Africa

December 8, 2020 (KHARTOUM) - Senior Sudanese officials and the visiting Saudi Arabia's foreign minister discussed the security of the countries bordering the Red Sea and the need for joint cooperation.

Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud was in Khartoum on Tuesday in the first visit to Sudan after the collapse of the former regime.

During his one-day, he met with the head of the Sovereign Council and the Prime Minister to discuss bilateral relations and ways to activate bilateral cooperation agreements between the two countries.

The Sovereign Council and the cabinet office issued separate statements following their meetings with the visiting Saudi top diplomat saying that he discussed the Red Sea security with them.

"The Saudi Foreign Minister praised Sudan's position and its participation in the Decisive Storm campaign (in Yemen), noting that the two sides agreed to jointly cooperate with regard to the security of the Red Sea," reads a statement by the Sovereign Council quoting Al Saud.

For its part, the cabinet said the meeting dealt with the "importance of the security of the countries bordering the Red Sea, in light of the conflict that broke out in the Tigray region of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia".

In January 2020, Sudan joint a Saudi initiative to establish a regional alliance between the countries bordering the Red Sea including Egypt, Djibouti, Somalia, Yemen and Jordan. Eritrea did not take part in the agreement demanding to include Ethiopia which has no access to the Red Sea.

However, despite the regime change in Sudan, Khartoum moved on and signed a deal with Russia negotiated by the former president to establish a navy base on the Red Sea in eastern Sudan, off the Saudi coast.

The prime minister said the meeting discussed regional conflicts in Yemen, Syria and Libya and it was agreed on the need to resolve these conflicts peacefully without foreign intervention.

On the ongoing discussions about the filing of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, the Saudi minister backed Sudan's position on the need to reach a binding agreement for the three parties.

(ST)

December 8, 2020 (JUBA) – South Sudan has reached a health cooperation agreement with China for the next five-year period.

The deal, which was signed last week, allows China to deploy its medical teams in South Sudan over the period from 2021 to 2026.

This move, Xinhua reported, paves way for strengthened cooperation between China's Anhui Medical University and South Sudan's Juba Teaching Hospital through knowledge sharing and capacity reinforcement.

"We have always placed health care at the top of the agenda for cooperation between South Sudan and China," the Chinese ambassador to South Sudan, Hua Ning explained.

He added, “We also hope that with the support of China and other members of the international community, the health sector here will continue to develop and benefit the people”.

China has, since South Sudan's independence from Sudan in July 2011, become one of its main partners in health, a sector that is greatly affected by the security and economic challenges facing Africa's youngest state.

(ST)

December 8, 2020 (TORIT) – The leadership of the opposition National Salvation Front (NAS) has announced the alleged defection of the armed opposition faction (SPLA-IO) forces in South Sudan's Eastern Equatoria State into the hold-out group.

Lt. Gen. Thomas Cirilo Swaka, the ex-SPLA deputy chief of general staff for training (youtube photo)

NAS, in a statement extended to the Sudan Tribune said the Tafeng Division taskforce of the SPLA- 10 under Brig Gen. Kennedy Ongie Odong defected with forces under his command on December 5.

“The leadership of NAS and its members view this development as historical and nationalistic move. NAS encourages all other forces in the country who are dissatisfied with the dictatorial regime of Salva Kiir, including the SSPDF who feel exploited to emulate the example shown by Brig Gen. Odong and his colleagues,” partly reads the statement issued by the spokesperson, Suba Samuel Manase.

It further added, “The leadership of NAS appeals to all freedom fighters in the country to join hands together with NAS in its struggle to restore our people's lost dignity, justice, equality and freedom”.

Sudan Tribune could not independently verify claims from the hold-out group, which comes barely a week after the SPLA-IO held its 6th national conference in South Sudan's capital, Juba from December 1-5.

The conference, attended by the armed opposition top leadership, discussed the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement, formation of the national and statement government, the vision and mission of the SPLA-IO in the transitional period, among others.

As part of resolution from the conference, the armed opposition movement agitated for reconstituting of the national legislature, recommitted itself to the Rome initiative and re-affirmed its commitment to the implementation of the revitalised peace deal.

(ST)

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