Africa

A parliamentary committee aims to establish the extent of diamond plundering in Zimbabwe.

An Algerian woman is denied citizenship for refusing to shake the hand of an official.

Many Commonwealth countries have laws in place that criminalise homosexuality.

Challenges lay ahead for Africa's airlines as they are granted greater access to the continent.

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

The East African Community has recommended that people in the region wear colourful cotton fabric on Fridays.

Four of the world's top male distance runners battle it out at the London marathon.

Commending the remarkable achievements made by the people and Government of Liberia to consolidate lasting peace and stability in the wake of a 1999-2003 civil war, the Security Council on Thursday asked the United Nations Secretary-General to conduct a study of the role played by its peacekeeping mission in resolving conflicts and other challenges the country has faced.

April 19, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's President Omer al-Bashir relieved his foreign minister Ibrahim Ghandour said the official Sudan News Agency (SUNA) on Thursday evening.

Ibrahim Ghandour attends African Union ministers meeting in Addis Ababa on 11 April 2016 (ST Photo)

In a very short wire, SUNA reported that al-Bashir issued a presidential decree removing Ghandour from his position. Also, the decision was announced in less than three hours after the return of the president from Saudi Arabia where he participated in the 29th Arab League summit.

Observers in Khartoum believe that the decision comes after Ghandour statements on Wednesday before the lawmakers where he said certain circles have delayed the salaries of Sudanese diplomats since seven months.

"The president (al-Bashir) talked with the Governor of the Bank of Sudan several times, in the same way, the First Vice President, and the Minister of the Presidency follows the matter on a daily basis, but it seems that there are those who feel that the salaries of diplomats, staff and mission rents are not a priority," he told the parliament on Wednesday.

The statements triggered a massive outpouring of reactions some supported him saying and praised him for his courage others said he had not to disclose such important information.

Ghandour reportedly had already filed his resignation to President al-Bashir several months ago to protest the appointment of the former oil minister Awad al-Jaz as presidential aide tasked with relations with countries that have important investments in Sudan like China and Turkey.

Ghandour handled very important files and negotiated the lift of U.S. economic sanctions with Sudan. Recently he built strong relations with Egyptian officials and successfully managed to reduce tensions between the two countries.

(ST)

King Mswati III declares a name change at events celebrating independence and his 50th birthday.

Amb Telar Deng

The events that led to the 2013 dissolution of cabinet can be traced back to the deep mistrust that fermented back in 1991 when leaders failed to close ranks. After the 1991 Nassir declaration, President Salva Kiir Mayardit did not see eye to eye with Dr. Riek Machar. He had developed a strong dislike for him because he believed that Rebellion was not to be rewarded. On January 6th, 2002, after vigorous negotiations, the declaration for reunification of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) was signed in Nairobi.

Upon signing of the declaration for reunification of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) Dr. John Garang de Mabior the co-signatory to the declaration travelled to Yei where he held the leadership council meeting. They discussed and approved a document that allowed Dr. Riek Machar back as the 3rd in command.
Throughout the discussions, President Salva Kiir Mayardit, then a commander, who was evidently furious, demanded that the matter be subjected to voting and indeed it was but unfortunately the ballot went in favor of Dr. Riek Machar. James Wani without bitterness accepted to take the fourth position in the hierarchy of the SPLM. However, this order didn't go down well with Kiir.

Later on after Dr. John Garang's death, President Salva took the leadership of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement, subsequently; Riek and Wani were second and third in command respectively in the SPLM hierarchy. In 2008 convention, Salva and his group wanted to replace Riek as the 1st deputy chairman of the SPLM with Wani Igga and Taban Deng Gai to replace Pagan Amum as the secretary general of the SPLM. This cemented Kiir and Riek's sour relations for the second time.

Through the strenuous efforts of the elders, Moulana Abel Alier, general Joseph Lagu, amongst others from Warrap, the planned efforts to change the leadership were averted and status quo was maintained in order to avoid the disintegration of the party. This was the beginning of the power struggle from within the Sudan People's Liberation Movement.

With all these turn of events from the year 2002 to 2008, Salva felt that within the government and within the party, he could not consult either Riek or Pagan on any matters including formation of cabinet.

