Day: September 23, 2022

South Sudan’s Vice President, Hussein Abdelbagi Akol has pledged his country’s readiness to mediate an end to the conflict in Sudan.

 

Akol, also the Chair of the Service Cluster, told the United Nations General Assembly meeting on Thursday that South Sudan is surrounded by conflict-affected countries.

 

This, he told the assembly, persuaded South Sudan to pursue peace as a strategy to end its internal political contradictions and mediate in other regional countries.

 

“As part of its obligation to promote peace and stability in the region and beyond, South Sudan successfully mediated the armed conflict in Sudan which resulted in the signing of the Juba Peace Agreement in 2020 in Juba. South Sudan stands ready to mediate the current conflict between the army and the Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC) in Sudan so that Sudan can finally enjoy lasting peace”, said Akol.

 

 

He cited diplomatic efforts to mediate and end tensions between Egypt and Ethiopia after disagreement over the building of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

 

“Recently, South Sudan also offered to mediate tensions between Egypt and Ethiopia over their disagreement on the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). We further demonstrated a willingness to mediate the internal conflict in Ethiopia between the Ethiopian government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Forces (TPLF). The Republic of South furthermore availed itself ready to mediate border issue between the Republic of Sudan and The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia”, said Akol.

 

South Sudan views itself as having an important role to play in ending the conflict in Sudan, embarking on concerted efforts to strengthen its security forces to maintain peace and stability in the region. These efforts were frustrated by the October 2021 coup in Sudan which saw the military component of the transitional government assert itself over a civilian-led regime.

 

 

 

Source: Sudan Tribune

Ethiopia and South Sudan have agreed to carry out a series of joint infrastructure projects that would eventually enable the latter to link with the port of Djibouti.

The agreement was reached on Tuesday after a high-level South Sudan delegation led by Vice-President, Taban Geng Gai, met with a group of Ethiopian Ministers led by Finance Minister, Ahmed Shide.

Earlier, the two sides discussed ways how to enhance joint infrastructure connectivity projects.

In this regard, both sides agreed on ways to enhance their previously designed plans in the areas of road infrastructure, energy, telecommunications, water transportation, and other vital economic sectors with a view to creating integration for mutual benefits.

Per the newly reached agreement, one of the key projects being prioritized was to undertake road projects with a view to boosting connectivity between the two landlocked countries.

After the discussions, Ethiopia’s Finance Minister, Ahmed Shide, confirmed that the two sides have concluded a very important agreement in terms of advancing two road projects.

“We comprehensively agreed to work on joint infrastructural connectivity that will overcome geographical barriers in terms of trade and logistics flows between our two countries and people-to-people relations.”

Cut reliance on Kenya’s port

The fresh agreement with Ethiopia comes only a few days after South Sudan announced buying three acres of land at the port of Djibouti for the construction of a facility to handle its import and export of goods as the landlocked country eyes an alternative route to cut high dependency on Kenya’s Mombasa port.

“We have only been using Port Sudan and Mombasa but recently, we have decided to go to Djibouti and as I am speaking to you, we have landed in Djibouti,” South Sudan Minister for Petroleum Puot Kang Chol is quoted as saying by local media.

The minister said the land was procured by the Ministry of Petroleum for the purpose of exporting the country’s crude oil as well as using it on imported goods.

If effected, the move will hit the port of Mombasa given that Juba is one of Kenya’s largest clients importing nearly all of its cargo through the Kenyan port.

Rising costs Khartoum charges Juba for pipelines have also pushed South Sudan to eye alternative routes to export its crude oil to the international market.

Port of Djibouti

The road projects will be given top priority to open up transportation so that connectivity of South Sudan will be enhanced via Ethiopia through the Djibouti corridor, the Ethiopian minister added.

“These projects will be financed jointly and we have agreed to finalize the feasibility and preparations in terms of selecting a contractor so that the joint financing mechanism will be worked upon,” Shide said.

The South Sudanese delegation, on its part, vowed to cooperate and work for the immediate implementation of the joint projects.

“The agreed projects will be operationalized and put into consideration as soon as all the technical aspects are addressed,” said Michael Makuei Lueth, South Sudan’s Information minister said on behalf of the delegation.

Lueth said that it is worth mentioning that South Sudan, as a landlocked country, will benefit from the port of Djibouti using Ethiopia as a transport hub.

“Trade can be facilitated by Ethiopia through the Djibouti corridor,” he said adding “We expect Ethiopia to support us so that we can grow and be as strong as Ethiopia is today.” the South Sudanese minister added.

In transport connectivity, river, fibre optics and transmission line connectivity has been agreed upon and the preparation to realize the agreement will commence right after this meeting, Ethiopian officials said.

