Africa

US President Barack Obama's half-brother, Malik Obama, says he will vote for Donald Trump because he "comes across as a straightforward guy".

South Africa's public broadcaster is ordered to reinstate four journalists sacked for speaking out against censorship at the corporation.

Roberto Savio is founder and president emeritus of the Inter Press Service (IPS) news agency and publisher of Other News.

By Roberto Savio
ROME, Jul 26 2016 (IPS)

A Chinese curse is “May you live in interesting times”. That meant that too many events would disrupt the essential elements of harmony, on which the Chinese pantheon is based.

We certainly live in very interesting times where every day dramatic events pile on us, from terrorism to coup d’etat, from climate disaster to the decline of institutions and ever increasing social turmoil. It would be important, even if very difficult, to look in a nutshell why we are in this situation now – “lack of harmony” . So here goes a dramatically compressed explanation.

Roberto Savio

Let us start from a little known fact. After the Second World War, there was a general consensus on the need to avoid the repetition of its horrors. The United Nations served as the meeting place for all countries, and the Cold War created as a reaction, an association of the newly independent countries, the Non Aligned countries, which acted as a buffer between the East and West camps. More, the North South divide become the most important aspect of international relations. So much so that in 1973, the United Nations General Assembly adopted unanimously a resolution on a New International Economic Order (NIEO).The world agreed to establish a plan of action to reduce inequalities, foster global growth and make of cooperation and international law the basis for a world in harmony and peace.

After the adoption of the NIEO, the international community started to work in that direction and after a preparatory meeting in Paris in 1979, a summit of the most important heads of state was convened in Cancun, Mexico in 1981, to adopt a comprehensive plan of action. Among the 22 heads of state, came Ronald Reagan, who was elected a few weeks before, and this is where he found Margaret Thatcher who was elected in 1979. The two proceeded to cancel the NIEO and the idea of international cooperation. Countries would do policy according to their national interests, and did not bow to any abstract principle. The United Nations started its decline as the meeting place on governance.

The place for decisions became the G7, until then a technical body, and other organizations, which would defend the national interests of the powerful countries.

At the same time, three other events did help Reagan and Thatcher to change the direction of history.

One was the creation of the Washington’s consensus, elaborated in 1989 by the American Treasure, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank, which imposed as policy that the market was the only real engine of societies. States were an obstacle, and they should shrink as much as possible (Reagan also considered abolishing the Ministry of Education). The impact of the Washington Consensus on the ‘Third World’ was a very painful one. Structural adjustments severely cut the fragile public system.

The second was the fall of the Berlin Wall, also in 1989, which brought an end to ideologies, and obliged adoption of neoliberal globalization, which turned out to be an even more strict ideology. The main points of neo-liberal globalization included: the rule of the market (liberating “free” enterprise or private enterprise from any bonds imposed by the government); cutting public expenditure for social services (and reducing the social safety net); deregulation (reducing government regulation of everything that could diminish profits); privatization (selling state-owned enterprises, goods and services to private investors); eliminating the concept of “the public good” or “community”and replacing it with “individual responsibility (pressuring the poorest people in a society to find solutions to their lack of health care, education and social security all by themselves – then blame them, if they fail, as “lazy”).

The third was the progressive elimination of rules of the financial sector, started by Reagan and completed by Bill Clinton in 1999. Deposit banks were able to use the depositor’s money for speculation. Finance, that was considered to be the lubricant of economy, went on its own way, embarking on very risky operations, not any longer linked to the real economy. Now we have for every dollar of production for goods and services, 40 dollars of financial transactions.

Nobody defends any longer the Washington Consensus, and the neoliberal globalization. It is clear to all that while at macro level, globalization increased trade, finance and global growth, at microeconomic level it has been a disaster. The proponents of neoliberal globalization claimed that the growth would reach everyone in the planet. Instead, growth has been concentrating more and more in fewer and fewer hands. Six years ago, 388 individuals owned the same wealth as that of 3.6 billion people. In 2014, the number of the super wealthy come down to 80 individuals. In 2015, this number came down to 62 individuals. The IMF and the World Bank have been asking to reinforce the state as the indispensible regulator, reversing their policy. But the genie is out of the bottle. Since the fall of the Berlin Wall, Europe has lost 18 million of its middle class citizens and the US 24 million. On the other hand, there are now 1,830 billionaires with a net capital of 6.4 trillion dollars. In the UK, the level of inequality in 2025 is expected to be the same at the time of Queen Victoria in 1850 at the time of the birth of capitalism.

The new world created by Reagan is based on greed. Some historians claim that greed and fear are the two main engines of history; and values and priorities change in a society of greed.

Let us come to our days. We have again a new group of three horses of Apocalypse. The damages of the previous 20 years (1981-2001), are compounded by those of the continuing twenty years (2001-2021) and we are not through yet .