On the 5th of March 2013, attempts were made to reconcile Salva and Riek in a meeting that was chaired by Deng Alor and attended by Wani Igga, Kosti Manibe, John Luk, James Kok Ruea, Paul Mayom Akech, Pieng Deng Majok and James Hoth Mai. The attempt to reconcile Kiir and Machar failed. What transpired was that Riek declared to challenge President Salva Kiir in the upcoming SPLM convention and Pagan also declared his intentions to be a candidate for the chair of the SPLM. Since there was no headway, the meeting was adjourned. It was to be reconvened at a later date, but this never happened. With all this opposition, Kiir realized he was under serious political challenge from Riek and Pagan within the party. This then made Salva take his first step; he withdrew of his delegated powers from Riek as the vice President of the Republic of South Sudan. He went ahead and cancelled the national reconciliation process that was chaired by Riek Machar and he reconstituted it and gave it to the church leaders.

Salva realized that he could not form the cabinet without assistance from his vice president and Secretary general of the Party, he decided to reinstate un-officially the Politico-Military high command with the membership of himself (Salva), Wani Igga, Daniel Awet Akot and Kuol Manyang. The four avoided all party and government structures and went ahead with their plans and conducted series of meetings.

It was at those meetings that the President made most, if not, all political decisions. Consequently, in 2013, it is this group of the four members of the defunct Politico-military High command that made all the decisions to dissolve the entire cabinet and appointed a new cabinet to the exclusion of those Salva suspected to be against him or who seemed to be allies of Riek.

After all these, Riek Machar, Pagan Amum and everyone else who was relieved off their constitutional posts played their cool with the intention of making a comeback in the national convention that was to be held in December.

The convention was held and Riek and those who were alleged to be his allies, raised a few issues of contention. These were issues that President Salva Kiir and his allies and Dr. Riek Machar and his allies could not agree on.

The issues of contention were:
1. The method of voting either show of hands or secret ballot.
2. The chairman of the party who is Salva Kiir should not appoint five percent of the total members of the convention. Riek wanted this to be scrapped out.
3. The deputy chair should be elected by the convention instead of being nominated by the chair to the national liberation council for approval. Riek wanted this to be subjected to the convention and not at the whims of the chair to appoint him and not to appoint him.

On the 14th December 2013, the national liberation council deliberated on these three contentious issues. Salva Kiir and his allies outwitted Riek by mobilizing members of the national liberation council to defeat any proposal from Riek and allies Therefore Riek and allies were defeated. On the 15th December, Riek and his allies boycotted the meetings of the National liberation council. After the boycott, the rest of us and the public woke up to gunshots at about 10:15 pm. The rest remains history.

As the events unfolded, it became very evident that there was a power struggle within the party and the government. The prime movers of the said power struggle were, President Kiir, the Secretary General Pagan Amum and his then Vice President Dr. Riek Machar. The differences they had polarized the government, the public and the party and it was no longer cohesive. President Salva Kiir and allies believed that it was a power struggle, However Riek, Pagan and allies maintained that it was not a power struggle. To them it was about the nature of state, democracy and the rule of law.

I have noted that I have on many occasions been blamed for misadvising the President on dissolution of cabinet then, yet I, like many of you learnt of the same when it was already too late. Importantly, the main issues raised by the parties that were formed after the incident have never raised the dissolution of cabinet as their reason for opposing Salva Kiir but they raised issues such as lack of democracy, proper governance, the rule of law in the country, nature of state and other issues that are in the public domain.

After I left the country for my assignment in Russia, there have also been quite a number of issues that have been dealt with contrary to the constitution and the August 17th, 2015 peace agreement. I will list just but a few that we all know:

1. The creation of 28 states (which are now 32), the government-led delegation to Addis peace talks in 2015, objected to Riek's suggestion on formation of 21 states (this was based on the 21 Districts during the British colonial rule) and argued that 10 states are maintained. This was then signed and incorporated into the peace agreement but as soon as they left Addis Ababa, the President went and decreed into law the creation of the 28 states.

2. Currently the council of states is responsible for the creation of the counties. The local government act stipulates that the President creates the counties and then in consultation with the Local government chair then issues a warrant of establishment. By default the council of states was allowed to exercise powers that are not stipulated in the local government act. The powers that the council of states in this respect has are only two. These are name of the county and the map of the county
3. In the August 2015 Peace Agreement that was signed, the President appoints ambassadors and other senior diplomatic representatives to foreign countries as proposed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and approved by the council of ministers but as it stands currently, President Salva Kiir Mayardit appoints, deploys and dismisses ambassadors and senior diplomats on his own volition. This has brought conflict between the President and the minister of foreign affairs who made a decision to stay out of South Sudan as the President has usurped all his powers.
4. The civil service act is being violated. The President dismisses and appoints under secretaries without due procedure as stipulated in the civil service act.
Is it still Telar Deng advising the president to violate the August 17th, 2015 agreement, the Constitution, the local government act and the civil service act and other violations of the rule of law?