“As soon as the preparations are completed we will work together for resource mobilization and reaching out to development financial institutions as part of the Horn of Africa initiative” Shide added.

Aviation Sector

The two sides have also agreed to work on the aviation sector.

“Ethiopia has massive experience in airport construction.  With this capacity, we have also agreed to share our experience and work on a joint mechanism on aviation connectivity and development with the republic of South Sudan.” the Ethiopian Finance Minister told journalists.

Peace Process

Ethiopia will continue to work and support the peace process in South Sudan, the minister said.

He noted that ensuring regional peace and stability are crucial for the two countries’ joint infrastructural development.

“We have a very comprehensive political commitment and will to advance the cooperation between the two countries,” Shide added.

The South Sudanese high-level delegation arrived in Addis Ababa on Wednesday for a three-day official working visit.

Upon arrival at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, the South Sudanese delegation was warmly received by Ethiopian Defense Minister Abraham Belay and Director General of African Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Fisseha Shawul, among other senior government officials.

 

 

 

Source: Sudan Tribune

Embattled Sudan’s military leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan on Friday said ready to visit Israel if he is invited by its government.

 

Al-Burhan travelled to New York to take part in the annual gathering of world leaders with the hope to meet some influential heads of state and government in order to break his international isolation after the coup against the civilian transitional government.

 

According to statements issued by the Sovereign Council, he met some African leaders including the presidents of Burundi, Somalia, Gambia and Senegal.

 

 

He urged the Senegalese leader who is also the head of the African Union to lift its suspension of Sudan’s membership in the bloc after the military coup.

 

In an interview with the Associated Press in New York, al-Burhan expressed his willingness to visit Israel saying that his country is not in a state of war with Israel.

 

“I see Israel as one of the countries with which there is nothing that can be described as a state of hostility,” he said.

 

“The basis of (international) relations is reconciliation, so if I got an invitation, I will definitely look at it, and if there هs a possibility, I l will definitely go,” he stressed.

 

On February 3, 2020, Burhan met with then-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Entebbe, Uganda, a breakthrough that paved the way for the two countries to sign the U.S.-brokered Abraham Accords which paved the way for diplomatic rapprochements between Israel and several Arab countries.

 

To explain his move at the time, al-Burhan stated after his return to Khartoum that the meeting had been driven by the national security and supreme interests of the Sudanese people.

 

Later on, he said he wanted Israel to help Sudan to reconnect with the international community.

 

Two years later on February 13, 2022, he said that the Entebbe meeting allowed the two countries to develop security and military cooperation.

 

After the coup, the international community paused a process to support Sudan’s economic rehabilitation and integration into international financial institutions.

 

The economic support would resume if the military restored a credible civilian government.

 

The coup leader told the UN General Assembly that he is committed to his decision to not participate in future cabinet and withdraw from negotiations on the restoration of the transitional government. But stressed that the process should include groups supporting the army’s participation.

 

 

 

Source: Sudan Tribune

During a raid by police and other security forces on the Abu Saeed neighbourhood in Wad Al Bashir in Omdurman on Monday, Shireen Hasan Abbas (18) was shot dead in front of her family’s home. Locals say unpunished violent behaviour is normal during police raids and believe that they are targeted because of their ethnic and tribal background.

 

The Omdurman-based organisation Justice Africa Sudan (JAS) said in a statement on Wednesday that the young woman came out of the house, looking for her younger brother after hearing loud noises outside. A group of police and security forces in about 30 vehicles raided the neighbourhood and shot around them with live ammunition.

 

Residents told JAS that the forces plundered the neighbourhood and robbed the people of their mobile telephones and money.

 

Abbas was killed with a bullet directed to her chest; it reached her heart, and she died on the spot.

 

The killing was reported to a senior officer, after which policemen took the body to the hospital for an autopsy. They later brought the body back with a death certificate and asked the relatives to bury it. No charges have been filed against anyone.

 

‘Killing, plundering, and robbing people is normal conduct by the police and security forces during their raids’ – local residents

 

According to the residents of the neighbourhood, this extra-judiciary killing, plundering, and robbing people is “normal conduct by the police and security forces during their raids”.

 

“As no one was held to account in the past, the culture of impunity has become the dominant factor in such cases,” JAS states.

 

Many people in the neighbourhood have lost their lives due to such behaviour, they said. The people also believe that they are targeted because of their ethnic and tribal background.

 

The population of Wad El Bashir consists mostly of displaced people from South Kordofan and Darfur, and South Sudanese refugees. These native African groups are often targeted by authorities, especially by the Al Bashir regime and its allies, because of their darker skin.

 

‘Such cases stress the need for police and security organs reforms’ – JAS

 

The human rights organisation states that they “strongly condemn this type of behaviour and urge the authorities to immediately launch an investigation in this case and bring the perpetrators to justice.