The first, was that in 2008 the banking system of the US went berserk for absurd speculations on mortgages. That crisis moved to Europe in 2009, caused by the falling value of the state’s title, like the Greek ones. Let us recall that to save the banking system, countries have spent close to 4 trillion dollars. An enormous amount, if we consider that banks still have toxic titles for 800 billion dollars. Meanwhile the banks have paid 220 billion dollars in fines for illegal activities. No banker has been incriminated. Europe is not yet back to its pre-crisis level of life. Meanwhile, many jobs have disappeared because of delocalization to the cheapest place of production, and jobs with substandard salaries have increased, together with precarious ones.

According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), today a worker makes in real terms 16% less than before the crisis. This has affected especially young people, with a European average of 10.5% of youth unemployment. Yet, the only stimulus for growth is for the banking system, into which the European Central Bank‚ is injecting 80 billion of dollars per month. This would have solved easily the youth’s unemployment.

Economists speak now of a “New Economy”, where unemployment is structural. From 1950 to 1973, world’s growth was over 5% per year. It came down to about 3% during 1973 and 2007 (OPEP’s blockade of petrol price in 1973 marked the shift.). Since 2007 we are not able to reach 1%. We have to add the growing unemployment that the technological development is causing. Factories need a fraction of the workers they had before. The Fourth Industrial Revolution (robotizing), will bring robot production, now at 12%, to 40% in 2025. Some mainstream economists, like Larry Summers, (the establishment voice) say that we are in a period of stagnation that will last for many years. Fear for the future has become a reality, fueled by terrorism and unemployment, with many dreaming that is possible to go back to the better yesterday. This is what populist leaders, from Donald Trump to Le Pen, are riding. A consequence of the crisis was that in several European countries populist parties, engaged in a nationalist call, riding xenophobia and nationalism have emerged, 47 at the last count. Several of them are already in coalitions that govern, or directly, like in Hungary, Poland, Slovakia. Now watch the next Austrian elections.

The second horse of Apocalypse has been the result of the interventions made in Iraq by US, and then Libya and Syria by Europe (with a particular role by former French president Nicolas Sarkozy).

As a result, in 2012 Europe started to receive massive immigration, for which there was no preparation. Suddenly, people were afraid of the human tide coming, and its impact in workplace, culture, religion, etc. That become a major factor for fear.

And then the third horse was the creation of ISIS in Syria, in 2013, one of the gifts of the invasion in Iraq. Let us not forget the global crisis started in 2008, and since then populism and nationalism were on the rise. But ISIS spectacular media impact and the radicalization of many young Europeans from Arab descent, usually from the margin of societies and laws, accentuated Fear, and was a gift for the populist, now able to use xenophobia for mobilizing disaffected and insecure citizens. The decline of European institutions has brought several countries (after Brexit), to call for a deep revision of the European project. Hungary is going for a referendum on 2 of October. Would you accept an immigrant quota imposed by the EU, against the will of the Hungarian parliament? The same day there will be the re-run of Austrian elections, that the extreme right wing lost for 36,000 votes. Then the Netherlands, France and Germany will follow, with an expected increase of the extreme right wing parties. At the same time, Poland and Slovakia also want to have a referendum about the EU. It could well be that at the end of 2017, European institutions will be deeply wounded.

The real problem is that since the failed Cancun Summit in 1981, countries have lost the ability to think together. India, Japan, China, and many other are going through a tide of nationalism. In Cancun, all participants, from Francois Mitterrand to Indira Gandhi, from Julius Nyerere to Pierre Trudeau shared a set of common values.: social justice, solidarity, the respect of international law, and the conviction that strong societies were the basis for democracy (except of course for Reagan and Thatcher). She famously declared: there is no such thing as a society, there are only individuals). They shared many books. They considered peace and development as the paradigm for governance. All this has been swept away. Politicians, left without ideologies, subordinated to finance, have turned mainly to an administrative debate, on singles issues, without a framework, where left or right have become difficult to discern. We are clearly in a period of Greed and Fear.

Time is not helping. In 1900 Europe had 24% of the world population. At the end of this century, Europe will be 4%. Nigeria will be more populous than the US. Africa, now at 1 billion, will be 2 billion by 2050, and 3 billion by 2100. It is time now to engage all together to discuss how to face the coming world. We took 25 years to reach an agreement on climate, maybe it is too late. On migration and employment, two and a half decades is an eternity. But this must be a global agreement, not just a kneejerk reflex by Chancellor Angela Merkel in total solitude, without even consulting French President Francois Hollande. But this kind of agenda is politically unimaginable. How to discuss these issues with Le Pen, Donald Trump, the other emerging populists and the nationalist tide that runs in the world?

