Africa

May 6, 2016 (JUBA) - South Sudan's newly-appointed minister of irrigation and water resources, Mabior Garang de Mabior was on Friday ordered out of the country's first cabinet meeting since the formation of the Transitional National Unity Government (TGoNU).

Mabior John Garang de Mabior (File photo MC Clatchy Newspapers)

Garang said the expulsion order came from President Salva Kiir over his "inappropriate" dressing.

The youthful minister said he was in shock “after being kicked out by Salva Kiir from the first sitting of the council of ministers for being inappropriately dressed.”

Garang had appeared the meeting, held weekly, in a black suit, white shirt and black bow tie, a day after ministers undertook an induction workshop where they were informed of protocol for meetings, including dress codes, which were not specified.

Garang, however, insisted that focusing on one's clothing was a distraction from real issues the young nation faces.

“There is no fuel in Juba and people are still in UNMISS [UN mission in South Sudan] PoCs [Protection of Civilian sites]," he posted on his Facebook page.

There was no immediate reaction from the presidency over the bizarre cabinet incident.

(ST)

May 5, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) said it will continue military operations to on the positions of the rebel Sudan People Liberation Movement- North (SPLM-N) in South Kordofan.

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

The Sudanese army and allied militia since more than three months carry out the traditional summer military campaign on the rebel controlled areas in South Kordofan and Blue Nile.

The two warring parties have claimed victories, as the peace process is stalled and there is not prospect for a political solution.

Speaking to the troops of the 14th Infantry Division in Kadugli on Thursday, SAF Chief of General Staff, Ltd General Emad al-Din Adawi, said that the army will continue the summer military operation against what he called “SPLM mercenaries”.

Adawi further said the armed forces are “capable of forcing the rebels to accept the option of peace by the force of arms”, and pledged to continue operations until peace is achieved.

The Sudanese general reiterated the government seriousness to reach peace pointing to the signing of the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) brokered “Roadmap Agreement” last March.

He added that SPLM-N refusal to sign it demonstrate their unwillingness to reach a peaceful settlement for the conflict.

Since 2011, Sudanese Armed Forces is fighting the SPLM-N fighters in South Kordofan and Blue Nile. Some 12 rounds of talks between the government of Sudan and SPLM-N failed to achieve peace.

The Commander of the 14th Division, Major-General Yasir al-Atta, said that SAF have retaken the control of several strategic areas from the SPLM-N.

“SAF will prevail for the sake of peace and securing the homeland, after what the people South Kordofan state would enjoy peace and stability,” Al-Atta further said.

(ST)

May 5, 2016 (KAMPALA) – Students from South Sudan's Unity state, currently studying in Uganda, have sent series of condolences to two fallen heroes from the region.

Last week, Dhiaydor Tutroal, the Leek Nuer spiritual leader and Gideon Jageah, a high profile member of Unity state's traditional court and council of elders passed on.

Kel Tap Jock, the chairperson of the students' union in Uganda, sent condolences on behalf of the students.

“As a body that represents Unity state sons and daughters in Uganda, we cannot withstand the state of depression we are going through after we received sad news,” he said.

Jock described the fallen leader as “guiding guitars” that fought for the reconciliation and restoration of trust for the peaceful coexistence of the Unity state population.

“We ask God to protect and maintain the few ones who are still surviving for the welfare of our country,” stressed Jock.

The student leader urged members of the union to stay united and ensure they maintain the legacy left behind by the two fallen heroes who stood for justice.

(ST)

May 5, 2016 (JUBA) – People residing in the South Sudan capital, Juba have asked the newly formed transitional unity government to help improve the high costs of living.

Motorcycles line up for hours to get fuel before it runs out July 18, 2012 in Juba, South Sudan. (Getty)

South Sudan's new Transitional Government of National Unity faces an uphill task of reviving a largely oil-dependent economy to support its annual budget.

The oil sector, which accounts for over 90 per cent of government revenues, has been badly affected the recent war, in addition to the decline in oil prices on world markets.

Commodity prices also shot up due to the devaluation of the local currency, South Sudanese pound, which has gravely impacted on the transport sector in the country.

The most affected are importers of food items and general household goods who have to deal with sharply increased prices to bring in goods from its neighbouring countries.

Oyet William, a commercial cyclist in the South Sudan capital, has to toil daily in order to fend for his family. His business has been badly hit by the high fuel prices.

