Agrégateur de flux

Condemning yesterday&#39s attacks against the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) in the city of Kidal, Secretary-General António Guterres reiterated the Organization&#39s support to help implement the peace agreement in the West African country.

An estimated 40,000 children are trapped in extremely dangerous conditions in Raqqa as fighting intensifies in and around the Syrian city, the United Nations Children&#39s Fund (UNICEF) reported today, warning that &#8220many are caught in the crossfire.&#8221

Voicing concern over lack of progress on the part of Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to undertake credible investigations into widespread allegations of rights violations and abuses in the Kasai Central and Kasai Oriental provinces, the top United Nations human rights official today called for setting up of an international investigation mechanism to look into the situation.

The United Nations migration agency today appealed for some $60 million to aid an estimated 16 million people suffering from the worst drought in decades in East and Horn of Africa.

The first-ever United Nations summit on oceans today wrapped up with a global agreement to reverse the decline of the ocean&#39s health, and more than 1,300 pledged actions for protecting the blue.

Condemning yesterday&#39s attacks against the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) in the city of Kidal, Secretary-General António Guterres reiterated the Organization&#39s support to help implement the peace agreement in the West African country.

Through a joint project, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are exploring mobile tools to combat food fraud and contamination, which result in global annual in the billions and pose a serious public health threat.

An estimated 40,000 children are trapped in extremely dangerous conditions in Raqqa as fighting intensifies in and around the Syrian city, the United Nations Children&#39s Fund (UNICEF) reported today, warning that &#8220many are caught in the crossfire.&#8221

Protracted fighting and unrest are swelling the ranks of displaced and hungry ins some parts of the world, even as large agricultural harvests in some regions are buoying global food supply conditions, according to a new report by the United Nations agriculture agency.

Secretary-General António Guterres today stressed the importance of partnership between the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in achieving global development goals and combating some of today&#39s key threats to peace and security, such as terrorism.

Voicing concern over lack of progress on the part of Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to undertake credible investigations into widespread allegations of rights violations and abuses in the Kasai Central and Kasai Oriental provinces, the top United Nations human rights official today called for setting up of an international investigation mechanism to look into the situation.

The United Nations migration agency today appealed for some $60 million to aid an estimated 16 million people suffering from the worst drought in decades in East and Horn of Africa.

(B2) Au fil des années, les ateliers de la Citadelle qui se déroulent à Lille (dans la citadelle, datant de Vauban) prennent leur rythme de rendez-vous incontournable pour qui s’intéresse à la défense et à l’Europe de la défense en particulier. Pour ceux qui ne l’ont pas encore fait, notez ce 29 juin sur votre agenda. Il devrait être intéressant.

Trois thèmes d’actualité

Les trois thèmes abordés sont d’actualité :

• « L’Europe face à toutes ces crises », avec le général Georgelin (ancien chef d’Etat major des armées et chef de cabinet particulier du président de la République) et Nicole Gnesotto (présidente du conseil d’administration de l’IHEDN) ;
• « OTAN / UE : obsolescence programmée », avec Alain Leroy (ancien secrétaire général du SEAE, le service diplomatique européen), Arnaud Danjean (eurodéputé spécialiste des questions de défense et de sécurité intérieure), Pauline Schnapper (professeur de civilisation britannique contemporaine à l’université Sorbonne) et le général Gert Johannes Hagemann (adjoint du général commandant le Corps de réaction rapide – France) ;
• « Réfugiés et frontières quelle sécurité pour quelle démocratie » avec  Ana Maria Gomes (eurodéputée), Pascal Brice (OFPRA), Bruno Tertrais (Fondation de recherche stratégique) et Catherine Wihtol de Wenden (CNRS).

Une personnalité et un manuel

Sans oublier la Haute représentante de l’Union, Federica Mogherini, qui devrait (à confirmer) marquer de cette présence de cette rencontre.