An HIV-positive Malawian, who says he is paid to have sex with children as part of initiation traditions, is arrested on the orders of the president.

At least 13 people have been killed in two car bomb attacks near the main entrance of the airport in Mogadishu, Somali police say.

Peru is carrying out a strategy to eliminate mother-to-child-transmission of hepatitis B. The most important preventative intervention is the universal vaccination, which can prevent infection in 95 per cent of cases. Photo credit: PAHO

By Baher Kamal
ROME, Jul 26 2016 (IPS)

With some 400 million people around the world infected with hepatitis B or C, mostly without being aware, the United Nations top health agency encourages countries to boost testing and access to services and medicines for people in need to combat the ‘ignored perils’ of this disease.

A staggering 95 per cent of people infected with hepatitis B or C do not know they are infected, often living without symptoms for many years, the World Health Organisation (WHO) warns. And over 90% of people with hepatitis C can be completely cured within 3–6 months.

“The world has ignored hepatitis at its peril,” said Dr. Margaret Chan, WHO’s director general, ahead of the World Hepatitis Day, which is observed annually on 28 July.

“It is time to mobilise a global response to hepatitis on the scale similar to that generated to fight other communicable diseases like HIV AIDS and tuberculosis,” she said.

The number grows by 6 to 10 millions a year, WHO reported, while announcing plans to release new testing guidelines for both hepatitis B and C.

With this, among other actions, the Geneva-based World Health Organisation attempts “to encourage testing and reach the 95 per cent of people who are not aware they are infected with the disease.”

The theme of this year’s World Hepatitis Day is Know Hepatitis; Act Now.

What is Hepatitis? Credit: WHO

Together with its partner, Social Entrepreneurship for Sexual Health, WHO on July 25 said it recently launched #HepTestContest, a global contest to show how the testing guidelines could translate into real action on the ground.

“We needed examples of innovations and best practices to help guide and inspire others,” said Philippa Easterbrook from the WHO Global Hepatitis Programme, who co-led the project.

The contest received 64 contributions from 27 countries, WHO said.

Five finalists were selected by a panel of experts including representatives from WHO, the World Hepatitis Alliance and Médecins sans Frontières, who reviewed the testing models for innovation, effectiveness, and plans for sustainability.

In addition to national testing campaigns, approaches included testing in prisons, testing in the workplace and hospital emergency rooms, integrated HIV-hepatitis testing, as well as the use of internet, social media, and electronic medical records to flag higher-risk patients for testing in primary care.

Are you at risk? Credit: WHO

“From prisons in Australia, use of an internet-based risk self-assessment tool in the Netherlands, community testing camps for drug users in India, to testing in primary care in Mongolia we learned some great lessons about how to build awareness of this hidden disease, improve testing rates and link those infected to treatment and care,” Philippa Easterbrook added.

An important feature of the approach was the strong community involvement and support as well as strategic partnerships to leverage reductions in the price of treatments, WHO said.

“Bringing together pharmaceutical companies, government, research organisations and communities to help negotiate price reductions make hepatitis treatments more affordable,” said Easterbrook.

“The contest demonstrated a range of possibilities. It showed that if we can develop acceptable testing approaches to suit different contexts and cultures, then we can increase effective hepatitis testing in more countries and communities,” she added.

In May of this year, the World Health Assembly – WHO’s decision-making body – called for treating eight million people for hepatitis B or C by 2020, to reduce new viral hepatitis infections by 90 per cent, and to decrease the number of deaths by 65 per cent in 2030, as compared with 2016. These targets are part of the first ever Global Health Sector Strategy on viral hepatitis.

Smallholder farmers prosper if they have access to knowledge and use of inputs such as fertilizers and credit. Credit: Busani Bafana/IPS

By Busani Bafana
LOUIS TRICHARDT, South Africa, Jul 26 2016 (IPS)

Brightly coloured cans, bags of fertilizer and packets containing all types of seeds catch the eye upon entering Nancy Khorommbi’s agro dealer shop tucked at the corner of a roadside service station.

But her seeds and fertilizers have not exactly been flying off the shelves since Khorommbi opened the fledging shop six years ago. Her customers: smallholder farmers in the laid back town of Sibasa, 72 kilometers northeast of Louis Trichardt in Limpopo, one of South Africa’s provinces hard hit by drought this year. The reason for the slow business is that smallholder farmers cannot access, let alone effectively use plant-nourishing fertilizers to improve their low productivity.

“Some of the farmers who walk into my shop have never heard about fertilizers and those who have, do not know how to use them effectively,” Khorommbi told IPS said on the sidelines of a training workshop organised by the International Fertilizer Association (IFA)-supported African Fertilizer Volunteers Program (AFVP) to teach smallholders farmers and agro dealers like her about fertilizers in Limpopo.