“People are suffering always and that is how life goes on. In the case of food, if you go to a hotel, you will find a plate at 35 pounds and in some places it is 30 pounds,” Oyet says.

Initially, he adds, one would only pay just 5SSP for a plate of food.

Aisha Peter, a tea vendor in Juba, is also facing the country's economic pinch.

“For sure, life in Juba is hard, without a job, you cannot survive and so one has to do a small business to let kids get food, we are doing this because children have to school and get food,” she told Sudan Tribune Thursday.

The conflict, which broke out in 2013, has negatively impacted on the nation's citizens, including pushing the country to the brink of famine with 5.8 million people, nearly half of the population, in desperate need of humanitarian assistance, a joint United Nations assessment report recently-showed.

South Sudan, one of the world's poorest nations, has worst indicators on health, development and education.

(ST)

May 5, 2016 (JUBA) - Members of parliament in the newly created Aweil state (Northern Bhar el Ghazal) have rejected a proposal by the state minister of finance seeking to raise household taxes from natives of the area, despite many struggling to make a living on daily basis.

Aweil politicians at community meeting in Juba on 1 Nov. 2012 (ST)

The state authorities, according to president Kiir at the time of announcing the order in October 2015, were to generate revenues from the local people to be able to fund their operations.

However, with people being unable to make a living for themselves, it puts to question how the authorities would sustain their operations and how it would achieve the objective for which the new administrative units were created.

In most areas of Bahr el Ghazal region, and particularly areas adjacent to neigbouring Sudan, civilians due to hunger and insecurity have massively crossed into Sudan where they have been put into concentration camps as refugees and fed by humanitarian organizations.

Speaking in an interview with Sudan Tribune from Aweil town on Thursday, the head of parliamentary affairs committee responsible for information, Benson Opuothmalo, said the decision of the parliament to suspend taxing civilians was born out of the fact that the citizens would not pay because of hunger.

“The decision of the house was made in recognition of the situation facing our people. This year is a very bad year. The citizens are struggling to make a living. If it were a good year, the house of course would have examined the proposal to see how the areas and projects requiring funding through local revenues would be used and how much was required,” said Opuothmalo.

“But because this is a bad year, we told the minister of finance to suspend and leave the house collections until the situation improved. When the situation improved the house collections will resume. This was only what we have done in the assembly,” he further explained.

Aweil state is one of the controversial 28 states which came into existence as a result of presidential order creating more administrative units despite signing the peace agreement on the basis of 10 states.

The new state was curved out of five counties, some of which became states of their own. Others were merged with counties from other states to form another state in fulfilment of presidential establishment.

Aweil state is formed out of an amalgamation of Aweil south, Centre and areas around Aweil town, the capital of the new state.

The counties of Aweil West and North have been merged with Raja which was a county under Western Bahr el Ghazal state to form a new Lol state.

Aweil East, which was one of the five counties forming the defunct Northern Bahr el Ghazal state, became a state of its own.

The new states are yet to receive a budget and have continued to operate on a shared budget previously meant for 10 states, making it difficult to provide services to the people.

Finance State Minister, Garang Majak, welcomed the decision of the house but further argued that the government has the right to raise taxes from household to provide basic services to the people.

Majority of the 28 states have no budget and the newly appointed governors and their commissioners have been asking the citizens, also seen poor, to contribute to the new governments so that they buy vehicles for officials as well as cater for other operational necessities.

(ST)

By Gordon Buay

Politics is NOT only a dirty game as the saying goes. It is also a game where allowing your opponents to cock their guns to should you is considered a fetal mistake. A smart politician is someone who hangs his opponents before they hang him.

Dr. Riek Machar should learn from late Meles Zenawi who foiled a political coup against him in 2000 by 16 members of the TPLF party. Right now, the jobbists who did not get the ministries of milk and honey are using a new tactic Riek Machar should not ignore. There are two dangerous characters of the SPLM-IO who have started bribing and mobilizing the educated class of the IO against Dr. Riek Machar. If Dr. Riek Machar ignores these political mosquitoes and allows them to infect his Movement with the Malaria parasites, the symptoms will be fetal.

