civil war.

The U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry, last month, said his country's humanitarian assistance to South Sudan will not continue forever if its leaders "are not prepared to do what's necessary for their people."

More than one million people have fled South Sudan since fighting broke out in December 2013, and over 1.6 million people have been internally displaced. Tens of thousands have been killed in the young nation.

The U.S. has given $1.9 billion in aid to South Sudan since its civil war started in 2013.

(ST)

Notions From the United Nations Human Rights Council in its 33rd Session on Sudan:
Is it a “Diplomatic Conspiracy” and “CSOs camouflage”?

By Mohamed Yassin

As an attendee of the UN Human Rights Council #HRC33 and as an academic stemming from #Sudan, and activist in the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), it is imperative for me to let the General Public and the Sudanese People know the following notions concerning Sudan....

The #HRC33 started 13 September and will end on the 30 September 2016. On the table of the Council there are two spate tracks concerning Sudan. First a track, which has been working on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on Sudan and submitted 244 recommendations to the Government of Sudan, and a second track, which is still running concerning adoption of new resolutions to address the Human Rights Situation Sudan.

The UN Human Rights Council in its Universal Periodic Review on Sudan, which was held in April 2016, has submitted 244 recommendations to Sudan, of which the Government of Sudan has accepted andendorsed 188 recommendations, and provided vague answers on the residue arguing that it will provide answers after further consultations and studies.

The huge magnitude of the recommendations reflects the dire human rights and humanitarian protracted crises and deteriorating human rights violations in the Sudanese tragic reality. The Sudanese delegation and diplomats worked on mounting “Diplomatic Conspiracy” through its rented PR operators and selling promises to its alliances from the Arabic and Africangroups and some countries such as Brazil, China, Russia etc. It is like support me in this, and I will support you when it is your turn. An example, is thecase of the South African which is leading the Africa group and which is facing pressure on issues of racism and diminishing democracy and disputes on it's bias in judiciary systems. Another example of the Arab group is the Saudia and Qatar, because the Arab Coalitions in Yemen are facing an strong report of serious human rights violations committed. All in all the Government of Sudan wants to sell that the UN HRC is selective and punishing the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and throwing on the table many other unfounded argumentations that the West and Israel are targeting Sudan, the Islam and the Arabic nations. (Here I am referring to the intervention of Mr. Ahmed Hassan El Bashir (brother of Sudan's president Omer El Bashir) who is participating in his capacity as CSO).

Here I should highlight the “CSOs Camouflage” which was so clear during the invited interventions to the Sudanese CSOs.

Allow me to explain to the public what I mean by the CSOs Camouflage. It is a phenomenon prevailing in Sudan, and the contamination is extending to other dictatorial states, a phenomenon in which the Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), Community Based Organizations (CBOs), Faith-led Organizations and other innovative formats of Civil Society Organizations are denatured and deprived from its independence and autonomynature. i.e. these CSOs are created, supported and steered by the Government of Sudan and are integrative parts of the state apparatus, and in particular the security (NISS). A CSOs camouflage because it announces sessions with specific titles and themes and when it comes to the presentations, it presents official Government statements which has no much to do with what is stated of presented in the official agenda and because when it comes to the discussion the opportunities are given to addition operators present in the rooms and who go in persuasive discourse to kill the session and discussion time.

Just to let the readers know, who are the members of the UN HRC active for this session: Albania; Algeria; Bangladesh; Belgium; Bolivia; Botswana; Burundi; China; Congo; Côte d'Ivoire; Cuba; Ecuador; El Salvador; Ethiopia; France; Georgia; Germany; Ghana; India; Indonesia; Kenya; Kyrgyzstan; Latvia; Maldives; Mexico; Mongolia; Morocco; Namibia; Netherlands; Nigeria; Panama; Paraguay; Philippines; Portugal; Qatar; Republic of Korea; Russian Federation; Saudi Arabia; Slovenia South Africa; Switzerland; The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia; Togo; United Arab Emirates; United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; Venezuela; and Viet Nam. These members will decide on the resolutions tabled by the Africa Group led by South Africa and the alternative resolution tabled by the United States of America. Should the two counterparts had reached a compromise, then a jointed resolution could have been presented to the council for adoption, approval or endorsement.