Khorommbi, describing information as power, says fledging agro-dealer businesses are a critical link in the food production chain. Agro-dealers, who work at the village level, better understand and are more accessible to smallholder farmers, who in many cases rely on the often poorly resourced government extension service for information on improving productivity.

“Smallholder farmers can make the change in food security through better production, one of whose key elements is fertilizer,” said Khrorommbi, one of more than 100 agro-dealers in the Vhembe District of Limpopo.

An assistant checks stock in Nancy Khorommbi’s agro dealer shop in Vhembe District, Limpopo, South Africa. Credit: Busani Bafana/IPS

Growing knowledge, growing farmers

Noting the knowledge gap on fertilizers, the African Fertilizer and Agribusiness Partnership (AFAP), supported by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and private sector partners, launched Agribusiness Support to the Limpopo Province (ASLP) in 2015 which has trained over 100 agro-dealers in the Province.

The project promotes the development of the agro dealer hub model, where established commercial agro dealers service smaller agro dealers and agents in the rural areas, who in turn better serve smallholder farmers by putting agricultural inputs within easy reach and at reasonable cost. The AFVP aims to attract the private sector in South Africa – a net fertilizer importer – to developing the SMEs sector in the fertilizer value chain focusing on smallholder farmers and agro dealers.

Smallholder farmers hold the key to feeding Africa, including South Africa, but their productivity is stymied by poor access to inputs and even effective markets for their produce, an issue the FAO believes private and public sector partnerships can solve.

AFAP and a private company, Kynoch Fertilizer, have embarked on an entrepreneurship development program for smallholder farmers and agro dealers in the Limpopo province, one of the country’s bread baskets, in an effort to help close the ‘yield gap’ among smallholder farmers.  Smallholder farmers and agro dealers have been trained on fertilisers, soils, plant nutrients, safe storage of fertilizers, environmental safety and business management skills.

“By using more fertilisers correctly, South Africa’s smallholder farmers can grow more and nutritious food, achieve household food security, create jobs, increase incomes and boost rural development,” AFAP’s Vice-President, Prof. Richard Mkandawire, told IPS. “To grow and support SMEs in Africa is the pathway if we are to reduce hunger and poverty. The future of South Africa is about growing those rural enterprises that will support smallholder farmers and employment creation.’

In 2006, African Heads of State and Government signed the Abuja Declaration at a Fertilizer Summit in Nigeria committing to increase the use of fertilizer in Africa from the then-average 8kg per hectare to 50kg per hectare by 2015 to boost productivity. Ten years later, only a few countries have attained this goal.

Mkandawire said research has established that for every kilogram of nutrients smallholder farmers apply to their soils, they can realize up to 30kg in additional products.

Research has shown that smallholder farmers in South Africa in general do not apply optimum levels of fertilizers owing to high cost, poor access and low awareness about the benefits of providing nutrition for the soil.

Fertilizer Registrar and Director in the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forests (DAFF) in Limpopo Province Jonathan Mudzunga says smallholder farmers have structural difficulties in getting much needed fertilizers, a critical input in raising crop yields and providing business and employment creation opportunities for agro dealers.

“Commercial farmers are successful because they have access to inputs such as fertilizers and knowledge and it does not mean smallholder farmers are having challenges because they do not know how to farm but the biggest issue is knowledge and access to affordable inputs,” Mudzunga said.

Agriculturalist at Kynoch, Schalk Grobbelaar, says smallholder agricultural production in Limpopo is hampered by, amongst other things, low use of productivity-enhancing inputs such as fertilizers, seeds and crop protection products; animal feeds and veterinary medicines for livestock.

“Fertilizer increase yields. We fertilize what crops will take away and we put back into the soil but farmers lack knowledge on the balancing fertilizers according to what crops need,” said Grobbelaar.

Agriculture support is food business

The South African government is promoting SME development and growth of smallholder farmers who are key to tackling food insecurity at household level.

Despite their high contribution to economic growth and job creation, SME’s are challenged by among other factors, funding and access to finance, according to the 2015/16 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) Report. Lack of finance is a major reason for SMEs – which contribute 45 percent to South Africa’s GDP- leaving a business in addition to the poor management skills which are a result of lack of adequate training and education.

While the country produces more than enough food for all, many South Africans do not access the right amount and type of food, says a 2014 report by the Southern Africa Food Lab, an organisation promoting food security in the region.

“Poor South Africans are not able to spend money on a diverse diet. Instead the only option to facilitate satiety and alleviate hunger is to feed family members large portions of maize meal porridge that do not address nutritional needs,” according to Laura Pereira, author of the Food Lab report.

