Month: January 2023

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Eastern Sudan Beja Nazirs repeat calls for self-rule

The head of the High Council of Beja Nazirs and Independent Chieftains, Sayed Tirik, has again threatened to announce self-determination for Red Sea state, Kassala, and El Gedaref, if the government in Khartoum does not respond to their demands for a separate platform on governance and development in eastern Sudan.

In his address to supporters in the area of Moweeta, north of Kassala, on Sunday, Nazir* Tirik described the Framework Agreement signed by the military junta and a number of civilian opposition groups last month, as a setback for Sudan’s independence.

The agreement was imposed on the Sudanese by foreign stakeholders, he said, and called for “a round table for all Sudanese to reach an agreement on which all the people of Sudan will agree”.

Tirik further said he refuses to join dialogue workshops organised by the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) in the name of eastern Sudan to reach a final agreement with the military, and threatened again to announce self-rule for eastern Sudan.

He announced that he plans “to lead a broad alliance that will bring together the north, the centre, and the south of Sudan, and all the oppressed in the country”, with the purpose of establishing “a genuine Sudanese federation” and added that “We reject any rule coming from Khartoum”.

The Beja leader further affirmed his support for “the armed forces and other regular forces”.

Framework agreement

On December 5, more than 40 parties, movements, and professional groups signed the Framework Agreement with the military at the Republican Palace in Khartoum. The agreement stipulates full civilian authority at all levels, and a Security and Defence Council headed by the Prime Minister.

This agreement is to be followed by a Final Agreement, after which a civilian government of technocrats will be formed to govern the country until general elections are held.

Five important though thorny issues still have to be discussed before this final agreement can be reached: justice and transitional justice, security and military reform, empowerment** removal, possible amendments to the Juba Peace Agreement, and governance issues regarding eastern Sudan.

On Friday, the mainstream High Council of Beja Nazirs and Independent Chieftains, headed by Tirik, and the Eastern Sudan Coordination Council announced that they will escalate their protests against the Framework Agreement in Kassala and Red Sea state.

In a press statement after a meeting of the Beja Council and the Coordination Council on Thursday, Tirik announced “mass mobilisation throughout the region, starting from Sunday, in protest against the Framework Agreement and to demand self-determination for eastern Sudan.

Split

The High Council of Beja Nazirs and Independent Chieftains witnessed a rift this summer when a faction opposed to Sayed Tirik made its own plans under the leadership of Abdallah Obshar, and announced the formation of committees to prepare for the right to self-determination, according to the stipulations of the Sinkat conference. Ibrahim Adarob became the chair of the new split-off faction, Obshar the spokesperson.

In mid-December, the AU-IGAD-UN Trilateral Mechanism mediating between the military and the opposition, invited the Adarob faction to participate in the upcoming Final Agreement negotiations. The Beja group refused as they had not been included in the previous stages.

Obshar told Radio Dabanga on December 23 that they instead demanded the implementation of agreements made with a UNITAMS delegation in October last year, which include the cancellation of the Eastern Sudan Protocol of the 2020 Juba Peace Agreement, the establishment of a negotiating platform on governance issues of eastern Sudan with the guaranteed involvement of the international community.

Source: Radio Dabanga

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Sudan economist calls speech Finance Minister ‘political’

According to economist Awadallah Mousa the statements of the Minister of Finance about the Sudanese economy on Saturday “are nothing more than a public political speech”.

Mousa considers the statements of Finance Minister Jibril Ibrahim on the Sudanese economy during his address to a crowd in Hasaheisa in El Gezira on Saturday, as an attempt “to raise the morale, but they are imperceptible”.

In his speech, the Minister acknowledged the suffering of the Sudanese caused by repeated increases in the prices of consumer goods, though the government succeeded in stabilising the exchange rate of the Sudanese Pound and in reducing inflation rates.

He further explained that the funds gained by lifting subsidies on consumer goods have been used to increase the budgets for health, social development, education, and the provision of drinking water. The 2023 budget contains increased budgets for education and drinking water.

“The government is in the process of constructing huge projects, including the construction of a $6 billion port [in Red Sea state] and the construction of a railway that will connect Port Sudan with all the landlocked neighbouring countries – which will accommodate tens of thousands of workers,” he added, and pointed out that “we have been able to persuade the Arab and African world to invest in food and support agriculture in Sudan”.