Ces ateliers seront aussi l’occasion de nous voir, André Dumoulin et moi-même. Nous présenterons, en effet, notre manuel sur la PeSDC. Ce sera aussi l’occasion, si vous ne l’avez pas encore fait, de découvrir ce livre et de l’emporter à un prix « Spécial Citadelle ».

Pour vous inscrire aux Ateliers …

…Envoyez votre inscription par mail à l’adresse suivante : ac2017@mission leds.eu. N’oubliez pas de préciser : nom/prénom, date & lieu de naissance, numéro de pièce d’identité, adresse postale et fonctions/ organisme. Ne tardez pas, date limite d’inscription : le 15 juin.

June 8, 2017 (NEW YORK) - Egyptian and Ethiopian diplomats have called on the United Nations Security Council to suspend the investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir, who is charged with masterminding a campaign of genocide in Darfur.

United Nations Security Council meeting which unanimously adopted resolution 2228 (2015) extending the mandate of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) June 29, 2015 (UN Photo)

In a report to the Security Council on the situation in Darfur on Thursday, the ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda, urged the 15-member body to take concrete action that would help to arrest suspects of alleged genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Darfur, including President Omer al-Bashir.

Commenting on her report, Egypt's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Amr Abdellatif Aboulatta, said the ICC proceedings against al-Bashir lust be suspended.

"The Court must be careful not to jeopardise peace and security on the African continent," he said.

Referring to South Africa, Aboulatta disagreed with any action taken against an African State under the pretext that the State had not complied with the Court because it had not arrested President Al-Bashir and handed him over to the Court.

In April 2017, at an unprecedented hearing at the ICC, the South African government denied flouting international law and broken its obligations to the Court when it refused in June 2015 to arrest President al-Bashir who attended an African Union meeting in Pretoria.

The African Union had called for the withdrawal of Darfur-related matters and had expressed concern that the Security Council had not responded to that request.

For his part, the Ethiopian Ambassador to the United Nations Tekeda Alemu cited the disappointment of African countries by the manner in which the Court had been operating.

Also, Alemu reiterated the African Union's request for the Court to end its pursuit of a case against the Sudanese president and called to finding home-grown solutions.

He added that the African Union "was convinced that the referral of the situation in Darfur to the Court would cause more harm than good while seriously undermining ongoing efforts to resolve the conflict".

On the ongoing efforts to end the conflict in Darfur, he said peace process had shown significant progress, but more remained to be done.

"The Council should do its part, including by exerting pressure on armed movements to put an end to the suffering of the people of Darfur," he said and called on the rebel groups to lay down their arms.

(ST)

Americas

• Canada has decided to pull back from its plan to procure 18 F/A-18 Super Hornet fighters as an interim replacement for its CF-18 successor program. Instead, the Liberal government of Justin Trudeau has unveiled a new defense plan which calls for 88 new fighters for the Royal Canadian Air Force – an increase from the previous government’s plan to purchase 65 jets – and to recapitalise the Lockheed Martin CP-140 Aurora anti-submarine warfare and surveillance fleet. The news comes amid a row between the Canadian government, Boeing, and Bombardier, after the US company accused Bombardier of “dumping” its CSeries jet onto the US market.

Middle Easy & North Africa

• It’s been announced that Egypt has received delivery of the S-300VM air defense system, after pictures were released of the system’s vehicles and missile canisters being unloaded at the port of Alexandria. The export version of the S-300, the system is equipped with 9M82M and 9M83M missiles, providing an engagement range of up to 200 km and maximum altitude of 25,000 m. The $1 billion purchase is part of a wider $3.5 billion package agreed with Russia in 2015, and includes 50 Mikoyan MiG-29M/M2 and Kamov Ka-52K attack helicopters.