Microsoft founder Bill Gates, bemoaning underinvestment in Africa’s agriculture, said innovation from farm to market was one solution to turning the sector – employing half of the continent’s population – into a thriving business.

“African farmers need better tools to avoid disasters and grow a surplus – things like seeds that can tolerate droughts, floods, pests, and disease, affordable fertilizer that includes the right mix of nutrients to replenish the soil,” Gates said when he presented the 14th Nelson Mandela Lecture in Pretoria, South Africa last week.

Gates said farmers need to be connected to markets where they can buy inputs, sell their surplus and earn a profit and for them to reinvest in into the farm. That in turn provides on and off the farm employment opportunities and supports a range of local agribusinesses.

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July 25, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudan Armed Forces (SAF)'s Chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant General Emad al-Din Mustafa Adawi, Monday, held military talks with his Saudi counterpart, Lt. General Abdulrahman bin Saleh Al-Bunyan, said the official Sudan News Agency.

SAF Chief of General Staff, Ltd General Emad al-Din Adawi,

According to SUNA, Adawi's visit to Saudi Arabia comes at the invitation of the Saudi Arabian Royal Army Chief of the General Staff in the context of strengthening bilateral between the two countries.

"Adawi Al-Bunyan discussed joint cooperation and coordination in the military and security fields," SUNA added.

Adawi was appointed as a head of his joint chiefs of staff on 10 February 2016. It

Sudan last March took part military exercises organized by the Saudi army dubbed "North Thunder. SAF also took part in a Saudi-led military coalition that fought Houthi militants in Yemen.

(ST)

July 25, 2016 (BENTIU) - Civil society organizations in the newly created Northern Liech state have rejected proposed deployment of regional forces to South Sudan, saying the decision by the African Union (AU) heads of state interfered with the sovereignty of the country.

South Sudan's president, Salva Kiir (centre left), with then vice-president Riek Machar at a rally in Unity state capital Bentiu on 8 April 2010 (Photo: Reuters/Goran Tomasevic)

Lam Tunguar Kueigwong, minister of information, culture and sports in a statement he extended to Sudan Tribune has confirmed that his state government has received a petition written by some civil society organizations in the state that the AU proposal is unacceptable.

He said Governor Joseph Nguen Monytuil has promised the public that the authorities in the country shall never or ever allow the foreign troops' deployments in South Sudan.

“This had been responded positively by the governor of the northern Liech state that any intervention will be a response to aggression and war declaration by the South Sudan government and this is a red line. No single soldier will be allowed here in our land not even one,” he said.

Tunguar claimed thousands of civilians protested in the streets and later gathered and delivered letters to the governor and AU, the regional bloc, UN Secretary General and they protested strongly condemning any foreign intervention.

“They have rejected, any single soldier will be allowed as the president said the other day, the governor assures the people of Bentiu and echoed that this is accepted and the people of northern Liech did it well that they have come out and say that they don't want the intervention,” he said.

The information minister added that the governor welcomed the decision by the civil society organizations to support the government in rejection of AU forces deployments, adding the local organizations acted in patriotism and love for the country.

“This is what is needed and now the international communities can see and hear that by themselves because the people have talked and this is the democracy needed. So don't overrule us as the country,” he said.

However, Sudan Tribune could not independently verify names of organizations who took to the streets to oppose the regional troops' deployment in the country.

(ST)

July 25, 2016 (JUBA) - South Sudan President, Salva Kiir, has not indicated willingness to heed an appeal by the head of Roman Catholic, whom he personally met and held talks aimed at ending conflict in 2015 in Kampala, capital of neighbouring Uganda and who later had to send a special envoy to deliver peace message.

Pope Francis dispatched a special message of peace to president Kiir and his former first deputy in government, Riek Machar, but whose letter could not be given to him after he went into hiding following the outbreak of the violence clashes between the rival forces at the presidential palace in Juba.

President Kiir received his letter from Cardinal, Peter Kodwo Turkson, an envoy of the Roman Catholic Church to South Sudan, who arrived in Juba recently for a solidarity visit during which he was to deliver the pope's message to president Kiir and the first vice president Riek Machar.

The Vatican special envoy told media last week his visit was a special gesture on the Pope's part and he has been following developments in the country's peace efforts with keen interest.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with the UN sponsored Radio Miraya Cardinal Turkson said he was in the country on a solidarity visit to deliver the pope's message.

“The pope knows that I am coming here and so he decided to send a message to the president and the [First] Vice president. It is not up to me to talk about the content of the message but I will find time to deliver the message to the president and the vice president,” he said.

Cardinal Turkson celebrated Sunday Mass at St Theresa's Cathedral Kator on arrival at which he urged the people not to give up on hope, despite the recent events that have left a trail of destruction in the country.

The religious leader called on the leaders to unite and work for the common good of the people and help the country heal from its past.