The Finance Minister and leader of the Justice and Equality Movement that supported the October 2021 coup d’état, further called on the farmers of El Gezira “not to believe rumours about the expropriation of their lands. The ministry is seeking partnerships with advanced parties to increase production.”

Stagflation

Economist Awadallah Mousa however contradicted Ibrahim’s optimism in an interview with Radio Dabanga on Sunday.

Regarding the stability of the exchange rate of the Sudanese Pound, Mousa said that the reason “probably lies in the economic negatives related to the recession and the imbalance in demand and supply”. The rate of development is almost zero.

As for the inflation in the country, the economist said that it “has increased significantly, in particular the prices of fuel and electricity, have witnessed unprecedented increases, to the extent that the workers’ monthly salaries have become too low to even cover their transportation costs”.

Mousa further pointed out that the payment of salaries is not an achievement, but the duty of the state.

In December, economist Kamal Karrar questioned reports of the Sudanese Central Bureau for Statistics regarding the decrease in inflation in November to 88.83 per cent. “Contrary to what the Central Bureau for Statistics reported, the prices of consumer goods and various services are still rising. Any Sudanese can tell you that,” he said.

“Semi-independent reports on the inflation in Sudan this year until now say that the price increases exceed 1,000 per cent,” he explained. “It is likely that the purpose of these reports is to deliver a message to the Sudanese and foreign public opinion, showing that the economic policy based on the specifications of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank has positive results, as evidenced by the drop in inflation.”

Professor Esam Abdelwahab Bob does not believe the inflation figures, because they “aren’t grounded in authentic statistical surveys and given the stormy political climate they may not be true”. He explained to Sudan Tribune in October that inflation was traditionally known to be the diminishing ability of a unit of currency to buy goods and services, but that it it may occur while the economy is still growing. However, these days and globally there is increasing talk of stagflation, which is inflation coupled with low growth rates, high unemployment, depressed wages, and a growing deficit in the balance of payments.

Source: Radio Dabanga

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CGTN: New journey of the new era: China charts course for modernization

BEIJING, Dec. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — For more than a century, China has tirelessly pursued modernization — from “Revitalize China” to the “four modernizations” goal launched after the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, referring to agriculture, industry, defense and science.

Now modernization is no longer simply a dream for the Chinese people. In 2022, China’s leadership unveiled its blueprint for building a modern socialist China in all respects featuring a unique Chinese path.

“An ambitious blueprint has been drawn for building a modern socialist country in all respects and advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization, sounding a clarion call of the times for us forging ahead on a new journey,” Chinese President Xi Jinping said in his New Year address on Saturday.

Toward Chinese modernization

In October, Chinese modernization, a key term defining China’s journey to rejuvenation, was for the first time written into a report to the National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

Chinese modernization has elements that are universal to all modernization processes but is characterized by features that are unique to the Chinese context.

President Xi has underscored the unique features of Chinese modernization: the modernization of a huge population, of common prosperity for all, of material and cultural-ethical advancement, of harmony between humanity and nature, and of peaceful development.

China is working to achieve modernization for more than 1.4 billion people, a number larger than the combined population of all developed countries in the world today.

With the steady growth of its own economy, China champions common prosperity to ensure that everyone receives a fair share of its economic success and to reduce inequality. According to the Blue Book of Common Prosperity, China’s index of common prosperity increased by 79.3 percent from 24.67 in 2013 to 44.23 in 2020.

While continuing to consolidate the material foundation for modernization and improve the material conditions for people’s well-being, China is striving to develop advanced socialist culture, foster strong ideals and convictions, and carry forward China’s cultural heritage. China now has 43 items on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list, the highest number in the world.

Guided by the new development philosophy featuring innovative, coordinated, green, open and shared development, China in 2022 continued to be a leading growth engine for the world economy. The International Monetary Fund forecast that China’s economy would grow at 3.2 percent in 2022, aligning with the global projected pace.

As the Chinese leadership has pledged many times, the country has stayed committed to peaceful development. The Global Security Initiative launched in April is one example. It has already gained appreciation and support from over 70 countries.

With solid steps

The CPC aims to realize socialist modernization from 2020 through 2035, and build China into a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious and beautiful from 2035 through the middle of this century.

The path to achieving the goals is already taking shape. With its people-centered philosophy of development, the country has built the world’s largest education, social security and healthcare systems.