• Heron TP UAVs leased to the German military by Airbus will be operated from an Israeli air base. It is also believed that German crew will be trained at the site. Deliveries of Heron TP systems for use by the German military will commence late next year and will go towards supporting international operations involving German personnel prior to the availability of a European-developed medium-altitude, long-endurance UAV from around 2025. The deal has been initially held up after a protest by General Atomics.

• Rafael will showcase its new Spike LR II missile at this month’s Paris Air Show, adding that deliveries to customers will start in late 2018. Capable of carrying either a tandem high-explosive anti-tank warhead or a multi-purpose blast warhead, the new missile also features a new electro-optical/infrared seeker with smart target tracker capabilities. It can be launched from any current Spike launcher.

Europe

• Leonardo has unveiled” a compact version of its BriteCloud decoy system for fast jets after successful testing on Danish F-16s. Known as BriteCloud 218, the system is 2-by-1-by-8 inches and is compatible using the standard-size flare decoy cartridge, such as the F-16 and F-15. Leonardo fitted the cartridge directly into a RDAF F-16’s standard flare dispenser with no integration work required. During the test, the aircraft dispensed the BriteCloud 218 in response to being locked-onto by a real radar-guided surface to air missile targeting system. The company said that once launched, “it creates powerful electronic emissions that create a ‘false target’ and draw enemy missiles away from the real aircraft.”

• Insitu will provide three of its Integrator UAV to the Netherlands as part of Dutch military plans to replace their ScanEagle UAVs. The Integrator is a multi-mission small UAV that carries custom payloads for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. It is the baseline aircraft for the RQ-21A Blackjack, a program of record with the US Navy and Marine Corps that entered full-rate production last year. Each has a 40-pound payload capacity and delivers line-of-sight communications for as much as 55 nautical miles. Delivery will take place next year.

• BAE’s Advanced Hawk trainer has completed its first test-flight at the company’s Warton, Lancashire, UK site. The test aimed to assess a series of enhancements developed which could equip new-build examples or be added as upgrades to in-service aircraft. Upgrades to cockpit include a large area display and the integration of BAE’s LiteHUD head-up display, and a new wing that increases performance and the capacity for an increased range of offensive weapons and defensive measures. The aircraft will now undergo a series of flights to collect test data on the new key capability enhancements.

Asia Pacific

• The Australian government has begun testing and evaluation of two rival armored vehicles as part of its LAND 400 Phase 2 program. Rheinmetall’s Boxer CRV and the BAE Systems Australia’s Patria AMV35 are currently undergoing a year-long assessment as a risk mitigation activity, which aims to help Canberra in the final selection of a vehicle. Text-generation combat reconnaissance vehicle procurement will eventually see 225 vehicles purchased by the Australian military for a total purchase price of more than $3 billion.

Today’s Video

• The GAIC FTC-2000 advanced jet trainer:

Latest updates: 3rd squadron stands up in the south.

Indian Heron UAV
(click to view larger)

In November 2005, media reports claimed that India was set to purchase some 50 Heron MALE (Medium Altitude, Long Endurance) UAVs from Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) in a deal worth $220 million. They would be put to use carrying out reconnaissance missions on India’s mountainous borders with China and Pakistan, and along India’s long coastal waters. India was said to have been close to sealing the deal in 2004, but it was postponed due to the change in governments in New Delhi.

The Heron’s performance during the December 2004 tsunami apparently clinched the deal. Its performance since, and Chinese aggression on the Indian border, has green-lighted a follow-on contract.

The Herons

Heron, multi-sensor
(click to view full)

India already had about 12 Heron-1 drones before the 2005 sale, and they played a crucial part in search and rescue operations following the Indian Ocean tsunami in December 2004. IAI Searcher tactical UAVs and and their high-end Heron UAV counterparts were used to locate trapped survivors and missing bodies near the Andaman and Nicobar islands, relaying clear live feed photographs while in flight, and allowing immediate response as soon as survivors or victims were identified on screen.