“The big and the crucial thing is that South Sudan must heal, it must take up all and develop and grow in peace and that is what must be ensured and assured for the people and anything that we can do to help and facilitate the realization of that, that's what I think we can do as a church,” he added.

South Sudan has been trying to come out of the civil war caused by political rivalry between the First Vice President and the President. Violent clashes across the city have left tens of thousands of people dead since December 2013 and a recent flare-up of fighting has caused more casualties, scores of displaced people and a serious humanitarian crisis.

Although a cease-fire is currently in effect in Juba, the threat of more violence continues to loom large.

“It's conflict that breaks up among the military forces and always with a lot of deaths and the result is always that there is spill over in terms of the civilian population who are scared and leave their homes and are looted when they try to get back sometime they find somebody has lived in the home,” the Pope's special noted.

He also observed that a lot of the women and children have sought refuge in churches and in schools and that is where they live and the priests, brothers and nuns are trying to take care of them as best as they can.

He expressed hope that upon his return to Rome later this week it will be possible to send some concrete aid back to the archbishop as a help from the side of the Holy See.

A devoted catholic, president Kiir received his letter and assured the special envoy of his commitment to peace but observers say nothing has changed since he met and held talks about peace with the special envoy.

He has instead threatened to wage a war against regional force to protection civilians. Kiir also stopped going to the church on regular basis in protest of religious preaching touching hard on the performance of his administration and how he has failed to manage the affairs of the country.

(ST)

July 25, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) on Monday banned a symposium organized by the opposition Reform Now Movement (RNM) led by Ghazi al-Attabani on the attempted military coup in Turkey.

Turkey's Tayyip Erdogan (Reuters)

On 15 July 2016, a putsch was attempted in Turkey against the government but ultimately failed. The attempt was performed by a faction within the Turkish Armed Forces that was organized under a council called the Peace at Home Council.

Reform Now Movement spokesperson, Osama Tawfeeg, told Sudan Tribune that the symposium was organized in one of the hotels in Khartoum by Al Gaser Media Center under the title “Turkey after the failed military coup” but NISS cancelled it saying it was held without the needed permission.

“This is quite strange as activities organized in hotels do not need permission,” said Tawfeeg pointing that the Turkish Ambassador to Khartoum Cemalettin Aydan and other interested people were invited to attend the symposium.

Tawfeeg further stressed that despite their contacts with senior security officers, the security agents did not allow the solidarity event with the constitutional government in Ankara.

He accused the that security agents of abusing authority, pointing that the incident might affect relation with Turkey.

“If NISS restricts freedom of expression without a political guidance this is a disaster, and if the ban is a political one then the situation is even worse,” said Tawfeeg in statement to media stressing that banning the symposium would have a negative impact on the national dialogue.

On the same day, the Sudanese authorities allowed a pro-ruling party organization, National Media Production Center, to organize a debate on the same topic. The group also invited Turkish ambassador to Khartoum .

According to the official Sudan News Agency the symposium is titled “Turkey between conspiracy and people's will”. The head of Al Jazeera TV office in Khartoum, al-Moslami Khabashi, and a political science professor Suhair Ahmed spoke at the event besides the Turkish envoy.

Sudan's President Omer al-Bashir denounced the aborted military coup in Turkey and expressed support to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

(ST)

July 25, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Leader of the National Umma Party (NUP) al-Sadiq al-Mahdi and secretary general of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/North (SPLM-N) Yasir Arman have explained the reasons behind the Sudan Call's new position toward the Roadmap Agreement.

NUP Sadiq al-Mahdi (C) received at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris by SPLM-N SG and SRF external relations secretary Yasir Arman, (L) NUP deputy president Meriam al-Mahdi (R), deputy chairmen of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) Ahmed Adam Bakheit (2d R) and SRF secretary for humanitarian affairs and a leading member of the Sudan Liberation Movement- Minni Minnawi (SLM-MM) Trayo Ahmed Ali (2d L) on 6 August 2014 (ST)

Last March, the Sudanese opposition groups rejected the Roadmap Agreement which proposes a cessation of hostilities and humanitarian access to civilians in the conflict affected areas, before to engage in the government proposed national dialogue process.

In a letter sent to the head of the African Union High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) on behalf of the holdout groups last June, al-Mahdi called to add a supplemental document to the Roadmap Agreement before to sign it.

AUHIP chief, Thabo Mbeki, in a first time, declined the proposal of supplemental document. However, in a second letter on 23 June, he reassured the opposition groups that all their concerns have already their answers in the roadmap.

In his second correspondence to al-Mahdi, Mbeki said the meeting proposed in the roadmap is actually the preparatory meeting the opposition calls for. He further said that their delegation to the meeting can include other political forces in a way to be inclusive. Also he said they can propose additional items to the agenda of the meeting to address all their concerns.