Xi has called innovation the heart of China’s modernization drive. China’s pursuit of independence in scientific innovation is reflected in its various achievements, including the Beidou Navigation Satellite System, space exploration including lunar and Mars probes and the construction of China’s own space station, and the deep-sea manned submersible Fendouzhe. The country has also developed its own high-speed railway technologies, 5G communication technologies and artificial intelligence.

In the Global Innovation Index 2022 provided by the World Intellectual Property Organization, a UN specialized agency, China’s rank has risen to 11th among the 132 economies surveyed.

Guided by Xi’s vision of “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets,” China’s modernization drive also emphasizes harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature. The country has cut its carbon emission intensity by 34.4 percent over the past 10 years, and pledged to have CO2 emissions peak before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060.

Moreover, China reiterates that it will advance a broader agenda of opening up across more areas and with greater depth, follow the Chinese path to modernization, and share the nation’s development opportunities with the world. In the first 11 months of 2022, China’s trade in goods expanded 8.6 percent year on year to 38.34 trillion yuan ($5.5 trillion), according to the General Administration of Customs.

https://news.cgtn.com/news/2022-12-31/New-journey-of-the-new-era-China-charts-course-for-modernization-1gcNT6SNh1C/index.html

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CGTN: Xi Jinping salutes ordinary people’s extraordinary efforts in New Year Address

BEIJING, Dec. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — From medical professionals to delivery men and women, from community workers to next-door neighbors, ordinary Chinese people are doing their best and lending a hand to help others cope with the latest waves of COVID-19 infections in the country.

With extraordinary efforts, China has prevailed over unprecedented difficulties and challenges in fighting the pandemic, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Saturday while delivering his 2023 New Year Address.

Officials and the general public, particularly medical professionals and community workers, have bravely stuck to their posts through it all, Xi said.

“It has not been an easy journey for anyone,” he said, calling for an extra effort from the people to pull through.

People first, life first

In 2022, China continued to optimize its COVID response in light of the evolving situation. Based on the mutation of the virus, the popularization of vaccination and the accumulation of experience in prevention and control, the National Health Commission said in December that the country’s epidemic prevention and control has entered a new stage.

Shifting from infection prevention to medical treatment, China has rolled out a host of measures to boost access to medical treatment and drugs, improve health services for the elderly and other vulnerable groups, speed up vaccination, and beef up health infrastructure in rural areas.

Seventy percent of those aged over 60 had received a booster dose of vaccines as of December 13, up from less than 53 percent among the age group of the population by March 24, according to data from the State Council Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism Against COVID-19.

In addition, the relaxation of the response policy in 2022 comes after China has effectively responded to five global COVID waves and avoided widespread infections with the original strain and the Delta variant, which are relatively more pathogenic than the other variants.

“Since COVID-19 struck, we have put the people first and put life first all along,” Xi said during his New Year Address.

“Following a science-based and targeted approach, we have adapted our COVID response in light of the evolving situation to protect the life and health of the people to the greatest extent possible,” he added.

China has kept its severe COVID-19 cases and death rates among the lowest in the world. The average life expectancy of the Chinese has continued to rise amid the pandemic, from 77.93 years in 2020 to 78.2 years in 2021.

Light right in front

Starting January 8, China will downgrade management of the disease from Class A to Class B in accordance with the country’s law on prevention and treatment of infectious disease, in a major shift of its epidemic response policies. The country will also scrap quarantine measures for inbound travelers from the day.

Following the announcement of the latest adjustments, searches and bookings for international flights and hotels rocketed on multiple Chinese online travel agencies, with some numbers hitting three-year highs, indicating that normal life is picking up.

Another sign that experts believe bodes the revival of the country’s consumption market in 2023, restaurants, shopping malls and cinemas nationwide have reopened and reported burgeoning visits.

“Everyone is holding on with great fortitude, and the light of hope is right in front of us,” Xi said during Saturday’s address to ring in the new year.

“Let’s make an extra effort to pull through, as perseverance and solidarity mean victory.”

https://news.cgtn.com/news/2022-12-31/Xi-China-s-COVID-response-protects-lives-to-greatest-extent-possible-1gdrOETi4Bq/index.html

Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzIjM-0f6M0

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CGTN: China will continue to contribute to global peace and development in connected world

BEIJING, Dec. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Noting China is a country closely linked with the world, Chinese President Xi Jinping said that he has not only hosted old and new friends in Beijing, but also traveled abroad to communicate China’s propositions to the world over the past year in his 2023 New Year address on Saturday.

The past year has witnessed a friends-gathering Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Spring, bilateral meetings between Xi and foreign leaders of more than 40 countries, and three overseas trips made by Xi before and after the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in October.