The Heron UAV is reportedly capable of flying for over 24 hours at a time at altitudes around 32,000 feet. IAI lists flight time as >40 hours, and says that it has demonstrated 52 hours of continuous flight. It has a maximum range of about 3,000 km and can carry a maximum payload weighing 250 kg/ 550 lbs. As a large MALE (Medium Altitude, Long Endurance) UAV, it’s built to carry multiple payloads at a time for a variety of missions. Choices include electro-optical and thermal surveillance equipment, SAR radars for ground surveillance, maritime patrol radars and sensors, signals and other intelligence collection antennas and equipment, laser designators, and even radio relays.

India doesn’t discuss its UAV payloads, but reports have its Searcher IIs equipped with the standard day/night surveillance turret, while the Herons are similar to Israel’s maritime patrol configuration, with an Elta Systems radar and a stabilized Tamam surveillance and targeting turret.

A subsequent Heron-2 or Heron-TP variant is larger, with a bigger 1,200 hp Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A turboprop to power it. Typical mission payload rises to 1,000 kg, which can be carried to around 45,000 feet, and the UAV has a maximum flight time of over 36 hours in favorable conditions.

India and Israel are not alone in being impressed by the Heron’s capabilities. As of 2011, leased Herons or Heron variants are operating in Afghanistan on behalf of the Australian, Canadian, French, and German armed forces; and have participated in demonstrations involving US SOUTHCOM and its Latin American partners. Subsequent years have also seen confirmed or rumored export sales to Brazil’s federal police, Ecuador’s navy, Singapore’s armed forces, and Turkey.

Contracts & Key Events

Israeli Heron-TP
(click to view full)

June 9/17: Heron TP UAVs leased to the German military by Airbus will be operated from an Israeli air base. It is also believed that German crew will be trained at the site. Deliveries of Heron TP systems for use by the German military will commence late next year and will go towards supporting international operations involving German personnel prior to the availability of a European-developed medium-altitude, long-endurance UAV from around 2025. The deal has been initially held up after a protest by General Atomics.

June 2/17: A German court has ruled against US weapons manufacturer General Atomics after the firm posted a legal challenge against Germany’s plans to lease armed drones from Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). GA, along with Switzerland’s RUAG lost out to provide the Predator B UAV to the German military after Berlin chose to lease the Heron TP UAV in a deal estimated to be worth $652 million. On taking the deal to court, GA stated that they did so “to ensure that this procurement is conducted as a fair and open competition; thereby ensuring that the German Ministry of Defense procures the most technologically superior and cost efficient solution.” Berlin’s decision to lease Herons instead of buying Predators comes as an interim measure until the EU has developed its own drone. Germany, France, Italy and Spain plan to jointly develop a drone by 2025.

October 19/16: Having joined the Missile Technology Control Regime this summer, India is forging ahead with plans to purchase Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Heron TP UAV. While Israel is not a member of the regime, which aims to restrict the proliferation of missile technology, it has agreed to export its strategic weapon systems only to member countries. While New Delhi has operated the Heron 1 and smaller Israeli UAVs, the Heron TP UAV has a 40h endurance, maximum take-off weight of 5,300kg (11,685lb), and carries a typical mission payload of 1,000kg.

September 14/15 The Indian government has approved the purchase of ten armed UAVs from Israel Aerospace Industries, following a fast-tracking of the program by the Modi administration. The $400 million acquisition will see ten IAI Heron TP drones join other Israeli designs operated by the Indian Air Force, with Harpy loitering munitions, Searcher ISR aircraft and unarmed Heron-1 aircraft already seeing service. The country is also pursuing an indigenous UAV development program known as the Rustom 2. India has been the world’s largest importer of drones over the last thirty years, with IAI officials reportedly in talks with the Indian Defence Ministry over a possible joint production of the new UAVs. India is also planning to allocate significant funds to train increasing numbers of operators to use its expanding UAV fleet.