The 1st VP should borrow from Meles Zenawi and dismiss the jobbists from their positions before they hang him. The politics of positions in South Sudan always ends up in violence. The SPLM-IO jobbists who openly came out to oppose Dr. Riek Machar should be purged by the 1st VP if he wants his rule to be stable.

There is a Nuer adage that dealing with a man who has money is a very complicated thing. The jobbists who are now against Dr. Riek Machar have money that they can use to buy loyalty of political and military members of the SPLM-IO. If the 1st VP allows them to gain momentum, he would face a lot of problems. The best way for him to deal with them is to hang the jobbists before they hang him.

There is an abundant research which proves that most elites of the liberation movements in Africa who come to towns after the conclusion of the peace end up fighting over positions and sugar. That is now what is happening within the IO. Those corruption lords of the IO who think that they have entitlement to the ministries of milk and honey will fight Dr. Riek Machar for denying them the ministries where they could grab public resources to recover their loses incurred during the war.

What Dr. Riek Machar should do now is to launch a preemptive strike against those corruption lords who are now agitating to topple him. The biggest mistake a politician can make is to allow his enemy to sharpen a knife that will be used to cut his throat. The best strategy is to stop your opponent before sharpening the knife. No one can return a bullet to the shell once it is fired. Scientifically, it is not possible. If Dr. Riek allows his opponents within the IO to mobilize the supporters of the IO against him, he will not be able to control them once they start to slaughter him.

I am really shocked to learn that one of the IO corruption lords took millions of dollars from the international businessmen with the hope that once he got the ministry of milk and honey, he would give those businessmen contracts. Now that the hope of getting such a ministry is zero, the corruption lord would ensure to cut the throat of the 1st VP. In that case, Dr. Riek should hang his enemies before they hang him. That is what I believe he should do to save his rule from being undermined by the political entrepreneurs.

The author is an Ambassador at the South Sudan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

May 5, 2016 (JUBA) - A race to elect a speaker of the transitional national legislative assembly from Equatorian politicians has begun in the South Sudan's capital, Juba, with names being sent to President Salva Kiir.

President Salva Kiir Mayardit speaks to the National Legislature on the occasion of the inauguration of the three years extension of his mandate, on July 8, 2015 (Photo Moses Lomayat)

Four personalities whose names have been forwarded to Presidnent Kiir by the Equatorian caucus on the side of the pre-unity government's faction include David Nailo, Betty Achan Ogwaro, Luka Tombekana Monoja, and Anthony Lino Makana.

Chairman of the Equatoria caucus in the national parliament said he expected Equatorians from all the political parties to sit together to elect the speaker regardless of political affiliations.

Thomas Wani Kundu told Sudan Tribune that the political affiliation of the nominee does not matter as long as the person is from the Equatoria region.

“We need to sit together so that we can get one person… as long as he is from Equatoria,” Kundu said.

The peace agreement signed in August 2015 by President Kiir and opposition's leader, Riek Machar, has given the position of speaker of national parliament to Equatorians to nominate it.

Kundu said the SPLM in Opposition (SPLM-IO) is also expected to present a nominee for the position.

One of the competitors in the Equatorian race for national parliamentary speaker said integrity should be a precondition for selecting the speaker.

Speaking to Bakhita Radio “Wake up Juba” programme, Luka Tombekana Monoja said the candidate to the position should be elected based on merit.

Tombekana urges the competitors to demonstrate pride to the public, saying the citizens have lost hope in both the government and the opposition.

“What we need to see now is restoring the hope of the citizens and stabilizing the economy otherwise our dream is doomed” Tombekana remarked.

The parties to the agreement have not however agreed on the mode of electing the speaker.

(ST)

May 4, 2016 (JUBA) - The United Nations Security Council has called on South Sudan's transitional unity government to end the cycles of violence and fully implement the peace agreement signed by its warring parties in August 2015.

A UN Security Council session in New York (Photo courtesy of the UN)

In a statement to the media on Wednesday, the 15-nation body welcomed the formation on 29 April of the Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU), describing is as “an important milestone” in implementing the agreement.

The TGoNU, it said, should “work together to fully implement the agreement and bring an end to the cycles of violence and suffering, including by adhering to the permanent ceasefire, and by urgently creating the transitional institutions envisioned in the agreement, which are needed to maintain security and build trust between the parties.”

The Council also called on the TGoNU to urgently remove impediments on the ground to the delivery of humanitarian assistance, as there are 2.5 million people displaced from their homes and 6.1 million people in need of such aid.