The Dilemma here is neither on the language of the resolution, soft language of item 10, which is focuses on the technical assistance and capacity building, nor the language of Item 4. The real issue is a language, which addresses and tackles the dire human rights and humanitarian protracted crises in Sudan, especially in the conflict Areas, when the Independent Expert or the Special Rapporteur or the Independent Human Right defenders and genuine CSOs are denied access by the Government of Sudan. The Government of Sudan insist to escape its responsibility and does not want to recognize its severe, excessive and successive violations of human rights and the repeated massacres committed by its militias, armed forces and security apparatus, and the cracks on the students and repeated shoot to kill policies and crimes. More than 200 students are shot dead in Khartoum during September 2013 uprising and Khartoum Government allocated merely 40 million Sudanese Pound of compensation to the vulnerable families who accepted to take that money for the loss of the beloved ones. And the Government delegation do not want to accepted mentioning the recent killings to students in Khartoum University, Ahlia University, El Nilein University, Nyala University, Kordofan University and other Universities and higher education institution. Instead, the delegation of the Sudanese Women Parliaments, who came to the council under the covering of CSOs camouflage have blamed the International community and the United States of America sanction on Sudan and attributed the dire socio-economic to that unfounded and weak claim.

These gentlewomen, without shy, continue to trade themselves as human rights defenders and messengers of gender equity, however, in a blind and wrong directions as if the interlocutor present in the UN rooms do not know the reality. They should know that the dire economic situation in Sudan is due to the expenditure on the arms and war, corruptions and not caused by the sanction and the external debts, because the borrowed money was spent and continue to be used for the war on the Sudanese populations.

Furthermore, the Government does want the UN HRC to renew the mandate of the special rapporteur or the Independent Expert, and does not want to allow his/her re-entry to Sudan, especially the SPLM controlled Areas to verify, document, monitor and report the committed crimes in South Kordofan / Nuba Mountains Heiban Massacre, Blue Nile massacres, Northern Nubia Kajbar Massacre, Beja Areas Port Sudan Massacre and the most recent EL Sanadra Massacre near Tagali in South Kordofan Nuba Mountains.

The verifications, monitory and reporting are vital processes to guarantee the integrity and credibility of the UN HRC and implementation of its mandate, especially when the top of the Sudanese Diplomatic Negotiators Mr. Khalid Musa argued that the resolutions language is not suitable and the Sudanese justice system is functioning well when it held fair trails as in the case of the Christian Detainees, who are currently facing accusations which might lead to death penalty. He went further on the shameless attitude and argumentation when he confronts a genuine civil society organization executive director who complained that his human rights monitory centre in Sudan is closed by the Sudanese Authorities, and some of his colleagues are now jailed in Sudan and that others were prevented from attending the last meetings of the UPR held in Geneva this year. The Sudanese diplomat tried to tell and convince the attendees of the session that those who were prevented and banned from traveling to Geneva are having immigration problems and related issues and that they have participated in meetings with Rebel group in Paris, accusations which are totally fake and unfounded. As far as I know the diplomacy is the art of improving relations between nations and the international community but not mystification of facts and hiding the ugly reality of the Sudanese terroristic Regime and its distorted, deformed and twisted diplomacy.

I fear that nothing can be achieved through the fake dialogue, deals or concessions under the tables and selling Sudan to multi-buyers. The Government of Sudan is on its way to provide concessions and seal dirty deals on the shoulders of its peoples.
The UN HRC 33 session is still running, with certain degree of polarization, and this week will be decisive for the respect of the human rights for the Sudanese people who deserve to embark on on-going process and efforts to advance the achievement of the sustainable development goals, given that they have already missed the MDGs phase. The Government of Sudan is accusing the International community of selectivity and politicization of justice, while it is fully aware that is exactly what it is doing, therefore, it should abandon the hypocrisy, and should not pretend that it is respecting the UN charter, accepting the international justice systems, genuinely committing for the attainment of the SDGs. Instead it should prove its good political will and implement on the ground and that should be revealed, reflected and witnessed by the grass-root. The Sudanese Government should acknowledge and recognize that it is jeopardizing the social fabrics, “tribelising” the state, incubating the terrorism, and blackmailing the International community on the migration issues and grabbing the foreign aid and selling cheaply the very resources of the country to diverse exploiters and not investors.