May 5/15: With 22.5% of all UAV imports over the 1985-2014 period, India has topped the list of unmanned aerial systems importers. The principle beneficiary of India’s UAV spending has been Israel, particularly the IAI Heron and Searcher variants.

Dec 29/13: +15. India’s Cabinet Committee on Security headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has reportedly approved an INR 12 billion (about $300 million) budget to buy another 15 Heron UAVs and associated equipment from Israel, and upgrade the existing fleet for improved communications.

The move would give India 40+ Herons, which is a respectable fleet. India’s massive border length, and the number of neighbors it needs to keep an eye on, mean that it really needs more than this. The new UAVs are reportedly slated for the Chinese and Pakistan borders, whereas the existing 3 squadrons seem to be more focused on India’s eastern and western seaboards. Sources: Times of India, “Govt clears proposal for buying 15 UAVs from Israel” | Israel’s Arutz Sheva, “India to Buy 15 Drones from Israel” | (Anti-India) Kashmir News Service, “Indian govt clears proposal for buying 15 Israeli UAVs”.

Sept 8/13: Shift east. India shifts some of its Heron UAVs to the 4,057 km Line of Actual Control between India and China. The Searcher Mk.II UAVs suffer from endurance restrictions and high altitude performance shortfalls, so the IAF wants to replace them all with Herons in that area. As the UK’s Daily Mail reports:

“Though unrelated, this development comes just a day after the furore over the contents of a report filed by Shyam Saran, chairperson of the National Security Advisory Board (NSAB), indicating a loss of almost 640 sq km of Indian territory in eastern Ladakh to China…. the army will soon issue a formal communication about the [UAV] proposal, which came directly from the ground formations posted along the LAC…”

Sources: UK Daily Mail, “India sends Heron drones to LAC to boost surveillance efforts”.

April 11/12: 3rd Squadron. India’s Navy commissions a 3rd UAV squadron of IAI Searcher tactical UAVs and IAI Heron long-endurance UAVs, in order to step-up surveillance in the Gulf of Mannar, Palk Strait and Palk Bay. INAS 344 will be operated from INS Parundu, the naval air station in Uchipuli, Tamil Nadu, in southern India. It will be controlled by Eastern Naval Command

INAS 344 joins the western INAS 343 naval UAV squadron in Porbandar, Gujarat and the original INAS 342 eastern squadron at Kochi in Kerala. sUAS News.

March 31/11: Flight International:

“India’s navy has operational requirements for additional unmanned air vehicles made by Israel Aerospace Industries, sources say, with these to potentially include improved Heron or Heron-TP systems carrying maritime sensor payloads. Evaluations using some systems have already been carried out, they add.”

Jan 21/11: 2nd Squadron. The Indian Navy stands up INAS 343 (the “Frontier Formidables”) at Porbandar, Gujarat, near the Pakistani border. Gujarat has the longest coastline of any Indian state.

This is India’s 2nd Heron/Searcher UAV squadron; INAS 342 has been operational since 2006. Flight International | India Defence | MarineBuzz.

Aug 2/09: Reports that the deal has been approved:

“The Indian Army is going in for two more “troops” (six to eight birds each) of advanced Heron UAVs from Israel for Rs 1,118 crore [DID: then about $230 million], after getting the nod from the Defence Acquisitions Council headed by defence minister A. K. Antony.”

Times of India | SatNews.

India: 12-16 Herons

Hunter

Nov 4/05: Reports of the sale. In analyzing the Heron sale, Stratfor notes that:

“The purchase will allow India to better protect its long borders and to pave the way for the planned 2007 acquisition of Israeli Phalcon radar — all while seeking to convince Pakistan that the security balance between the two countries will not shift further in New Delhi’s favor. Pakistan, however, is unlikely to be placated, and will endeavor to counter the Indian acquisition… Despite the negative resonance this deal will have in Islamabad, the Herons will strengthen New Delhi’s ability to deny access to jihadists crossing into India from Pakistan by enhancing India’s border surveillance capabilities.”