The Security Council further called on South Sudan government to allow the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) free movement to exercise its mandate, including protection of civilians and investigation of human rights violations, while condemning, in the strongest terms, the attack against the UNMISS compound in Bentiu on 25 April.

Leaders of the world's youngest nation have finally formed the long-awaited transitional unity government, ending over two years of civil war that displaced over 2 million people.

As the two leaders form a unity government, among its first challenges, observers say, will be to overcome mistrust between them. Besides, there are other rebel groups which did not sign the peace deal and this could prove a setback.

Last week, the United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon welcomed the new unity government, describing it a “new phase” in the implementation of the peace deal.

South Sudan, heavily reliant on oil revenues to fund it budget, is one of poorest countries in the world with the worst indicators on development, health and education.

(ST)

May 5, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan security agents on Thursday broke into the office of prominent lawyer and rights activist Nabeel Adib Abdallah and arrested several university students.

Anti-riot police uses water cannon to disperse student protesting outside Khartoum university on April 26, 2016 (ST Photo)

On Tuesday, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Khartoum (UofK) decided to shut down the university indefinitely and ordered dismissal of 17 students for involvement in recent demonstrations.

Some of the students went to Abdallah's office to hire him to challenge the dismissal decision.

Abdallah told Sudan Tribune that 15 armed men in civilian clothes broke into his office on Thursday afternoon and identified themselves as National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) agents.

He pointed that the armed men ordered the students to sit on the ground and started beating them before they took 11 of them and two office employees to an unknown location, saying the two employees were later released.

Abdallah described the incident as “a serious precedent and a flagrant attempt against the legal profession and the defendants' rights for just trial”, saying he immediately informed the president of the bar association of what had occurred.

Massive demonstrations erupted at the UofK since two weeks ago following press statements made by the Minister of Tourism Mohamed Abu Zaid in which he indicated government intention to transfer the university from its location and to lease out its former premises for tourism purposes.

Dozens of students were arrested and others wounded in the protests following the intervention of the police with tear gas and rubber bullets several times.

(ST)

May 5, 2016 (JUBA) - South Sudanese President, Salva Kiir, has on Wednesday evening unexpectedly issued a republican order announcing unilateral appointment of high profile ten-member presidential advisory team without consulting with the opposition factions, sparking denunciations and questions about motives behind the appointments.

President Salva Kiir addresses the nation at the South Sudan National Parliament in Juba, November 18, 2015. (Photo Reuters/Jok Solomon)

According to the presidential decree broadcast by the state owned South Sudan Television (SSTV), President Kiir appointed former deputy speaker of the national legislative assembly, Daniel Awet Akot, as advisor for military affairs.

The decree appointed all the 10 advisers from President Kiir's group and none was from the other opposition factions such as the SPLM-IO led by the First Vice-President, Riek Machar, former detainees and other political parties.

Akot, who will be advising on military issues is a senior member of the SPLM and has served in various high profile assignments, including having been a minister of internal affairs and a state governor in the past.

The same decree also appointed former Central Equatoria state governor, Clement Wani Konga, as a presidential advisor for special affairs. It is unclear what his specific duties will entail.

Former deputy secretary general of the SPLM, Anne Itto, was also named as an advisor for agriculture and food security.

The secretary general of the Islamic council in the country, Tahir Bior, was named as an advisor for religious affairs.

The former government's chief mediator during peace talks with the armed opposition, Nhial Deng Nhial, was appointed as a senior advisor and presidential envoy.

Tor Deng Mawien, a relative of the president and long-time political ally, was reappointed as an advisor for decentralization and intergovernmental linkages while Tut Kew Gatluak was reappointed as an advisor for security affairs.

Former minister of education, John Gai Yoh was named as an advisor for educational affairs,

Other presidential aides who were reappointed into their previous portfolios include Aggrey Tisa Sabuni as an economic affairs advisor and Lawrence Korbandy as the legal affairs advisor.

Observers are keen to point out that the latest developments represent an attempt by the president to preempt demands to share advisory team and to frustrate efforts to implement the peace agreement which he signed with armed opposition under the overall leadership of the First Vice-President, Riek Machar.

Others stress that the development depicts the intention of the president to assemble another shadow cabinet with whom he would be working instead of the ministers of the transitional government of national unity, given the nature of the assignment of the new presidential advisory team.