The Government of Sudan are spending a lot and hiding behind the African Union (AU) (ECOSOCC) to tell the International Communityabout the impact of the unilateral coercive measures on human rights in Africa, suggesting Sudan as an example. Hiding behind the AU and engaging professionals and traders of PRs will not help the useless Regime of Khartoum. That is a silly argumentations when you kill your own people and come and cry to the international community that the sanctions and these measures are harming us and that is hindering the development and prosperity of the peoples of Sudan.

Of course, there will be no sustainable development without peace, security and stability, but the more important; there will be neither peace nor sustainable development with the respect of the fundamental universal human rights and basic freedoms, that is valid everywhere, for everyone and always, and that is why the Human Rights Charter should remainuniversal and the implementation to be transparent and accountability should be persistent and consistent.

Mohamed Yassin is a Sudanese and Italian PhD candidate (2013-2016) in Economics, Ecology, Landscape and Territory at the Department of Civil Engineering & Architecture, University of Udine, Italy. He holds B.Sc. in Agricultural and Rural Economy (University of Khartoum), PGD in Rural development in Developing countries, PGD in International Development Cooperation, Masters in International Business Import Export Management and a M.Sc. in International Veterinary Cooperation (Italy). He has been visiting scholar at the University of Minnesota (USA) where he conducted research works on the Nile Basin. He is reachable at E: mohamed.yassin@uniud.it E: yassintowers@gmail.com Twitter: @MohamedSMYassin

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

September 25, 2016 (ADDIS ABABA) – Ethiopian officials on Saturday said a multi-billion dollar railroad project linking the nation to the port of Djibouti has been completed.

The project manager, Mokenen Getachew said the 656km Addis Ababa–Djibouti electric railway trans-boundary project will be inaugurated next month.

The mega project, built by China Railway Engineering Corporation (CREC) and China Civil Engineering Construction (CCECC), has reportedly cost $ 3.4 billion.

According to Mokenen, 70% of the total cost was financed by the Exim Bank of China, the China Development Bank, and the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China while 30% was covered by the Ethiopian government.

The line is double-track from Addis Ababa to Adama city (115 km) and single-track from Adama to Djibouti.

The electrified railway line which provides both freight and passenger transportation services will allow landlocked Ethiopia to easily access to world markets and further boost the country's trade volume hence it reduces travel time by over 50%.

According to the official, the railroad further saves foreign currency that would have been spent on diesel fuel and reduce air pollution.

He added that 1,171 wagons with a capacity to transport 3,500 tons at once and 41 locomotives will be in full service when the Ethiopia-Djibouti railway line enters into full operation following 3-6 months trial rides.

The freight trains can ride at a speed of 90 kilometers per hour while passenger trains which can carry over 1100 people at once can hit at 120 km/hr.

It will take only around 10-12 hours for the electrified trains to reach Addis Ababa from Djibouti.

It used to take 3-7 days for the former Diesel locomotives to cover the same route.

The modern and fully electrified trains, which were all imported from china have different facilities, among others beds, kitchen, restaurants, VIP rooms and toilets.

The project manager said the new Ethiopia's cross-border railroad project is part of the East to West African railway network.

“It is part of the trans-Africa railway network and it will open opportunity of linking Ethiopia with neighboring countries” Mokenen told Sudan Tribune during a government-organized a day-long media tour to the Ethiopia-Djibouti railway project.

As well as Djibouti, Mokenen said Ethiopia will eventually be connected by railway with, Kenya, Sudan and South Sudan.

Ethiopia is investing billions of dollars on constructing transport infrastructures to improve transport access and to boost the socio-economic development of the country.

During the second Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP-2), launched last year, the east African nation has plans to construct a total 5,000 kilometers-long railway lines which would enable the country link with its neighbors.

The country has so far constructed some 2400 kilometers of rail roads and will construct 2600 kilometers during the remaining GTP-2 period.

Since landlocked Ethiopia cut ties with Eritrea following the 1998-2000 border war, Addis Ababa has become highly dependent on Djibouti sea port to carryout around 90% its total import-export trades.

When Ethiopia-Djibouti railroad goes to full function, it will avoid delays in the transport of goods by over 50%.

The completion of the new railway track comes only months after the Ethiopian capital inaugurated sub-Saharan Africa's first light rail system which has eased transportation problems of continent's second most populace nation.

Ethiopia, one of the world's fastest growing economies, attaches construction of road and railway projects as a major component of the GTP-2 as part of its vision to join middle income countries by 2025.

