Africa

August 17, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan has welcomed the interest of a group of companies from Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Qatar to invest in mining sector in the country.

Gold bullion blocks pictured at a gold refinery in Khartoum on 11 October 2012 (SUNA)

On Wednesday, the Minister of Minerals, Ahmed Sadiq al-Karouri, discussed with the Gulf companies their interest to invest in mining sector in Sudan.

In a press statement after the meeting, al-Karouri, said that his ministry is keen to support all Arab and Gulf companies to invest in the mining.

“We have very simple requirements for investing in minerals and all procedures are done at the Ministry of Minerals,” he said.

Al-Karouri stressed that there are no restrictions on gold exportation, pointing that the investing companies can export all the gold they produce.

The Sudanese minister further pledged to facilitate all the procedures for the investors from Qatar, U.A.E and Saudi Arabia.

Last July, al-Karouri said Sudan expects to produce 100 tonnes of gold in 2016, pointing it would become Africa's second largest and among the world's top ten producers by the end of the year.

In April, the Ministry of Minerals said that Sudan's production of gold has risen by 3 percent compared to 2015.

Near 70% of the country's gold production in 2015 was produced in the River Nile State. The traditional mining represents 90% of gold production in Sudan.

Sudan currently ranks third in gold production behind South Africa and Ghana but aims to land in the first place by 2018.

Gold has become one of Sudan's largest exports which partially compensated for the loss in oil revenues, which accounted for more than 50% of income until 2011 when South Sudan seceded, taking with it most of the country's oil reserves.

Sudan approved a law to regulate traditional mining by granting licenses and specifying areas to work in to protect them from hazardous conditions and smuggling.

It is believed that traditional mining employs more than a million Sudanese but it is still difficult to obtain credible data.

(ST)

August 17, 2016 (ADDIS ABABA) – The African Union High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) called on the Sudanese negotiating parties to reassess their positions following the failure of a recent round of peace talks on Darfur and the Two Areas.

After a series of talks in Addis Ababa between 9 to 14 August, the Sudanese government, Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) Sudan Liberation Movement–Minni Minnawi (SLM-MM), Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) failed to sign cessation of hostilities and humanitarian access agreements.

AUHIP mediators, UN special envoy and the Ethiopian government sought in vain to bridge the gaps between the negotiators to reach a humanitarian truce and to move towards discussions of other confidence building measures ahead of an inclusive constitutional conference.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the mediation said “extremely concerned” by the failure of the talks, saying it stalled the momentum generated by the signing of the Roadmap Agreement by the armed groups and the opposition National Umma Party (NUP) on 8 August.

“The Panel strongly urges each Party to reconsider any position that has impeded progress on the implementation of the Roadmap Agreement to which they are committed,” said the AUHIP.

The African Union mediation further said it “will await a demonstration of leadership and vision from the Parties”, stressing that the process of the Roadmap, “holds the strongest hope for achieving the stability and democratic transformation of Sudan”.

The Sudanese government and opposition groups accused each other of hampering the peace process. However, this time the mediation also seemed keen to give it version on the situation.

On Darfur talks, the AUHIP said the obstacles arose when JEM and SLM-MM “re-opened numerous issues that had previously been agreed and others which contradicted the Roadmap Agreement”.

The Panel further said the rebel groups refused “balanced options” the mediation proposed on the location sites of fighters and mechanisms for the monitoring of humanitarian assistance.

“While the Government accepted those proposals, the introduction of new issues by the JEM and SLM-MM, inevitably broke the negotiations”.

On the Two Areas, the Sudanese government and the SPLM-N only disagreed a limited part of the humanitarian assistance the rebels demanded to transported through Asosa Ethiopia.

The mediation said it proposed to “entrust the provision of humanitarian assistance to the United Nations, and that the UN should be allowed to determine, on the basis of its assessment of the needs”.

However the two parties rejected this proposition as the government said it was “inconsistent with the sovereign prerogatives, while the SPLM-N maintained its demand for the guarantee of limited humanitarian assistance through Ethiopia”.

