Africa

One of the world's biggest football clubs, Barcelona is taking its skills to Nigeria.

The United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the National Episcopal Conference of Congo, known as CENCO have called for an immediate end to the spate of violent attacks against Catholic facilities in several parts of the country.

Giving voice to people affected by conflict and crises in Africa’s Lake Chad Basin, a global United Nations-supported humanitarian conference in Oslo today generated more than $670 million in pledges that will help sustain critical relief operations over the next two years and beyond across four counties where millions are in need of aid.

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

February 22, 2017 (JUBA) - The United Nations needs at least $4.4 billion by the end of next month to prevent "a catastrophe" of hunger and famine in South Sudan, Nigeria, Somalia and Yemen, its newly-appointed Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, said.

António Guterres (UN photo)

More than 20 million people face starvation in the four countries and action is urgently needed now to avert a humanitarian disaster, Guterres said on Wednesday.

"We need $4.4 billion by the end of March to avert a catastrophe," he said.

According to Guterres, the world body has only managed to raise $90m of what it needs.

Three U.N agencies and South Sudan government on Monday declared famine in parts of the country, with an estimated 5 million said to be at the verge of facing starvation.

The UN children's agency UNICEF said almost 1.4 million children acutely malnourished in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen could die from famine in coming months.

"The situation is dire," stressed Guterres.

"Millions of people are barely surviving in the space between malnutrition and death, vulnerable to diseases and outbreaks, forced to kill their animals for food and eat the grain they saved for next year's seeds," he added.

In South Sudan, tens of thousands of people have been killed and nearly two million displaced in the country's worst ever outbreak of violence since it seceded from Sudan.

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Malawi’s parliament took a historic step towards ending child marriage last week, when it removed from its Constitution a provision allowing children between the ages of 15 and 18 to marry with parental consent.

Now, the minimum age of marriage under the Constitution is aligned with the Marriage, Divorce and Family Relations Act, a law that sets 18 as the age of marriage. While the Marriage Act was intended to stop child marriage, it could not override the country’s Constitution.

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A 14-year-old girl holds her baby at her sister’s home in a village in Kanduku, in Malawi’s Mwanza district. She married in September 2013, but her husband chased her away. Her 15-year-old sister, in the background, married when she was 12. Both sisters said they married to escape poverty.

© 2014 Human Rights Watch

This change will help girls like Elina V., interviewed by Human Rights Watch for a 2014 report on child marriage in Malawi.

“I faced a lot of problems in marriage. I was young and did not know how to be a wife,” Elina V. said. At 15, Elina was forced by her mother to marry a 24-year-old man when she became pregnant “because it was her only option.” Elina spoke of the problems she faced in her abusive marriage, at a time when she was still a child herself.

Malawi has one of the highest rates of child marriage in the world, where approximately one out of every two girls marry before age 18. It has the ninth highest rate in Africa.

Girls interviewed for our report spoke of the pressure they faced to marry by family members who wanted to receive dowry payments, because they were pregnant, or because they themselves saw marriage as a means of escaping poverty.

Child marriage has detrimental consequences on the ability of women and girls to realize key human rights, including the rights to health, education, and freedom from violence. It puts girls at a greater risk of maternal mortality and other health risks. Many girls who attend school are forced to drop out when they marry. Child marriage also exposes girls and young women to violence, including marital rape, sexual and domestic violence, and emotional abuse.

In removing this legal loophole, Malawi has taken an important step in addressing a major shortfall in the country’s efforts to protect girls against the harms of child marriage. With clear and consistent laws now regulating marriage, girls in Malawi may finally have the protection they’ve desperately needed.

South Africa’s North Gauteng High Court today ruled that the government’s attempt to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC) was unconstitutional and invalid, as the government issued its withdrawal notice without consulting parliament. The court ordered President Jacob Zuma and the Ministries of Justice and Foreign Affairs to revoke the notice of withdrawal.

It’s an important ruling for international justice both in South Africa and beyond.

The judgment will compel South African officials, as they move to comply with the court’s decision, to reflect and reconsider the withdrawal notice. Rather than leave the ICC – a court South Africa played a key role in creating – they should use this opportunity to reaffirm support for it. The ruling will be welcomed by many South Africans who opposed the government’s decision to abandon the ICC, which runs counter to the country’s human rights-oriented foreign policy agenda.

The ICC has the potential to deliver justice to victims of the world’s worst crimes when national courts are unable or unwilling to prosecute. The ICC has its flaws, and its reach to more corners of the world should be expanded. Yet it remains the crucial global court of last resort and for many victims the only chance they have to see perpetrators held to account.