Ethiopia says cross-border road and railway lines will allow it to boom its economy hence it connects it with to the regional and global trade routes.

Transport Minister Workneh Gebeyehu recently stressed that the development of a country shouldn't be confined by the borders of that country.

(ST)

September 25, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese government and the United Nations have agreed to hold a meeting in Khartoum on October 17th to resume discussion over an exit strategy of the hybrid peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID).

A UNAMID peacekeeper during a routine patrol in Tawila, North Darfur.(Photo UNAMID/Hamid Abdelsalam)

A tripartite working group including the Sudanese government, African Union (AU) and United Nations (UN) has been set up in February 2015 to develop an exit strategy for the UNAMID from Darfur.

In a press release extended to Sudan Tribune on Sunday, Sudan's Foreign Ministry Under-Secretary Abdel-Ghani al-Na'im said he met with the UN peacekeeping chief, Hervé Ladsous in New York on the sidelines of the 71st Session of the UN General Assembly.

The Sudanese diplomat added he underscored importance of the efforts exerted by the tripartite team, saying the team is tasked with determining the situation in Darfur and developing plans and programs to address challenges facing the region.

He stressed that the Sudanese government is committed to the cessation of hostilities in Darfur, pointing the security situation has improved significantly following the defeat of the rebel groups.

Al-Na'im added the meeting also discussed peace talks between the government and the armed movements and the national dialogue.

Last June, the UN Security Council (UNSC) extended the mandate of the UNAMID until 30 June 2017, stressing that the situation in the western Sudan region continues to constitute a threat to international peace and security.

The hybrid mission has been deployed in Darfur since December 2007 with a mandate to stem violence against civilians in the western Sudan's region.

It is the world's second largest international peacekeeping force with an annual budget of $1.35 billion and almost 20,000 troops.

UN agencies say there are nearly 2.5 million displaced persons in Darfur, despite the signing of peace agreement in Doha in July 2011.

(ST)

September 25, 2016 (JUBA) – A senior United Nations official said former First Vice President and opposition leader, Riek Machar, is not “politically dead” as assumed by his rivals.

Herve Ladsous, head of UN's peacekeeping on Friday sad Machar represents a big number of population in South Sudan.

"Clearly (Machar) is, I think somebody said in the meeting just now, he is not dead politically by a long way, he's there, I mean he's out of the country, but he does represent a very important element of the South Sudanese community," Reuters quoted Ladsous as saying.

President Kiir last month fired six ministers allied to Machar. A UN statement summarizing Friday's meeting stressed the need for inclusivity in the South Sudanese political process.

US has said it does not believe that Machar, who was first vice president until he fled, should return to his former position in the government given the continuing instability in the country.

Ladsous said the South Sudanese government had not yet improved cooperation with the world body on the deployment of more peacekeepers.

"There have been contacts at various levels with the government, with the authorities of South Sudan but this has not really translated into significant progress on the ground," Ladsous told reporters.

Taban Deng Gai who replaced Machar as first presidential deputy, told the General Assembly that the government needed to "engage more with the U.N. on the details" on the deployment of the regional forces.

"This is in order to avoid derailing national healing and reconciliation. External intervention often affects negatively internal reconciliation," he said.

The opposition leader, Machar, left Juba when violence erupted between his forces and those loyal to President Kiir.

(ST)

September 25, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - The World Bank Group (WBG) has advised the Sudanese government to accelerate structural transformation and economic diversification in order to reach a more stable economic growth path.

Employees pack refined sugar at the Kenana Sugar Company's main plant, 270kms south of Khartoum on 14 May 2013 (Photo: Reuters/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah)

Sudan's economy was hit hard since the southern part of the country declared independence in July 2011, taking with it about 75% of the country's oil output.

In its newest Country Economic Memorandum (CEM) for Sudan entitled “Realizing the Potential for Diversified Development” released on Sunday, the WBG pointed that Sudan needs to implement a combination of institutional, macroeconomic, and sectoral reforms to reach a more diversified, non-natural resource economy.

“Economic diversification is high on the Government of Sudan's agenda”, said Michael Geiger, lead author of the report.

“While the authorities have succeeded in reducing inflation and slightly recovering from the negative growth rates of 2011 and 2012, more must be done to ensure a more stable medium-term outlook,” he added.