Swaziland's king has decided to change the country's name to eSwatini, but what does this entail?

Entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson, conservationist Jane Goodall and others urge more action.

Some members have left and joined the group more than once.

April 18, 2018 (JUBA) – Members of the United Nations Security Council Committee, established pursuant to resolution 2206 (2015) concerning South Sudan, were briefed by the Panel of Experts on South Sudan in connection with the Panel's final report, which was submitted in pursuance of paragraph 2 of resolution 2353 (2017).

The UN Security Council votes unanimously to impose sanctions on those blocking peace in South Sudan (Photo: UN/Devra Berkowitz)

During the deliberations, held on 11 April, the Committee reportedly considered the Panel's findings with respect to the political and security situation in South Sudan; violations of human rights and international humanitarian law; obstruction of humanitarian and peacekeeping missions; and arms procurement and the implementation of the sanctions measures in war-torn South Sudan.

The Committee also considered recommendations set out in the Panel's final report, partly read a statement Sudan Tribune obtained.

The Committee, it further stressed, also received a briefing by the Office of the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, which provided updates on developments in South Sudan since the last briefing by the Special Representative to the members in March last year.

However, it was noted that while the young nation was facing the conflict for the fourth consecutive year, violations against children had increased considerably compared to the preceding two years.

The UN had verified over 1,000 incidents of all six grave violations against children, affecting close to 1,400 children in South Sudan.

During the 11 April meeting, the recruitment and use of children by all parties in South Sudan's conflict, was assessed to be endemic.

“The office concluded that children were not just used on an ad hoc basis to temporarily boost military capacities of parties to the conflict or to provide services,” the statement noted, adding that children of South Sudan were the very fuel of the war, abused in a systematic and sustained manner which enabled the war effort to continue.

The world's youngest nation has been mired in conflict between the government of President Salva Kiir and rebels led by Riek Machar, the country's former first vice-president since mid-December 2013. The conflict has killed tens of thousands and displaced almost over 2 million people from their homes, including over a million refugees who have fled into neighbouring nations

(ST)

April 18, 2018 (JUBA) - The South Sudanese presidency has dismissed as propaganda reports alleging presidential adviser on military affairs, Daniel Awet Akot has been placed under house arrest, causing speculations and warning such actions could spark unrest.

Daniel Awet Akot (ST)

The presidential adviser on security affairs. Tut Kew Gatluak denied that Akot is under house arrest, saying he was unaware of the top aide's detention.

“I am not aware of this allegation. I spoke to Gen Daniel today and he did not indicate he has been arrested”, Gatluak told Sudan Tribune on Wednesday.

The presidential press secretary, Ateny Wek Ateny also denied the allegation, saying Akot is working normally and nobody has ever tried to raise security details around his residence or anywhere.

It was not immediately clear what sparked the speculation and attempts to reach the presidential aide failed he could not easily be reached on his known phone contacts.

Sources, however, attributed the speculations to comments in which he protested the manner the government under President Salva Kiir has been managing the affairs of the nation since becoming an independent from neigbouring Sudan.

The top aide admitted that the government was not functioning, citing non payments of the government employees by the state for more than six months now.

Akot, also a leading member of the faction of the ruling Sudan People's Liberation Movement under president Salva Kiir was speaking during the funeral ride of late Morwel Abergut in Juba on Friday evening during which he urged people of Greater Lakes State to abandon all government positions and go back home to cultivate and focus on farming.

He urged his people to stop working against each and unite as Lakes State citizens.

This is the first time a Member of SPLM/A High Command came out clearly against Juba Administration. Awet who hails from Gok state formerly one of Greater Lakes state counties was furious while addressing a large crowd from Greater Lakes state.

(ST)

Intruders stormed into the Nigerian upper house and took the symbolic mace.

April 18, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese government accused Darfur armed group of rejecting all the compromises proposed by the international mediators to reach a declaration of principles paving the way for peace talks to end the 15-year conflict.

On Tuesday evening the delegations representing the Government of Sudan, Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and Sudan Liberation Movement of Minni Minnawi ended two-day discussions in Berlin without signing a pre-negotiation agreement.

The two sides say willing for a negotiated settlement but failed to agree on how to proceed. The government put on the negotiating table the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur, but the armed groups say they want a new process on new bases, not this framework text signed in July 2011 with other former rebel groups.