Following a five-day meeting in Paris last week, the Sudan Call forces decided to meet the mediation over the roadmap.

In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Monday, al-Mahdi said the Roadmap is not actually “an agreement but a mechanism that would lead to an agreement”, saying if the requirements of the preparatory national dialogue were met, the opposition would sign the Roadmap.

He stressed that the Sudan Call forces had previously refused to sign the peace plan because it was flawed in several respects, saying however that they were assured that the intended preparatory meeting is not a mere extension of the internal government-led dialogue but would be an inclusive meeting.

Al-Mahdi added that the opposition would have the right to choose its delegation for the preparatory meeting while the other side would be represented by a delegation consisting of the government and the dialogue mechanism known as 7+7 in order to ensure the commitment of all parties to the outcome of the meeting.

He pointed that the confidence-building measures including the ceasefire, delivering humanitarian relief to the needy population in war areas, allowing basic freedoms, releasing political prisoners and convicts would be applied prior to the intended internal dialogue, saying any additional topics would be included in dialogue agenda.

On the other hand, the NUP leader lashed those who criticized the decision of the Sudan Call forces to meet with the mediation over the Roadmap, saying they are either not aware of the internal, regional and international reality, misguided by others or acting on behalf of the regime's security services.

He added that the popular uprising option will always remain in place and would only be discarded if the national dialogue managed to achieve its objective in a peaceful manner.

For his part, the secretary general of the SPLM-N Yasser Arman said in a statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Monday his movement is ready to sign the Roadmap within the framework of the Sudan Call in order to launch a new negotiations process that would determine the confidence-building measures, the terms of the transition and how to engage in an equal dialogue.

He pointed that the regime is now aware that the dialogue process became a regional and international issue contrary to its original plan.

“Our refusal to sign the Roadmap has put the Sudan Call forces in confrontation with the mediation and the regional and international community but it was an essential move to prevent [them from forcing us to join] the internal dialogue” he said

“Now this phase has ended after we reached understandings with those forces [the mediation and the regional and international community]” he added

Arman added the regime's attempt to use the mediation and the regional and international community against the opposition has made them part of the dialogue, saying the regime would soon realize that it has made a mistake by involving them in the dialogue.

The rebel leader pointed that the confidence-building demands of the Sudan Call forces would constitute the agenda for reaching an equal dialogue, describing the regime's failure to force them to join the internal dialogue as “major achievement”.

He said the mediation has accepted that the opposition should determine its delegation on collective rather than individual bases, saying the preparatory meeting will be conducted differently but we work to maintain its essence and put our demands on the negotiating table.

Arman acknowledged that the opposition work suffers from many ills and needs to be reorganized according to clear priorities, accusing unnamed opposition parties of seeking to sharpen contradictions among opposition forces.

He stressed the SPLM-N would take clear stance against those parties and will seek to unify the opposition work according to strict and objective terms and foundations.

The rebel leader underscored that his movement would not hand over its weapons until a national professional army was formed, renewing the movement's demand for establishing autonomous rule in South Kordofan and Blue Nile.

South Kordofan and neighbouring Blue Nile state have been the scene of violent conflict between the SPLM-N and Sudanese army since 2011.

Last December, negotiations between Khartoum the SPLM-N stalled after the government delegation insisted that the objective of talks is to settle the conflict in the Two Areas, while the SPLM-N team has called for a holistic approach to resolve ongoing conflicts across Sudan.

(ST)

The United Nations refugee agency today appealed to donors for an additional $115.4 million to fund the voluntary return and reintegration of Somali refugees from Kenya&#39s Dadaab refugee camp.

Recent fighting in South Sudan has forced 37,491 people to flee to Uganda in the past three weeks, averaging more than 4,000 a day in the past week, the United Nations refugee agency warned today.

The United Nations chief and his envoy for Somalia have denounced today&#39s terrorist attack in the vicinity of Mogadishu International Airport that killed at least a dozen people.

Mangroves are rare and vital ecosystems that help to protect coastlines and mitigate the effects of climate change, but their survival is being jeopardized, the United Nations cultural agency said today, calling for greater preservation efforts as the international community marks the first ever International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem.

July 25, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese people, particularly the Darfurians, would celebrate after few days the completion of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) with the participation of all those who put efforts to sealing the peace deal except the former Joint Chief AU-UN mediator Darfur Djibril Bassolé, who is currently detained in a military prison in the capital of Burkina Faso, Ouagadougou.

Djibril Bassolé (Reuters Photo)

Bassolé, Burkina Faso's Minister of Foreign Affairs under the regime of former President Blaise Compaore, was arrested in September 2015 for allegedly supporting a coup against the interim government ahead of scheduled elections.