The peace agreement also makes no mention of advisers. Article 4.1 of Chapter I states the “Executive of the Transitional Government of National Unity shall comprise the President, the First Vice President, the Vice President, the Council of Ministers and the Deputy Ministers.”

Critics now say the appointments are therefore a clear violation of the peace agreement, describing the development as political ploy designed to make the work of the cabinet ministers from other parties more difficult.

Determining the number and appointment of advisers is one of the contentious issues the parties were yet to agree on.

(ST)

May 5, 2016 (JUBA) – South Sudan first vice president, Riek Machar, has called on the former warring parties, but now peace partners to release prisoners of war (PoWs) from prisons across the country.

Riek Machar answers questions during a press conference in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on July 9, 2014 (Photo AFP/Zacharias Abubeker)

Speaking at an induction workshop organized on Thursday in Juba by the ministry of cabinet affairs and attended by the newly sworn in ministers, Machar said it was time to free them.

“The release is a roadmap to stability and peace to everyone in South Sudan because the war has ended,” Machar made the remark on Thursday in capital Juba while addressing the induction on new cabinet's conduct of business.

The vice president made his remark on Thursday in capital Juba at the opening of parliament affairs ministry induction workshop for the ministers of the Transitional Government of National Unity.

“Am sure and aware that there are many prisoners, politicians and other people who were detained in connection to the conflict and are still under military detention facilities across the country, they must be set free,” said Machar.

“There are serious issues in the agreement that JMEC may not resolve or the CTSAMM may not resolve it. It will be the cabinet that will resolve it and if we all work together, we will definitely resolve all these issues.”

While the former leadership continue rejecting the cantonments of the SPLA-IO in some regions including former Bahr el Ghazal and Western Equatoria, Machar reiterated that if there are forces in any area in the Country, there should be a consideration funding them during the transitional period before they could be reintegrated into national army.

He also called on the parties to fully implement the peace agreement, saying cooperation among the parties is essential.

(ST)

May 5, 2016 (RUMBEK) – Lawmakers from South Sudan's Western Lakes state legislative assembly have developed a three-year plan for proper execution of their duties.

MP Marik Nanga Marik (ST/File)

The assembly speaker, Marik Nanga Marik, said top priority with to protect rights of vulnerable groups, transparency and accountability in the various institutions.

While presenting the assembly's work plan (2016-2018), Nanga stressed the need to promote good governance.

“This is a work plan that will cover 2016 to 2018, it is only a three year work plan that would guide state parliament to the next level of decision in 2018,” said the speaker.

He said the existence of rampant corruption was mainly attributed institutional weaknesses and poor leadership.

“Focus should be on promotion of good governance and service delivery,” said Nanga.

This is the first time the Lakes state government has developed a work plan.

(ST)

May 5, 2016 (JUBA) – The United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Zainab Hawa Bangura is due in South Sudan from 5-9 May, having been invited by the South Sudanese government.

The United Nations Special Representative on sexual violence in conflict, Zainab Bangura (UN Photo)

Bangura, the UN said in a statement, will participate in activities that will culminate in the validation and launching of the implementation plan of the joint communiqué that she co-signed with President Salva Kiir in October 2014.

“Special Representative Bangura will seize the opportunity of her presence in Juba to consult with senior United Nations colleagues, meet with relevant national authorities, civil society organisations and women's groups and the diplomatic community,” partly reads the statement.

Women in South Sudan have suffered unprecedented levels of sexual violence inform of rape, abduction and forced marriages in the past two years of the country's conflict.

(ST)

May 4, 2016 (BOR) - Two people were injured in attack carried out by suspected Murle men Tuesday night at Dong Boma in Twic East county of South Sudan's Jonglei state.

Twic East county commissioner Dau Akoi speaks in Panyagoor town on July 9, 2012 (ST/File)

The attackers, officials said, also abducted a two-year old child.

“The uncles to the child were injured by gunfire, in the same family in which the child was abducted. We brought the victims to Panyagoor hospital and are now under treatment”, said county commissioner, Dau Akoi Jurkuch.

At least seven children have since January been abducted, by suspected Murle criminals, said Akoi, who urged Pibor authorities to collaborate with Twic East county authorities to trace the two children and return them to their families.