Amin Hassan Omer, the head of the government delegation issued a statement on Wednesday morning saying the two movements refused all the proposals made by the mediators and were determined to impose some conditions before the negotiations.

The two groups their positions, "although the government had agreed to all the propositions drafted by the mediation," said Omer. "It is clear that the brothers on the other side are not yet ready to go through the peace process with all its benefits," he further said.

Minnawi, on Tuesday, said the government delegation insisted on the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) as the only basis for negotiations and rejected the proposals and concessions they made in order to break the stalemate.

ACCUSING FINGER TO THE AFRICAN UNION

For his part, JEM leader Gibril Ibrahim Wednesday reiterated that the government's insistence on the DDPD as the basis for the talks led to the failure of the meeting.

He further said the statements of AU Commissioner for Peace and Security Smail Chergui on Darfur peace process encouraged the government to harden its position and "significantly contributed to the failure of the talks".

Ibrahim said the government adopted this tough position thinking that the African Union now raises a big stick and the armed movements are forced to accept what is dictated on them.

Following a meeting held on 20 February 2018, the Peace and Security Council said concerned by the "unnecessarily prolonged" process for peace in Darfur.

The Council further pointed to "the lack of commitment on the part of the non-signatory Darfur armed movements" and urged them to engage discussions with the government on the basis of the Doha Document for peace in Darfur (DDPD).

(ST)

April 18, 2018 (JUBA) The authorities in South Sudan have shut down the BBC's FM relay stations in the capital, Juba and in the town of Wau.

The decision, an official said, was taken after the London-based radio ignored requests to pay arrears, despite a reminder in January.

“On 22 January 2018, the minister [of information] wrote to them [BBC] cancelling the agreement and informed BBC to pay SSBC [South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation] all the arrears and come to negotiate the new agreement with SSBC, the media Authority and NCA [National Communication Authority], but after a month, they started giving conditions,” Magok Chilim, the director of SSBC said.

He threatened to sue the BBC should the broadcaster not pay its bill.

The BBC, in a statement, said it regret the decision to stop broadcasting "its news services to an audience of more than 400,000 in South Sudan”.

The broadcaster, however, said it was working hard to reach an understanding with South Sudan authorities to restore the service.

South Sudan, Reporters Without Borders said, still faces challenges, like censorship and harassment, which needed to tackled. In 2016, South Sudan ranked 140th out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index, falling 26 places since the start of a civil war in 2013.

(ST)

April 18, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The Ambassadors of the European Union (EU) on Wednesday have expressed concern about the situation of the people in the disputed Abyei region.

In a statement at the end of a two-day visit to the region, EU Ambassadors said the “objective of the visit was to examine the political, security, development and humanitarian situation on the ground”.

“The European diplomats held meetings with the leaders of Ngok Dinka and Misserya and Dinka Agok, representatives of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), the UN Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism (JBVMM) and other UN agencies and NGOs” read the statement

“During their stay, the European diplomats visited Todach and Agok. They had a walk around the Amiet common market and visited projects related to health and the empowerment of women” added the statement

According to the statement, “the European diplomats agreed that there is a need for improved basic services especially in the areas of water, education, health and rule of law”.

It is noteworthy that the EU delegation included ambassadors of the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Sweden, Norway as well as the Special Envoy of Norway to Sudan and South Sudan.

Ownership of Abyei, a border region disputed by Sudan and South Sudan, remained contentious after the world's youngest nation split from Sudan in 2011.

There is no joint administration between Sudan and South Sudan, as the Ngok Dinka refuse the formation of Abyei Area Administration and the Legislative Council. Instead, they call to hold a referendum without the Sudanese pastoralist Misseriya.

Now there are two committees one for the Misseriya appointed by the Sudanese government and another for the Ngok Dinka appointed by Juba government.

On 27 June 2011, the Security Council, by its resolution 1990, responded to the urgent situation in Abyei by establishing the UNISFA.

UNISFA's establishment came after Sudan's government and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) reached an agreement in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to demilitarise Abyei and let Ethiopian troops monitor the area.

The Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) provides that the contested territory remains part of the north until the organisation of a referendum determines its fate.

The difference over who will participate in the referendum prevents the two countries from holding the agreed referendum.

However, the Dinka Ngok organised a unilateral referendum from 27to 29 October 2013 to say they want to join the Republic of South Sudan.

Khartoum, Juba, the African Union and the international community refused to recognise the outcome of the vote.

(ST)