South Africa should follow the lead of Gambia, which recently cancelled its ICC withdrawal notice. Such a move would signal South Africa’s commitment to justice and the rights of victims. It would also restore respect for human rights and international justice to the center of its foreign policy practice.

February 23, 2017 (JUBA) - The widow of John Garang, the founder of South Sudan's ruling party (SPLM) has said the peace deal, which was signed in 2015 to end more than three years conflict has collapsed, citing failure to implement the security arrangement.

Rebecca Nyandeng de Mabior (ST File Photo)

“We talk about peace in a vacuum because our leaders are not ready to listen. When Dr.Riek left the country, Taban was put in place of Dr.Riek in less than two or three days and when he was appointed the language changed and was saying Riek should wait for elections”, Rebecca Garang told a briefing of South Sudanese in the Diasporas in the United States.

Rebecca said some of the foreign diplomats in Juba mistakenly supported replacement of the former first vice president Riek Machar with Taban Deng Gai on the ground that the latter would impress president Kiir to implement the agreement because of the perception that the former would cooperate with him than he would do with Machar.

“But how can peace come to South Sudan when security arrangement has collapsed and the person who is signatory to the agreement is not there? It means there is no peace. So I want to tell you there is no agreement being implemented in Juba to tell you the truth," she said, adding that Kiir is implementing reservations, not the accord.

Garang, a former minister for roads and transport, fell out with the Juba government after openly criticising President Kiir's administration and proposing regime change.

The 2015 peace accord, which temporarily ended the ongoing conflict, has not been fully implemented, with the peace monitoring body (JMEC) accusing the warring factions of reneging on what they had committed themselves to during it's signing.

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February 23, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir, Thursday, has directed his government to provide the necessary support and to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid and relief supplies to the needy civilian in the neighbouring South Sudan.

South Sudan, which has been mired in civil war since December 2013, is now Africa's largest refugee crisis and the world's third largest behind Syria and Afghanistan.

Government officials declared that some parts of the war-ravaged country, particularly in the Unity province are suffering famine. At least 100,000 people are facing starvation in parts of the country while 4.9 million of them need urgent humanitarian assistance.

Al-Bashir "directed the concerned authorities to provide support to our brothers in the Republic of South Sudan in coordination with the competent South Sudanese ministries and institutions in order to facilitate and ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid and relief supplies to the needy," said a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry spokesperson Gharib Allah Khidir on Thursday.

the Sudanese president further "ordered to ensure all the necessary facilities for the entry of any humanitarian assistance for South Sudan through the Sudanese territory, both from United Nations organisations and agencies or sisterly and friendly countries".

Khidir said these directives aim to ensure the success of the international humanitarian campaign aimed at alleviating the suffering of the South Sudanese people.

Since 2014, Sudan opened river and road humanitarian corridors enabling UN agencies to use trucks and river barges to deliver humanitarian aid to the northern parts of South Sudan.

Last Tuesday President Salva Kiir pledged to provide aid agencies unimpeded access to the needy population across the country.

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February 23, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres Thursday appointed an Ethiopian general as Force Commander for the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA).

The new UNISFA Major General Tesfay Gidey Hailemichael succeeds Major General Hassen Ebrahim Mussa, who completed his assignment on 17 January 2017.

He has had a long and distinguished career with the Ethiopian Armed Forces spanning over thirty-three years. He graduated from the Ethiopian Defence Command and Staff College (1995) and is currently the Head of the Defence Logistics Department in the Ethiopian Army since April 2014.

Sudan and South Sudan have failed to run a referendum on the fate of the contested Abyei area which lies on the border between the two countries.

Initially, UNISFA was composed of 4,000 Ethiopian troops, established following the seizure of the disputed oil-rich region by the Sudanese army in May 2011 after clashes with South Sudan army (SPLA) troops.

In accordance with the resolution 1990 (2011) UNISFA's main mandate is to ensure the redeployment of Sudanese and South Sudanese troops out of the contested area of Abyei and to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians.

On 29 May 2013, the Security Council increased UNISFA military strength to 5,326 troops and tasked it with the support for the operational activities of the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism, established by the Sudan-South Sudan Cooperation Agreement of 27 September 2012.

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By Deng Kiir Akok

The Nile Petroleum Corporation is a national Oil and Gas Corporation, which engages in oil exploration, production and marketing. Famous for its abbreviation Nilepet has been a dream place of work for every South Sudanese that lives in Juba. Though the country's economy is nearly collapsing, the locals still see pastures greener in there. As a result, some of the institutions are losing their employees to Nilepet each day. Those job seekers think that getting employment at Nilepet will make them flourish like its current employees. Each one of them has a different dream from another and has to fulfil it once they are appointed in there.