In November 2015; appeared in the social media recorded phone conversations Bassolé allegedly had with the president of Ivory Coast's National Assembly, Guillaume Soro, in connection with the failed coup. The source of the recording is unknown but this didn't prevent the government to claim that it represents the needed evidence for his involvement. The French Le Monde daily newspaper last February published an analysis of the recording by the acoustics expert Norbert Pheulpin who formally denied the authenticity of the recording.

Since, regional and international circles are exerting intensive efforts to convince the transitional government to release Bassolé or put him on trial.

The renowned diplomat has contributed to the efforts to resolve several regional conflicts in Africa and he enjoys prestigious regional and international status and wide popularity in his country which sparked jealousy among his political rivals.

During his tenure as Joint Chief AU-UN mediator for Darfur, Bassolé has earned respect and appreciation of all parties to the conflict, including those who weren't party to the Doha peace document, who acknowledged his relentless efforts to reach a just and satisfactory solution for all.

The former Sudanese Presidential adviser who was in charge of Darfur peace file, Ghazi Salah al-Din has expressed surprise over Bassolé's arrest, saying the man he knew closely during their joint work on Darfur peace wouldn't seek to gain access to power through a military coup.

Speaking to Sudan Tribune, he pointed that he watched Bassolé closely and learnt about his manners and professional commitment as well as his belief in democracy and reform in African. He said "the man was an honest broker who demonstrated willingness for collective work to achieve joint goals".

“I noticed his apparent enthusiasm to the establish good governance and democracy as basic elements to resolve the problems in the African continent” he further said

“I strongly urge the authorities in Burkina Faso to not only release him [Bassolé] but to make use of his rich experiences and abilities in multiple domains,” he added

Salah al-Din further described Bassolé as one of Africa's wise men, saying it is our duty as Africans to stand by his side and provide him with our support.

In separate statements to Sudan Tribune, the chairman of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) Gibril Ibrahim has urged “the leaders of Burkina Faso to immediately free Bassolé and let him serve Africa and the international community”.

“I was honoured to work with Djibril Bassolé throughout his tenure as Joint Chief Mediator for Darfur representing both the African Union and the United Nations. Mr. Bassolé proved to be an outstanding African and international leader with unique qualities,” he said.

“He [Bassolé] travelled hundreds of thousands of miles in Sudan, the region and over the oceans in search of peace for Darfur and contributed immensely to the saving of a lot of lives. The Sudanese and the people of Darfur owe him direly,” Gibril added.

According to Ibrahim, Bassolé has brilliantly managed to maintain sound relations with both a government and its armed opponents and “succeeded in steering his ship in the troubled rocky waters of mediation without antagonizing any of the parties or humiliating himself”.

A court in Ouagadougou had earlier this year denied Bassolé's basic right to choose his lawyers by refusing the access of foreign lawyers despite the fact the Burkina Faso has signed international and regional agreements in this regard.

However, the Court of Cassation has later annulled the military court's ruling to refuse the foreign lawyers.

Also, on the first of this month of July, the Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has brushed off the decision to prevent Bassolé from hiring foreign lawyers as illegal.

On Thursday, Sudan Tribune learnt that Ouagadougou's government has allowed the foreign lawyers to take part in Bassolé's defence but not date has been determined for his trial.

(ST)

July 25, 2016 (EL-FASHER) - Police has re-established presence in the locality of Ambro, 350 km. north west of North Darfur capital, El-Fasher for the first time since the armed conflict erupted in the restive region.

The Sudanese army has been fighting several armed movements in Darfur since 2003. Following three months of fierce fighting in Jebel Marra, last April the army declared Darfur free of rebels. However, the different rebel groups dismissed these statements.

Commissioner of Ambro locality Ali Ahmed al-Tahir told Sudan Tribune that the return of the police to the locality after 13 years underscores that the situation in the area is stable, praising efforts exerted by police to maintain security across the state.

He added the deployment of police to the various administrative units in the locality is underway, pointing the police presence would allow the residents to return to normal life.

The commissioner added that the locality faced considerable problems and the residents suffered from clashes between farmers and herders in the absence of the police.

He hailed the efforts of the North Darfur governor, police director and the other security organs in establishing security and returning the police force to Ambro, saying they would make every possible effort maintain security and deploy police across the locality.

Al-Tahir further pointed that the North Darfur police director promised to send further police officers to cover all administrative units in the locality.

Last month, North Darfur state governor Abdel-Wahid Youssef acknowledged existence of security problems in the state particularly in the capital, El-Fasher.

He accused unnamed parties of seeking to keep the “insecurity and instability” situation in Darfur, and pointed to “hidden hands that prompt the security chaos in all Darfur's five states not only North Darfur”.

(ST)