Day: January 7, 2023

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SSUF/A not linked to detained Awiel activist: spokesperson

South Sudan United Front/Army under Gen. Paul Malong Awan has described as “unfortunate” the arrest of activist Samuel Garang Dut by security agents in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State.

Dut was arrested over his alleged links to Malong, relatives and friends said.

“First of all, remember SSUF/A is an armed group under an umbrella of NSSSOG who are not yet to reach the peace deal with the government of South Sudan, so how is it possible for us to have our active members operating inside Juba?” SSUF/A spokesperson Col. Philip Deng Kuol Nguot said in a statement on Saturday.

He added, “You know, this is just an intended plan designed by SSNS in order to harm that activist because he is showing their activities to an international view”.

The rebel group also distanced itself from having any links with detained civil society activist as alleged.

“And the government in Juba should make sure civil right activists are given a room to criticize the performance of the government as it’s happening in a democratic world,” stressed Nguot.

Meanwhile, SSUF/A called on Amnesty International to exert pressure for the unconditional release of the activist.

The group condemned the attacks on its bases, calling on the ceasefire monitoring body (CTSAMVM) to investigate actions of the army.

SSUF/A vowed to respect the ceasefire agreement inked in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in 2011.

Source: Sudan Tribune

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World food prices hit record high in 2022: UN

PARIS, World food prices fell for a ninth month in a row in December but hit their highest level on record for the full year in 2022, UN data showed.

Food prices soared to a monthly record high in March after Russia invaded agricultural powerhouse Ukraine, a major supplier of wheat and cooking oil to the world.

But prices have dropped since then, with more relief brought by a deal brokered by Turkey and the United Nations in July that lifted a Russian naval blockade on Ukrainian grain exports.

The Food and Agriculture Organization said Friday its price index, which tracks the monthly change in international prices of a basket of food commodities, fell to 132.4 points in December, a 1.9 percent drop from November.

It was also one percent lower than in December 2021.

But the index was 14.3 percent higher overall in 2022 compared to the previous year as it reached an all-time high of 143.7 points.

“Calmer food commodity prices are welcome after two very volatile years,” FAO chief economist Maximo Torero said in a statement.

“It is important to remain vigilant and keep a strong focus on mitigating global food insecurity given that world food prices remain at elevated levels,” he said.

Torero said many staples are near record highs, with prices of rice rising and “still many risks associated with future supplies”.

World prices of maize were 24.8 percent higher on average in 2022 than in 2021, according to the FAO. Wheat was 15.6 percent more expensive.

But maize prices fell in December, mostly due to “strong competition” from Brazil, the FAO said.

Wheat was also down for the month “as ongoing harvests in the southern hemisphere boosted supplies and competition among exporters remained strong”.

The FAO’s vegetable oil price index reached a new record high in 2022 but fell 6.7 percent month-on-month in December to its lowest level since February 2021.

Dairy and meat prices hit their highest levels since 1990, the agency said. While meat prices fell 1.2 percent in December, those of dairy rose 1.1 percent for the month.

Source: Nam News Network