(ST)

A case sufficiently exposed, squarely tabled but evasively torpedoed with ulterior motives

By Trayo Ahmed Ali

As Sudan National Dialogue "roadmap" (proposed by the AUHIP Panel) was signed in Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on August 8 - 2016, the motion was set off for negotiations on different tracks and the parties geared up busy fixing their positions. Here, this Sudanese social media reporter (Mr. A. B. Gamal) covering the events gave his version of account on the prevailing mode and positions of the parties delegates that let the mediator, to finally postpone the talks. In it, the writer detected Sudan government behaviour, described and likened to that of a "three-time-divorced-woman" !!

Mr. Gamal informs his readers that the "tactics" that always used by such a "thrice-divorced-woman" and the techniques she applies usually involve "tricky" rules including deception, denial, foul play, blackmailing, corrupting, crookedness, fabrication of facts, massaging of figures, character assassination and others including "yelling" and "walling". All emanate from the beneath of her cunning "yellow smiles".

Furthermore, Mr. Gamal explains that such a woman, skilfully applies "old fox techniques". She does a multiple and simultaneous negotiations with all the parties and at the same time". As her focus has always remained on how to return back to the "House of Obedience" (as defined in Sharia law) the writer says, she always gives major concessions to her original husband, tricks the "Ajaweed" (jurry in the definition of Islamic traditions), fools the "Myhalek" and deprives her "abandoned" children.

She gives a yellow smile to her "Al-muhalel" (the temporary husband used to legitimise the process of remarrying and be discarded at later stage). In between She finger points and constantly pore baseless accusations against the real victims (her abandoned children she got from different husbands - and who usually turn rebel as the result of mistreatment).

In his write up Mr. Gamal, while, figuratively give signals on who represents the "Muhalel" and the "original husband", he clearly identifies that the NCP government represents the "thrice-divorced-woman", the movements represent the "abandoned children turned rebel", and the mediator obviously represents the good-will "Ajaweed".

As a stake-holder, participant actor and negotiator who puts "humanitarian concern" above any other consideration, I found Mr. Gamal "theory" pretty fitting analogue that exposes "Who behaved how" and "who adopted what positions" in this all important exercise.

Indeed it was so oddly enough to see the bizarre the way it was. As the movements attempted to square the issues, the government turns around to triangulate the squares. It was clear that when the movements move a head one step forward, the government moves two steps backwards !!!

Now, let us zoom into the scene.

* Humanitarian Negotiations: The scope, the Issues and positions

It was strictly negotiations on Cessation of Hostilities (CoH). Meaning it is an "a political" or a de-politicised issue by nature ruled by international standards. The The Movements negotiators accordingly abided themselves by to the dictates of this phase of humanitarian negotiations, singled out core issues around which the Cessation of Hostilities anchored, defined and presented as follow:

1- Humanitarian Aid "mechanisms" shall be established to only monitor and report the flow of humanitarian assistance and the protection of civilians by establishing an "Overseer" mechanism. The government (with no sensible argument) flatly rejects movement's proposal.

2- The Movements argued that their forces (at this stage) can only be confined within their "areas" of presence or operations. The government insists on confiding movements forces into "cantonments" termed as "locations" or "sites" !!!

3- The Prisoners of War "PoW" be released as a gesture to show "good faith"was the Movements position. The government flatly rejects the idea to the point of denying the mere presence of such "PoWs".

4- Returning of international Humanitarian NGOs expelled from Darfur to fill the gap. The reason, as the movements argued was to fill the gap by assisting the UN agencies. The government opposed to the idea and argued that "Sudanese" NGOs are fit to carry out the job.Meaning the "HAG" (government humanitarian arm of the National Intelligence and Security).

5- Foreign militia be controlled. The movement argued that to create conducive environment for humanitarian operation the "Foreign" militia operating in Darfur be controlled and monitored. The government refused the proposal on the ground that the issue is part of "final" Ceasefire arrangements.