“We are sure that all the children abducted from us had gone to either Gumuruk or Likuangole in Pibor,”said Akoi.

“We urge the government of Boma state to return them, because this will show that the leaders in Murle have sense of humanity in them”, he further explained.

A security report shows over 200 goats and 500 heads of cattle had been stolen in Twic East by suspected Murle raiders from January to May, with seven people killed.

(ST)

May 4, 2016 (JUBA) – The Governor of South Sudan's Wau state, Elias Waya Nyipuoc has, through a gubernatorial order, appointed seven new county commissioners.

Wednesday's decree saw the removal of the Wau county commissioner, Fada Anthony Taban and his Jur River county counterpart, Karlo Manyuon Majak who were transferred to Bagari and Roc Roc Dong counties respectively.

The newly appointed commissioners include, Barjuok Ucu Kuic (Kwajiena county), James Akuar Agau (Udic county), James Mabuong Marial Bai (county), Michael Ricardo Ugali (Kpalie county) while Pasquale Joseph Ayan will oversee Besilia county.

Governor Waya has, however, not yet appointed the Kangi county commissioner.

Last month, South Sudan President Salva Kiir approved eight counties in Wau state.

(ST)

May 4, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), has provided $ 10 million to the government of Sudan in support to the Syrian refugees who fled war in their country to Sudan.

Sudanese and Syrian protesters demonstrate against the continued violence in Syria outside Sudan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Khartoum November 23, 2011. (Reuters)

On Wednesday, UNHCR Representative in Sudan, Mohamed Adar, met senior officials at the Ministry of Interior and Sudanese Commission of Refugees. After the meeting he stated he handed over the international support for the over 100,000 Syrian refugees.

Last April, an international team from UNHCR visited Sudan and explored with government officials ways to assist the Syrian refugees in Sudan.

Senior Sudanese officials expect that the number of Syrian refugees may rise as the conflict is escalating in their country.

Last March, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ibrahim Ghandour, briefed an international conference, held in Geneva, for supporting Syrian refugees, on the situation of Syrian refugees in Sudan.

“Sudan is hosting over 2 million refugees form the neighbouring countries and freely provide them with health and education services,” Ghandour told the senior donors meeting in Geneva in March.

“I have discussed with the Sudanese officials mechanisms for supporting Syrian refugees and ways to support refugees living in Sudanese towns,” UNHCR Representative in Sudan, Mohamed Adar told the press in Khartoum, adding that a high level meeting will be held within two days to discuss refugees programme for the rest of the year.

The interior ministry and Sudanese refugees body, on their part, urged UNHCR to increase the assistance extended to refugees from the neighbouring countries and making basic services available in refugee camps.

(ST)

May 4, 2016 (JUBA) – South Sudan's finance minister, David Deng Athorbei has urged ministry's staffs to embark on efforts to address the country's current economic crisis.

South Sudan's minister of finance and economic planning David Deng Athorbei (Middle East Online)

Speaking during a reception party at the ministry headquarters Tuesday, Deng vowed to ride on his past experience to uplift the finance ministry.

“I am not new in the ministry. I am old here but I have to tell you that this time is time of work. We have to work very hard. If we are committed, our performance will change and South Sudan's economy will improve,” he said.

South Sudan's new Transitional Government of National Unity faces an uphill task of reviving an economy largely dependent on oil resources to support its budget.

The oil sector, which accounts for over 90 per cent of government revenues, has been badly affected the recent war, in addition to the decline in oil prices on world markets.

Commodity prices also shot up due to the devaluation of the local currency, South Sudanese pound, which has gravely impacted on the transport sector in the country.

Deng said the current economic crisis demands extra efforts from the finance ministry.

“If the ministry of finance and economic planning has to change, every employee will need to change and if we do not do well, all South Sudanese will be angry with us. Let us concentrate so that our country goes ahead,” he said without further details.

In June 2014, oil prices dropped from $112 to $30 per barrel. South Sudan currently produces 160,000 barrels of crude oil from 350,000 per day before war broke out.

Analysts are optimistic that donor nations like the United States, Japan and China will aid the economy. Such assistance, however, will require that South Sudan to initiate economic reforms, fight corruption and improving its human-right records.