The report mentions a number of barriers that have been preventing Sudan from effective economic diversification including the “high and volatile inflation, a long overvalued exchange rate, low productivity in agriculture, among others”.

It proposed several measures to remove these barriers including “removal of exchange restrictions to unify the official and black market rates, increasing agricultural productivity through key policy changes, improving the management of natural resources rents, addressing broader business environment constraints and building human capital to support structural change”.

WBG Country Director for Ethiopia, Sudan and South Sudan, Carolyn Turk, pointed the report encourages Sudan to apply a set of direct and indirect approaches in order to “embark on the structural transformation necessary to accelerate inclusive economic growth leading to sustained poverty reduction”.

Xavier Furtado, WBG Country Representative in Sudan, for his part, said that Sudan needs to implement a road set of reforms to diversify its economy, saying the WBG would launch several initiatives to help the Sudanese government in this regard.

(ST)

September 25, 2016 (BENTIU) - Heavy fighting broke out on Sunday morning between South Sudanese government troops (SPLA) and armed opposition faction (SPLA-IO) in Rubkotna county of the country's oil-rich Unity state.

South Sudanese rebel troops loyal to former vice-president Riek Machar stand on guard in Unity state capital Bentiu on 12 January 2014 after recapturing the strategic town from government troops (Photo: Reuters)

Civilians, who fled to the United Nations camp in Unity state capital, Bentiu, confirmed the clashes in series of interviews with Sudan Tribune.

Heavy gunshots and bombardments were heard west of Rubkotna.

A resident of Rubkotna, only identified as Peter, said clashes occurred in Wichbaar, Tong and Pakuur in the northwest of Bentiu.

The press secretary to the rebel-appointed governor of Unity state, Weirial Puok Baluang claimed the armed opposition faction had been facing imminent attacks from government forces for weeks.

He said they repulsed the attacks, as their forces advanced towards Bentiu town “with heavy causality against the government forces”.

“Nonetheless, our valiant army SPLA-IO repelled them with vast mortalities inflicted on them as they were dreadfully running back towards Bentiu town,” Puok told Sudan Tribune over phone.

Puok accused forces allied to President Salva Kiir of resorting to war options, but said the armed opposition was well equipped militarily.

“The demise of the August 2015 agreement on the TGoNU [Transitional Government of National Unity] and the subsequent exit of the unsolicited weeds from the SPLM/A-IO have boosted the willpower of our army. Thus, it will allow the rightful owners of the land to claim back their family land in Bentiu anytime from now,” he said.

The army is yet to officially react to reports on Sunday's clashes in Unity state.

(ST)

September 25, 2016 (EL-FASHER) - Traders in the town of Kabkabiya in North Darfur state have decided to shut down the market and stop trade convoys coming from the Sudanese capital, Khartoum to protest against continued looting incidents by armed groups.

A woman, irrigates, crops, Kabkabiya, camp, North Darfur (Public Domaine Images Photo)

In a memo issued by the Chamber of Commerce in Kabkabiya, 150 km west of North Darfur capital, El-Fasher, the local merchants decided to close the market starting from Saturday due to banditry and repeated looting on the roads linking between El-Fasher and Kabkabiya.

The memo, seen by Sudan Tribune on Saturday, pointed the militias impose illegal fees and levies on the trucks carrying merchandise, saying the government failed to address this problem.

It added the residents and traders were affected by these practices and decided to shut down the market, demanding local authorities to guard the market until the issue is resolved.

During his visit to the five states of Darfur last April, President Omer al-Bashir warned militias against collecting illegal tolls and levies along the highways linking the various towns in the region.

Kabkabiya has recently witnessed repeated killing and robbery incidents besides tribal clashes. Armed militias particularly those affiliated with the government and known as Janjaweed have large presence in the locality.

On Monday, tribes residing in Kabkabiya signed a document to enhance peaceful co-existence, fight against crime and promote security.

Last June, North Darfur governor Abdel-Wahid Youssef accused unnamed parties of seeking to keep the “insecurity and instability” situation in Darfur, pointing to “hidden hands that prompt the security chaos in all Darfur's five states not only North Darfur”.

He declared a state of maximum readiness among regular forces to control the lawlessness situation in the state and prevented riding of motorcycles, wearing of Kadamool (a turban which covers the face) and holding arms inside the capital, El-Fasher.

(ST)