Nguyen Phu Trong, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee, became the first foreign leader to visit China since the conclusion of the 20th CPC National Congress. Since then, Xi has held dozens of bilateral meetings with foreign leaders including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who was the first leader of a major Western country to visit China after the milestone CPC meeting.

The visits were widely acknowledged to create peaks for head-of-state diplomacy in 2022.

In the past year, China has continued to play its role as a responsible major country in the international arena by enhancing relations with other major countries.

From two phone calls to a face-to-face meeting in Bali between Xi and his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden, both leaders agreed to take concrete actions to put China-U.S. relations back on track with steady development.

Besides two personal meetings in Beijing in February and in Samarkand in September, the virtual meeting between Xi and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin yesterday showed both countries will continue to strengthen strategic coordination and uphold international justice.

With Xi’s attendance at the first China-Arab States Summit and the China-Gulf Cooperation Council in Riyadh, China-Arab states relations also ushered in a new era of all-round and in-depth development.

In the past year, China has also continued to offer its solutions with Chinese wisdom to tackle common challenges confronting the international community.

Xi proposed the Global Security Initiative (GSI) at the Boao Forum for Asia in April 2022 to work with other countries to promote security for all, after putting forward the Global Development Index (GDI) at the general debate of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2021.

To date, more than 70 countries have expressed support for the GSI, and more than 100 countries and a number of international organizations, including the UN, have committed support to the GDI and nearly 70 countries have joined the Group of Friends of the GDI.

Noting that changes unseen in a century are unfolding at a faster pace and the world is not yet a tranquil place, Xi said in the New Year address that China cherishes peace and development and values friends and partners as always.

“We stand firm on the right side of history and on the side of human civilization and progress. We work hard to contribute China’s wisdom and solutions to the cause of peace and development for all humanity,” he said.

Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6qVJKA3ClA

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Eastern Sudan tribal leader calls for talks on self-determination

The head of the Supreme Council for Beja tribal chiefdoms, Mohamed al-Amin Terik, threatened to declare war in eastern Sudan if the Sudanese authorities refused to grant the region a separate negotiating platform for self-determination.

Terik who rejects the Juba peace agreement supported the military coup of General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and ended by rallying two Darfur groups that stand against the framework agreement when the military component struck a political agreement with the pro-democracy and anti-coup political forces.

Also, the tribal leader appeared with the Islamists and groups that allied with the former regime of Omer al-Bashir under the Initiative of Sudan’s People, sending a confusing message about the nature of his claims.

In a speech delivered before his supporters in the Mweta area of Kassala state near the Eritrean border on Sunday, January 1, the Hadandawa tribal leader called for a separate process to negotiate self-determination for eastern Sudan.

“We demand a separate negotiating platform if the government positively responds to (our demand) we are with the unity and strength of Sudan., But if it refuses, we will inevitably declare war, and we will withstand as our former fighters did,” he said.

During his speech, Terik raised, one after another, several unexploded cannon shells and heavy weapons ammunition the army dropped in the Mweta area during the war against the former rebel East Front before the signing of a peace agreement in 2006.

“We will return to the air and artillery bombardment, and I salute the people of these border areas who stood firm during the years of war,” he said.

He declared their categorical refusal to participate in a workshop on eastern Sudan’s plight, which the signatories of the political framework agreement intend to hold in the coming days to set out plans to settle the crisis.

In addition, Terik spoke about preparations underway he undertook to forge a new alliance gathering groups from the greater central Sudan including northern, eastern and central Sudan as well as Kordofan region to achieve autonomy.

“Deluded are those who think that they could rule us from Khartoum,” he further stressed.

In response to calls to control power in Sudan by Darfurian components, several former Sudanese army officers from the greater Central Sudan announced the formation of armed groups to defend their regions.

Terik went further to reiterate his rejection of the framework agreement and described it as a “foreign agreement”, calling to hold a round table conference with the participation of all the people of Sudan.

The call for an inclusive round table conference is the main demand of the Initiative of Sudan’s People which holds regular rallies outside the UNITAMS premises in Khartoum calling to end foreign intervention in Sudan.

In November 2022, Abdallah Obshar, former rapporteur of the Supreme Council of Beja chiefdoms and head of a dissident group reiterated their demand for self-determination for eastern Sudan saying it was one of the demands of the Sinkat Conference held in October 2020.

Source: Sudan Tribune