For ladies that have got to Nilepet are by now driving the latest KIA models. Yeah, they have done with Arab as the saying goes for South Sudanese. Also on their wish list, include a wedding in Freedom Hall, invite the President of the republic to wedding-Day, hire Juba-On-Time Studio photographer for coverage and spend the honeymoon in Dubai.

But for male employees' dreams is so complicated to tell. Any attempt to establish their needs will be an underestimation. They have a lot of problems to solve. From their fiancees' wishing to wed at Freedom Hall. Like Nilepet dreamers, Juba girls also have one thing in common, they think of and that's having their weddings at Freedom Hall. No girl in Juba had never ever heard of it.

Before Nilepet becomes a focal point for everyone in Juba, Central Bank of South Sudan employees was seen holding expensive wedding ceremonies. The bank staffs were able to pay for their bridals' beautification starting from henna to other necessities, the day before the wedding-Day at the most expensive hotels including Crown, New Sudan and Royal Palace hotel. Looking back on how the staffs were able to meet such expensive things in the past has now become a story in the light of the current economic crisis in the country.

The turn is now for Nilepet employees and the bank staffs become broke after the demise of letters of credit (LC). They were better than Nilepet employees in term of how to get money. Before the central bank ran out of dollars two years ago, there were letters of credit and the bank staffs by then knew how to deal with them. Currently, they can't even manage to pay for their birthday celebrations at Smart Camp in Thongpiny, the least expensive lodge in Juba.

As luxury weddings are increasing in Juba despite the country's shrinking economy, I witnessed one occasion last Saturday in which a former Lialy restaurant owner, now changed to University Medical Center along Malakia - Custom road found himself caught up in wedding cars of white Land Cruiser V8 while crossing the road from the property to the other side. He didn't know what to do in the middle of such speeding Japanese cars when he suddenly came to a standstill and cars passed by him from all sides. Thank God that he escaped being crushed. The man later complained to anyone that was near to him. He was heard saying, "even president Kiir's motorcade doesn't run like these cars."

In the current economic crisis, most broke citizens of South Sudan, including this author have suspended their birthday celebrations until the economy recovered. But people are not sure of when things will get better such that life could go back to normal.

Here is our question. How do you tell if a bridegroom is an employee of Nile Petroleum Corporation? In case you come across his wedding cars out there on the roads. It's easy to tell. One need not to waste time guessing where could be his place of work.

Firstly, if wedding cars are of the Land Cruiser V8 models, then automatically that bridegroom works for Nilepet or simply call him a Nilepeter.

Secondly, the wedding belongs to an ordinary South Sudanese or Darfurian when Premio, light buses, Raksha and boda-boda (motorcycle) are used.

And thirdly, if it involves water tank trucks, Surf, Rav4 and blah, blah, then that bridegroom is either an Ethiopian or an Eriteran.

My message to Juba pedestrians is that they should be watchful of wedding cars while crossing roads on weekends, especially on the road that links Freedom Hall in Custom, Marx Studio in Nimra Talata and Juba-On-Time Studio at Mobil roundabout.

With the above little and better than nothing knowledge, I hope that South Sudanese public by now, have known about how to differentiate between Nilepet bridegrooms and other bridegrooms that wed in Juba.

To end this piece, I would like to tell my readers that it's just a matter of time before I follow those heading for Nilepet in favour of high-paying jobs.

The writer is a blogger with blog address https://dengkiirsouthsudan.blogspot.com. He can be reached at dengkiirsouthsudan@gmail.com. Tel: +211912186333

February 23, 2017 (JUBA)- South Sudan President Salva Kiir has arrived in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa for talks on the implementation of border control and security cooperation deal signed last year.

On 28 October 2016, President Kiir and Ethiopian Hailemariam Desalegn signed a series of cooperation agreements on Friday, including a security arrangement to stop hosting armed opposition groups in their respective countries.

During his three day visit, the South Sudanese president will hold talks with the Ethiopian prime minister on Friday. Also, the two leaders are expected to sign a number of bilateral cooperation agreements including security issues in line with a memorandum of understanding signed last year.

Last October, the two leaders signed an agreement on border control and security cooperation but it seems that the implementation conditions had not been included in the deal.

“It will be something good for us, South Sudanese and Ethiopians, should these two leaders put into action what they will agree on. It's our hope that the two agree on security issues. We don't want any negative force to use another country's territory to launch hostile activities on the other. Borders are really important to a country and having a good relationship with the bordering country is always the goal for both countries to progress together,” said Presidential Spokesperson, Ateny Wek Ateny.