Last week, the U.S. government announced more than $86 million in additional humanitarian assistance to help conflict-affected people in South Sudan and refugees in the region. The fund will reportedly provide much-needed safe drinking water, emergency health care, nutrition services, shelter, improved sanitation facilities, agricultural training, seeds and tools for the most vulnerable families and communities.

South Sudan's largest single donor of humanitarian assistance, the US has reportedly donated nearly $1.6 billion since the start of conflict in the country in December 2013.

(ST)

May 4, 2016 (JUBA) - The Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC) on Wednesday said it does not recognize the legitimacy of the controversial 28 states which President Salva Kiir created in violation of peace agreement and the country's constitution.

South Sudan's President Salva Kiir prepares to give his speech during the India Africa Forum Summit in New Delhi, India, Thursday, Oct. 29, 2015 (Photo AP/Bernat Armangue)

A senior official of the peace monitoring body said they stood by the January communiqué by the East African regional bloc, IGAD, that the parties discuss how many states to create or revert to the 10 states upon which the peace deal was signed.

JMEC warned that failure to suspend the 28 states by the transitional unity government would amount to non-implementation of the peace agreement.

“The JMEC doesn't recognize the 28 states as having been described in the peace agreement and that the position of IGAD and the communique is essentially the position of JMEC and that it is a matter of no further implementation of the 28 state,” said JMEC's Military and Security Advisor, Bill Harmon.

Also, head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) said the decision be suspended until the parties to the agreement reach a consensus to either return to the 10 states or agree to expand the number of states in a manner that would not cause ethnic frictions between local communities in the country.

“On the 28 states, as you all know, the IGAD Heads of State in a communique adopted on the 31st of January urged the transitional government immediately after its establishment to solve the issue of the 28 states, and if they couldn't, to establish a boundary commission,” said Ellen Margrethe Løj, Special Representative and head of UNMISS.

“Now the transitional government has been established and we expect the transitional government urgently to address the issue of the 28 states,” she added.

Løj, who spoke at her first official news conference at which she officially welcomed the formation of unity government following the return to the national capital, Juba, of armed opposition leader, Riek Machar, to take up his new position as the first vice president in accordance with peace agreement, however said there are challenges.

“It is very clear that there are challenges around the country in relation to how the borders have been drawn in the 28 states proposal, and that has led to ethnic tensions in many parts of the country.”

The top UN official in the country referred to the situation around Malakal as particularly sensitive because of the ethnic composition of the population in that area on the east and west bank of the river and in the city of Malakal.

“So we expect the transitional government to urgently address the issue of 28 states, and in the meantime we are not formally recognizing the 28 states, but we are of course dealing with the officials on the ground which we have to do on a daily basis,” she pointed out.

She further said the UN system was waiting for the outcome of the transitional government's deliberation on the states, adding this should also be done in a way that will lessen tensions in various areas.

The warning parties of former government of President Kiir and his rival, Riek Machar, in August last year signed a peace agreement on the basis of the existing 10 states.

During the peace negotiations, the armed opposition faction of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO) led by Machar proposed 21 federal states to be based on former colonial districts in the country.

President Kiir's government at the time rejected the proposal, arguing that the matter would be decided by the people. The government further cited lack of resources to establish more states.

However, over a month later the former government unilaterally decreed into being 28 states, a matter which has been rejected by some communities due to conflicts over boundaries.

The transitional government of national unity is expected to discuss the matter and form state governments.

(ST)

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

May 4, 2016 (ADDIS ABABA) – Ethiopia said it will be investing billons of Dollars to execute various Climate Resilient Green Economy projects across the country.

The US$1.5 billion Gibe III project dam is expected to generate 1870 MW of electricity.

The state minister for environment, Kare Chawicha, said the Horn of Africa nation would invest $150billion to implement projects in the next two decades.

The projects are expected to transform the country's economy to a green one and make them resilient to the effects of global warming.

The new target, the minister said, seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emission, advance economic growth as well as create job opportunities for women and youth.

According to the minister, $ 50billion of the total budget will be allocated to the construction of low-carbon emission and green infrastructures.

Citing to a study conducted on the country, she said Ethiopia annually needs $7.5 billion for the implementation and transformation of its climate-resilient green economy.

Financial sources will be secured from the government and Ethiopian people, investors, financial partners and from revenues collected from trades in the carbon market.

After mobilising a range of financial sources to cover funding needs for the appropriate bodies to carry on the Climate resilient Green economy activities, it will then be run fully and independently by the Ethiopian government.