6- UNAMID to be engaged. The Movements suggested that the UNAMID (as a UNSC mandate backed mission) and has forces on the ground shall be entrusted to establish the CoH mechanisms and chair its mechanisms. The government objects and argue that the UNAMID is weak, not neutral, incapable and can not be trusted to carry out the job.

The only issue the government suggested and insisted on it is for the movements to join the DDPD as it stands without changing comma!!! Even here the movements argued that such issue can only be discussed and agreed upon in due course (at the phase of political negotiations when it starts).

Under these circumstances and scheme of things where the opinions are so divergent and the government kept displays nothing but "irrational" intransigence, whether such talks could have had made any meaningful progress to address the much needed humanitarian requirements or not, is a matter of stating the obvious. On it I do rest my case to the good judgement of the reader.

The writer is a leading member of the Sudan Liberation Movement - Minni Minnawi. He is also the humanitarian secretary of the rebel alliance Sudanese Revolutionary Front. He is reachable at : tmotoy60@gmail.com

August 15, 2016 (KAJO-KEJI) - At least 1100 soldiers who reportedly defected from South Sudan People Patriotic Front (SSPF), a rebel groups based in South Sudan's Western Equatoria state, have allegedly joined Gabriel Changson Chang's South Sudan Army Forces/ Federal Democratic Party (SSAF/FDP).

Gabriel Changson Chang (ST Photo)

Brigadier Gen. Dahab Dobuol Gew told Sudan Tribune from an undisclosed location in South Sudan that they have switched sides from Charles Kasanga after accusing him for signing an agreement with the government.

“We are no longer anymore with SSPF, but we have decided to join the South Sudan Army Forces under commander-in-chief of Changson Lew,” he said.

Dobuol said the common cause of taking up arms against the government was the betrayal by Kasanga, who they believed accepted an offer after series of negotiations with the South Sudanese government.

He however said they are coordinating with the SSAF/FDP chairman to form a coalition fighting group to restore peace and democracy among the people of South Sudan.

“Our decision to split out from the SSPF was that we see our members were lured into fake cheating by the government after forgetting of why they picked up the guns to fight President Salva Kiir's dictatorial regime”, said Dobuol.

According to the official, the murder of civilians during the mid-December 2013 outbreak of conflict in the capital, Juba was the main reason why they took up arms to bring change in the whole country.

The groups say they would maintain different armed forces apart from the SPLA-IO, adding they would only cooperate towards fighting president Kiir forces, but with different commands of authority.

“We as South Sudanese factions who rose up against the Juba regime will be fighting for common agenda and shall continue with process of struggle until we restore peace in the country,” he stressed.

Dobuol said the allied forces to SSAF/FDP are present in Western, Eastern and Central Equatoria states.

A group of SSAF/FDP politicians led by Gen. Gathoth Gatkuoth surrendered this year, but were dismissed from the party by Changson, who accused them of striking a dialogue with the Juba government without his notice.

(ST)

August 17, 2016 (TORIT) – The union of drivers in South Sudan' Eastern Equatoria state have cautioned vehicle drivers from plying Torit -Kapoeta road due to increasing insecurity.

A bridge between Juba and kajo-Keji road (sshada)

The union chairman, Kamal Al Nine said the decision followed frequent attacks by unknown gunmen on innocent passengers using road, which links the two state capitals.

According to Kamal, two people have been killed and seven injured on the last one week on the same road.

There is no security on the road, you can't risk taking passengers who could be hurt or killed on the road since there will be no help by authorities, said the union leader.

“No vehicle will move from here. We also called Torit and informed authorities that no vehicle should leave since the road is not secure. Anybody who wants to travel, let him do it on his or her risk because there is no security,” he stressed.

The government in Namorunyang, one of South Sudan's controversially created states, equally admitted facing challenges facing the passenger s and the business communities using the main road linking the two states.

Meanwhile, the state minister for local government, Joseph Lokai has advised all passengers and drivers to reduce their movements until the road was deemed secure.

He further urged the business communities to opt for alternative routes linking Chukudum, Kenya and Ethiopia instead of relying on the road that connects Torit to Kapoeta.