Meanwhile, the Pakistani Daily Times newspaper has sources who claim that the Indian Army is also making inquiries about the Hunter UAV, a smaller IAI aircraft that is also in service with the US Army. RQ-5A Hunter UAVs have logged substantial flight time in Iraq, and demonstrated their ability to drop small precision munitions like the Viper Strike. Pakistan’s Daily Times | India Defence | Stratfor

Additional Readings:

• IAI – Heron Family. Range for the Heron-1 is given as 350 km, but since the drone flies at well over 100 km/h, and can stay up for far, far more than just 3.5 hours, that makes no sense. A 24 hour flight at 125 km/h is 3,000 km, the figure used in this article.

• Defense Update – Heron TP (Eitan)

• IAI – Searcher Mk.III

News & Views

• DID – Canada, Australia Contract for Heron UAVs

• DID – France’s Harfang/ SIDM IUAV Program. Based on Heron-TP.

• DID – Germany Leases IAI’s Herons for Afghanistan

• DID – Israeli Manufacturers’ Turkish UAV Contract. Herons. Ran into trouble due to Turkish subcontractors, leading to delays that were covered by rent-a-UAV services from a 3rd Israeli firm, Aeronautics DS.

• India Strategic (November 2013) – Unmanned Aerial Systems: The Game Changer

• India Strategic (February 2012) – Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) Indian Perspective

• DID (Sept 13/05) – Israel Places $50M Order for Heron MALE UAVs.

June 8, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - UN Special Envoy for Sudan and South Sudan Nicholas Haysom discussed on Thursday with the Sudanese foreign ways to reinvigorate regional and international efforts to bring peace in South Sudan.

Nicholas Haysom appointed UN special envoy for Sudan and South Sudan (UN photo)

The visiting South African diplomat also discussed the ongoing rift within the rebel SPLM-N with Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamid, a presidential aide and chief negotiator for the peace talks and the opposition National Umma Party (NUP) leader Sadiq al-Mahdi.

According to the foreign ministry spokesperson Gharib Allah Khidir Haysom discussed with Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour ways to activate the ongoing regional and international efforts to achieve peace and stability in South Sudan.

Khidir added the discussions included the "preparations for the IGAD Summit on the situation in South Sudan, which will be held in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on June 12."

Ghandour stressed Sudan's keenness to achieve peace in South Sudan and the pivotal role of Sudan in all efforts and initiatives aimed at ending the over three-year crisis in the neighbouring country.

The Sudanese Foreign Minister, according to the statement, further said that Sudan has exercised the utmost wisdom, self-restraint and patience with the South Sudan which he accused of supporting the Sudanese armed groups.

The IGAD leaders will discuss ways to bring the warring parties to end the fighting and allow humanitarian access to the needy in the war affected areas.

They also intend to see how they can hold an inclusive national dialogue process including the main armed group SPLM-IO which Juba does not want to see in the political process for the time being.

SPLM-N RIFT

Haysom who facilitate the efforts of the African Union mediation to end the conflict in the Two Areas discussed the ongoing crisis in the SPLM-N and its impact on the peace process.

"We held a fruitful meeting with the head of the government negotiating delegation, in which we clearly expressed our concern about divisions within the SPLM-N and ways to speed up the implementation of the African Union roadmap," the UN special envoy told reporters after the meeting.

He added they agreed that is too early, at this stage, to predict the consequences of divisions within the SPLM-N, adding they will continue to monitor closely those developments.

Haysom also met with the NUP leader Sadiq al-Mahdi but both didn't made any statement about the meeting.

"The meeting discussed the current political situation and the latest developments and developments at the local and international levels," said a short statement released by the opposition group after the encounter.

Al-Mahdi is a political ally of the SPLM-N. The NUP and the SPLM-N are signatories of a roadmap agreement brokered by the African Union mediation.