 

“Such cases stress the need for police and security organs reforms and change of policing behaviour in line with international human rights conventions, norms, and practices. At the same time, the culture of impunity needs to be ended, in particular when such serious crimes [as murder] are committed.”

 

Before swooping the residential neighbourhood in Wad El Bashir, the security forces had raided a makeshift market where alcohol was sold and served in reed huts.

 

 

 

Source: Radio Dabanga

The Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament paid a visit to Sudan yesterday where it met with Deputy Chairman of the Transitional Sovereignty Council (TSC) Gen Mohamed ‘Hemeti’ Dagalo and other TSC members in the Republican Palace in Khartoum. The delegation also met with the mainstream Forces for Freedom and Chance-Central Council (FFC-CC) and the Forces for Freedom-National Accord (NAF).

 

The EU delegation is visiting Sudan to discuss the Sudanese democracy struggle with authorities and civil society.

 

In a press statement following the meeting, Chairman of the Committee David McAllister affirmed that the European Union stands by the Sudanese people to achieve their aspirations towards democracy through the formation of their civilian government.

 

He stated that the EU gives its “full and complete support to the Sudanese demand for democracy and democratic civil rule”.

 

‘The EU gives its full and complete support to the Sudanese demand for democracy and democratic civil rule’

 

McAllister also affirmed that the EU is willing to support the upcoming elections in the country and said that the EU is willing to provide further support to the tripartite mechanism to help bridge differences and facilitate democratic re-transition.

 

He also stressed that the EU stands ‘at the same distance from all parties’ and welcomed the army’s decision to withdraw from Sudan’s political scene. In Sudan, there is plenty of scepsis around the military’s announced ‘withdrawal’.

 

McAllister further emphasised the need for all actors to get involved in the political process and stressed the importance of dialogue and working hard to reach a unified vision that guarantees an exit from the current crisis. This ‘serious dialogue’ should involve civil parties ‘without exclusion’ to reach political consensus.

 

The importance of starting the transitional justice process and bringing to justice all those who committed human rights abuses through the government’s cooperation with the International Criminal Court in The Hague was also emphasised.

 

The European delegation said that any delay in agreeing and addressing the political crisis will lead to further deterioration of the economy and the humanitarian situation in the country and will increase the challenges faced by the Sudanese people.

Reassurances

 

Member of the Sovereignty Council Gen Shamseldin Kabbashi also met with the EU delegation and affirmed the government’s keenness to make the transitional period a success, and to support the democratic transition by expanding the political participation base and increasing consensus amongst different political forces.

 

During his meeting at the Republican Palace, Kabbashi highlighted the necessity to integrate different initiatives to come up with a single document to present and consolidate a unified political vision as the basis of a national dialogue.

 

Following the coup, Sudan has been in a political crisis and different groups are pulling in different directions to determine the course of Sudan’s political future. The mainstream Forces for Freedom and Change-Central Council (the coalition split earlier this year) has proposed their vision for Sudan’s political transition and so have various other groups, including supporters of the coup.

 

Sudan’s resistance committees also published charters and are now working to unify the different political visions.

Forces for Freedom and Change

 

The Foreign Relations Office of the mainstream Forces for Freedom and Change Central Council (FFC-CC) also met with the EU delegation at the office of the EU Commission in Khartoum.

 

They raised the need to stop violence against civilians and support a credible political process that leads to the establishment of a political system representing real democratic civilian rule.

The National Accord Forces (NAF), a split-off group of the FFC and an alliance of rebel groups that signed the 2020 Juba Peace Agreement and frequently supports the October 2021 coup, said that they also met the European delegation.

 

They stressed the necessity of handing over indicted persons to the International Criminal Court and of reforming judicial institutions in Sudan.

 

According to Noureldeim Taha, a leading member of the NAF, they also stressed the necessity of forming a civilian government “that includes all parties to the transitional period without exclusion” (including the military) and of broadening the base of participation.

 

NAF Secretary-General Mubarak called for a comprehensive dialogue that brings together all political parties except for the National Congress Party set up by Omar Al Bashir in 1998 and dissolved in 2019 by the government of PM Abdallah Hamdok after the fall of Al Bashir’s Islamist regime.

 

Ardol, who also is the director of the Sudanese Company for Mineral Resources, called on the European Union to play a mediating role and support the tripartite mechanism.

 

War in Tigray

 

Ardol also explained that the situation in Tigray was discussed in the meeting with the EU delegation.

 

The EU Foreign Affairs Committee delegation is not only visiting Sudan but also Ethiopia to discuss the Tigray conflict in both countries.

 

 

 

Source: Radio Dabanga