(ST)

August 16, 2016 (MARIDI) – The police in Maridi county of South Sudan's Western Equatoria state have arrested five youth suspected to have cut down the state flag, which was raised two months ago.

A youth holds the South Sudanese flag as he waits for the start of independence celebrations in the capital, Juba, on 9 July 2011 (AP)

The flag symbolized Maridi, one of South Sudan's controversially created states.

Police in Maridi have reportedly launched an investigation into the matter and have vowed to bring those responsible to face justice.

“The state flag which was raised last two months was cut down on Thursday night by unknown people, but the Police arrested five suspects youth who are under investigation now in police custody,” an eyewitness told Sudan Tribune Wednesday.

The incident came months after the state government raised another flag in the same area, despite the challenges of insecurity.

The eyewitness, who preferred anonymity, said citizens in the county were now living in fear and panic for the past one week amid report that security agents were hunting rebels suspected to have links with the armed opposition leader, Riek Machar.

Other sources say the state government has cut off all mobile networks in Maridi making it difficult to contact the state authorities. Unconfirmed reports say government soldiers looted civilians' properties, including food and non-food items in Maridi county.

(ST)

August 17, 2016 (JUBA) – A co-national army in South Sudan, the Sudan People's Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO), has accused forces loyal to President Salva Kiir of painting white with United Nations (UN) symbol their military vehicles in order to confuse and attack their troops around Juba.

SPLA soldiers, from the 2nd Battalion pose at the SPLA headquarters in Nyang, in the county of Yirol East, on February 15, 2014 (Photo AFP/Fabio Bucciarelli)

The SPLA-IO Sector Commander, Lieutenant General John Jok Gai, who is in charge of coordinating military activities in Central Equatoria state, said government forces have resorted to painting their military vehicles white and attacked their forces unaware who mistook them for UN vehicles.

“We have learned that soldiers of Salva Kiir have resorted to painting white - with UN symbol -their vehicles that have recently attacked our forces on Juba-Yei road and on Juba-Lobonok road. We therefore call on the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) to ensure that they communicate to us any of their plans to travel on roads outside Juba. This is because the government is using the UN symbol on vehicles that attack our forces,” said Lt. Gen. Gai in a statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Wednesday.

Also, he claimed their forces were attacked by a helicopter painted white with UN symbol.

The opposition's army commander said the aim of the government was to confuse the opposition forces that control some of the routes and allow them to pass, believing that they belonged to the UN system.

General Gai added that his forces have been attacked twice by government forces in military vehicles painted with the UN symbol.

He further informed that the soldiers attacking them were however identified to be members of the South Sudanese army loyal to President Kiir.

UNMISS, he added, should coordinate with them their movement outside Juba, either by air or land, including identifying the number of vehicles that travel on a particular day so as to avoid the inconveniences.

The SPLA official spokesperson was not available for comment on these accusations.

(ST)

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has expressed disappointment that Sudan&#39s warring parties failed to reach an agreement on a cessation of hostilities in Darfur and the two states of Blue Nile and South Kordofan, during the last round of negotiations.

Appealing to donors to urgently help bolster the humanitarian response in Uganda following an influx of thousands of people fleeing violence in neighbouring South Sudan, the United and the Ugandan Government today announced that they will be forced to halve food rations or cash assistance in Uganda and put priority focus on those refugees most in need.

Speaking ahead of the 10th anniversary of the illegal dumping of toxic waste in Côte d’Ivoire, a group of United Nations experts today urged the Ivorian Government, all responsible States and the international community to use the opportunity to address the ongoing human rights impacts of the incident.

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Night weddings are banned in Kenya's coastal region of Mombasa as the authorities say they have become a target for criminals.

Alarmed by preliminary findings on the 11 July attack on a hotel in Juba, South Sudan, in which one person was killed and several civilians were raped and beaten by men in uniform, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has decided to launch an independent special investigation to examine this and other incidents and evaluate the overall response by the UN mission there.

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A university in north-eastern Nigeria is running projects to feed displaced people and prevent extremism.