"South Sudan- Ethiopia borders are not safe and this is what has prompted the two to meet,” Ateny further stressed.

“We have so many sectors that need the involvement of Ethiopians in our country and the Ethiopians in return have many sectors needing our involvement. For a country to excel, Mutuality is the key,” he added.

The Nuer in Ethiopia's western region of Gambella, have kept their tribal links with the South Sudanese Nuer across the history.

Since the eruption of hostilities between the government army loyal to President Kiir and troops loyal to his former First Vice President Riek Machar in December 2013, many rebels crossed into the Ethiopian territory of Gambella where the South Sudanese army cannot hunt them.

Juba government was suspicious for the tolerance that Addis Ababa had shown towards the South Sudanese rebel presence in Gambella.

It further went to object the participation of Ethiopian soldiers in the regional protection force. However in November Kiir declared accepting their participation and pointed to the security deal signed with Desalegn.

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February 23, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - Czech Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek will visit Khartoum next Sunday for talks on bilateral relations. Also, he is expected to seek a presidential pardon for a journalist sentenced to life in prison last January.

According to a press statement released Thursday Zaoralek will hold talks with the Sudanese Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour. Also, he is will "meet senior officials and visits some investment sites".

Further, a Sudanese official who requested anonymity because he is not authorised to speak to the media, told Sudan Tribune that the visiting minister will request an amnesty for the Christian filmmaker Jasek who is accused of espionage.

On 29 January, a Sudanese court sentenced Jacek to life imprisonment for spying against the Sudan and disseminating reports - via an "American organisation hostile to Sudan" - including alleged persecution of Christians in the country, and the bombardment of civilian populated areas in the Nuba Mountains of South Kordofan State.

The Czech foreign ministry swiftly rejected the ruling of the Sudanese court, pointing that there was no evidence to support his conviction or sentence, according to the Associated Press.

At the time, the Czech foreign ministry said a deputy foreign minister would travel to Sudan in the coming days to try to negotiate Jasek's release and if necessary, Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek is ready to go there, too.

Earlier this month, the Sudanese authorities released a British filmmaker, after a presidential pardon granted by President Omer al-Bashir. Philip Cox who is the first journalist to report the Darfur crisis to the world had been captured in Darfur region as he entered the country illegally.

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Elizabeth Ohene considers Ghanaians' wanderlust as her compatriots join those taking risks to claim asylum abroad.

Amid renewed violence that has led to “successive gross violations” of international humanitarian law in two north-eastern provinces of the Central African Republic (CAR), the most senior United Nations relief official in the country has called for free and unhindered access to civilians impacted by the clashes between rival armed groups.

Ahead of a major donors conference in the Norwegian capital, Oslo, seeking to generate global action to tackle the complex crisis in Africa’s Lake Chad Basin, the top United Nations relief official highlighted that investing in support for the region will in turn help strengthen broader security around the world for all to benefit.

The United Nations Security Council today extended for another year the mandate of the UN Integrated Peace-Building Office in Guinea-Bissau, known as UNIOGBIS, and urged all political actors in the country to implement the provisions of the Conakry Agreement signed last October.

February 22, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudan people's Liberation Movement - North (SPLM-N) announced the end of recent clashes in South Kordofan with the Sudanese army but pointed to the continued shelling attacks on its positions by the government artillery.

The Sudanese army and the (SPLM-N) on Tuesday traded accusations over the violation of a cessation of hostilities in South Kordofan state. The military escalation occurred after the killing of seven cattle herders by unknown gunmen, 38 kilometres west of Kadougli.

The SPLM-N leadership said in a statement issued on Wednesday that the SPLA-N chief of general staff reported that Monday's clashes have stopped and reiterated its commitment to the unilateral cessation of hostilities.

The rebel group further accused the government of planning the attack, adding it sought in vain to involve local tribes in the operation. It further reiterated that the killing of cattle keepers was committed by the Sudanese government militias.

The statement, which comes in reply to the accusations of the Sudanese army that the rebel fighters had started the hostilities and violated the truce, said Monday's fighting took place at the SPLM-N-controlled Almchaih village.

"So, the SPLA-N cannot attack an area it already controls," the statement pointed.

The SPLM-N leadership said it will continue to observe the truce as long as the Sudanese army remains out of the rebel-controlled areas.

"SPLM leadership reiterate to the Sudanese people its commitment to the cessation of hostilities whenever the other party commits itself. Also, we will not initiate an attack but we will not hesitate to defend ourselves".

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The United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic has reported that its troops on patrol were ambushed yesterday outside of Ippy in Ouaka prefecture.

Africa will be looking to double the number of places it has at an expanded World Cup from 2026.