Ethiopia is one of the many nations most exposed to the effects of global warming.

Due to its vulnerability, Ethiopia is among some African countries currently hit by severe food insecurity caused by El Nino-induced drought.

The drought which is worst in decades led to sharp deterioration in food security and massive drop in agricultural and pastoral production forcing over 10 million Ethiopians to depend on food Aid.

Last month Ethiopia was among the 170 world nation which signed the historic Paris climate deal at UN Headquarters.

Ethiopia has been spearheading Africa's common position on climate change to make sure the continent speaks with one voice in global climate change negotiations.

Climate change generates various kinds of risks and opportunity for Ethiopia that would affect all sectors in the country.

Preliminary projections suggest that climate change can have a sizeable impact in Ethiopia's economy amounting 7-8% of GDP loss per year, with stronger impacts in later decades and on the poor.

Being a low emission country both at aggregate value and per capita Ethiopia's economy has generally low carbon intensity.

However, if the growth trajectory continues on a same pace, UNDP says Ethiopia's greenhouse gas emissions will increase from the current 155 Metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (Mt CO2e) to almost 400 Mt CO2e in 2030 – an increase of more than 150% and roughly the amount of green house gas South Africa emits today.

Under a low carbon growth trajectory, however, studies show that Ethiopia could offset in the order of 250 Metric Tonne (Mt) of carbon dioxide equivalent per annum. At the modest carbon price, this has the potential to generate around 2.5 billion per annum, which is twice as much as Ethiopia's export revenue of coffee today.

Ethiopia intends to become a middle income, carbon neutral and climate resilient economy by 2025.

(ST)

May 4, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir has renewed his country's keenness to cooperate and coordinate with Saudi Arabia in all domains and in particular the economic field to achieve the joint interests of both nations.

Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir (L) walking with Saudi Arabia's King Salman Bin Abdel Aziz in Riyadh on 25 March 2015 (SPA)

Bashir, who met the Saudi minister of petroleum and mineral resources, Ali bin Ibrahim Al-Naimi in the presence of Sudan's minerals minister, Mohamed Sadiq al-Karouri Wednesday, announced readiness to open the doors to receive the Saudi investments particularly with regard to mineral wealth.

Following the meeting, Al-Naimi told reporters that he conveyed greetings of the Saudi King Salman Bin Abdul-Aziz and his Crown Prince Mohamed Bin Nayef to Bashir, saying he also briefed him on the Kingdom's new economic vision aiming at diversifying the sources of income.

Last month, the oil-dependent Kingdom revealed a long-term plan to transform itself into a diversified economy, with non-oil government revenues projected to increase six-fold by 2030.

According to the official news agency (SUNA), Al-Naimi expressed his country's desire to invest in mineral wealth in Sudan and to utilize the economic resources in both nations through joint cooperation.

For his part, Al-Karouri said that Sudan is ready to provide the necessary incentives and remove all obstacles facing Saudi investments in order to achieve the joint interests.

He announced that the two countries agreed to revive the Atlantis II project on the basis of new understandings, saying the project is on the top agenda of the Saudi minister visit to Sudan.

In February 2012, Khartoum and Riyadh signed an agreement known as Atlantis II on exploring minerals in the joint territorial water in the Red Sea.

The project goes back to 1970s, when Sudanese government had plans to exploit the Red Sea bed with Preussag AG, a German mining company but it was abandoned due to the lack of suitable exploration technologies at the time.

In 2010, the Canadian Diamond Fields International and Saudi Manafa International Ltd. were licensed by the Saudi Sudanese Committee to conduct exploration activities in Red Sea rift valley.

In a feasibility study conducted in 2012, Diamond Fields International expected that Saudi Arabia and Sudan will make big profits from the extraction of copper, silver and zinc from Red Sea bed. At the time, it expected to start production in 2014 once technical studies are terminated.

Sudan's foreign relations have witnessed a remarkable shift since last fall particularly in its rapprochement with the Arab Gulf states following years of chilly ties.

The east African nation participates with over 850 troops in the Saudi-led "Decisive Storm" against the Iranian-allied Houthi militants in Yemen.

The Sudanese military participation in the military campaign in Yemen and the Islamic alliance reconciled Bashir's regime with the Saudi government, and marked the divorce with Iran.

(ST)