The Sudanese opposition groups keep silent over the rift in the armed group as Abdel Aziz al-Hilu who is appointed to replace Malik Agar by the Nuba Mountains body calls for self determination for his region.

(ST)

June 8, 2017 (ADDIS ABABA) - The Ethiopian parliament on Thursday deliberated over a draft budget for the upcoming Ethiopian fiscal year of 2010 which begins from August 2017-June 2018.

State Minister of Finance and Economic Cooperation, Abraham Tekeste, Thursday presented the draft budget proposed last week to Parliament for discussion.

Last Friday the council of ministers proposed 320.8 Birr (USD 13.8 Billion) which the new budget had seen a rise of $ 2.02 billion (16.9%) to that of the current fiscal year.

Of the total, some $ 4.9 billion are allocated for capital expenditures while some $ 3.55 billion are slated for regular expenses.

Over $ 5.08 billion (some 36.6%) is allocated to subsidies regional states.

Some $ 303 million are allotted to enforce the sustainable development goals (SDGs).

The new budget has seen $ 2.02 billion (some 16.9%) rise to that of the just-ending fiscal Ethiopian year.

State minister, Abraham said the draft budget was designed taken to account the socio-economic devolvement activities and impact of continental and global economic situation as well as pledges of international aid donors.

At the Parliament hearing today, Abraham said the country is expected to register 11.1% of economic growth in 2017/18 Ethiopian fiscal year.

After discussions, the Parliament has referred the draft budget to the budget and finance affairs to further scrutiny.

(ST)

June 8, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Thursday renewed calls to arrest the Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir and other suspects of alleged war crimes and genocide in Darfur region.

The Hague-based court issued arrest warrants for Bashir in 2009 and 2010, accusing him of committing genocide and other atrocities during a counterinsurgency campaign in western Sudan region of Darfur.

However, Bashir continues to defy the arrest warrants and travel across the world including in ICC state members where he is welcomed by its leaders. Also, Sudan last March criticised a UN spokesperson for calling to arrest and hand over Bashir to the war crimes court.

“Not one of the suspects for whom warrants have been issued has been arrested and transferred to the International Criminal Court,” ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda told the United Nations Security Council.

Further, she said that the victims and their families should not despair or abandon hope, pointing that the international tribunals for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia were reminders that persistence and determination could result in the arrest and surrender of suspects many years after the issuance of arrest warrants.

The UN Security Council referred the Darfur case to the ICC for investigation in March 2005 under a Chapter VII resolution since Sudan is not a member of the ICC.

“The States that form this Council have the power, independently and collectively, to positively influence and incentivize States, whether or not parties to the Rome Statute, to assist in the efforts to arrest and surrender the Darfur suspects,” she said, adding that regional organisations can do the same.

Bensouda noted that to date, the Court has made 13 decisions on non-compliance and referred them to the Security Council.

“Yet not one has been acted upon by this Council,” she said. “By failing to act in response to such Court decisions, this Council is, in essence, relinquishing and undermining its clear role on such matters,” she stressed.

Regarding his trips South Africa, the prosecutor said the ICC pre-trial chamber plans to decide whether South Africa acted in non-compliance with the Statute when it failed to arrest and hand over al-Bashir in June 2015.

By the end of March 2017, the Sudanese president travelled to Jordan to attend an Arab League meeting, but Jordan declined to arrest and surrender him.

“Inviting, facilitating or supporting the international travel of any person subject to an ICC arrest warrant is inconsistent with a commitment to international criminal justice,” she said. “It is also an affront to the victims in the Darfur situation,” she said.

(ST)

Australian shipbuilders Austal and ASC Shipbuilding announced on 8 June that they have teamed up for the build of vessels in the Royal Australian Navy's (RAN's) SEA 5000 Future Frigate programme. Under this arrangement, Austal and ASC Shipbuilding will act as one in support of the programme,