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June 8, 2017 (ADDIS ABABA) - The Ethiopian parliament on Thursday deliberated over a draft budget for the upcoming Ethiopian fiscal year of 2010 which begins from August 2017-June 2018.

State Minister of Finance and Economic Cooperation, Abraham Tekeste, Thursday presented the draft budget proposed last week to Parliament for discussion.

Last Friday the council of ministers proposed 320.8 Birr (USD 13.8 Billion) which the new budget had seen a rise of $ 2.02 billion (16.9%) to that of the current fiscal year.

Of the total, some $ 4.9 billion are allocated for capital expenditures while some $ 3.55 billion are slated for regular expenses.

Over $ 5.08 billion (some 36.6%) is allocated to subsidies regional states.

Some $ 303 million are allotted to enforce the sustainable development goals (SDGs).

The new budget has seen $ 2.02 billion (some 16.9%) rise to that of the just-ending fiscal Ethiopian year.

State minister, Abraham said the draft budget was designed taken to account the socio-economic devolvement activities and impact of continental and global economic situation as well as pledges of international aid donors.

At the Parliament hearing today, Abraham said the country is expected to register 11.1% of economic growth in 2017/18 Ethiopian fiscal year.

After discussions, the Parliament has referred the draft budget to the budget and finance affairs to further scrutiny.

(ST)

June 8, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Thursday renewed calls to arrest the Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir and other suspects of alleged war crimes and genocide in Darfur region.

The Hague-based court issued arrest warrants for Bashir in 2009 and 2010, accusing him of committing genocide and other atrocities during a counterinsurgency campaign in western Sudan region of Darfur.

However, Bashir continues to defy the arrest warrants and travel across the world including in ICC state members where he is welcomed by its leaders. Also, Sudan last March criticised a UN spokesperson for calling to arrest and hand over Bashir to the war crimes court.

“Not one of the suspects for whom warrants have been issued has been arrested and transferred to the International Criminal Court,” ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda told the United Nations Security Council.

Further, she said that the victims and their families should not despair or abandon hope, pointing that the international tribunals for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia were reminders that persistence and determination could result in the arrest and surrender of suspects many years after the issuance of arrest warrants.

The UN Security Council referred the Darfur case to the ICC for investigation in March 2005 under a Chapter VII resolution since Sudan is not a member of the ICC.

“The States that form this Council have the power, independently and collectively, to positively influence and incentivize States, whether or not parties to the Rome Statute, to assist in the efforts to arrest and surrender the Darfur suspects,” she said, adding that regional organisations can do the same.

Bensouda noted that to date, the Court has made 13 decisions on non-compliance and referred them to the Security Council.

“Yet not one has been acted upon by this Council,” she said. “By failing to act in response to such Court decisions, this Council is, in essence, relinquishing and undermining its clear role on such matters,” she stressed.

Regarding his trips South Africa, the prosecutor said the ICC pre-trial chamber plans to decide whether South Africa acted in non-compliance with the Statute when it failed to arrest and hand over al-Bashir in June 2015.

By the end of March 2017, the Sudanese president travelled to Jordan to attend an Arab League meeting, but Jordan declined to arrest and surrender him.

“Inviting, facilitating or supporting the international travel of any person subject to an ICC arrest warrant is inconsistent with a commitment to international criminal justice,” she said. “It is also an affront to the victims in the Darfur situation,” she said.

(ST)

Australian shipbuilders Austal and ASC Shipbuilding announced on 8 June that they have teamed up for the build of vessels in the Royal Australian Navy's (RAN's) SEA 5000 Future Frigate programme. Under this arrangement, Austal and ASC Shipbuilding will act as one in support of the programme,

Burkina Faso has received two Bell UH-1H helicopters that were donated by the government of Taiwan, the Taiwanese Embassy in Ouagadougou announced on 7 June. The two aircraft officially were handed over by Taiwanese General Wang Hsin-Lung during a ceremony at Air Base 511 in Ouagadougou the day

Key Points A "MQ-1-like" UAV dropped a weapon on coalition and local forces patrolling in eastern Syria. US aircraft shot down the UAV, while also striking two armed pick-up trucks entering a nearby deconfliction zone. Pro-government forces in Syria attempted to attack US-led coalition

The EU Council on 8 June approved the creation of a military planning and conduct capability (MPCC) command headquarters for the EU's non-combat expeditionary civil security and military missions. Located within the EU Military Staff (EUMS), it will command the EU's three current military missions

The European Tactical Airlift Centre was officially opened at Zaragoza Air Force Base on 8 June, formally transferring the European Defence Agency's (EDA's) joint air transport training programmes to Spain. The ceremony was conducted by the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security

A German court has rejected General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc's (GA-ASI's) challenge of Germany's decision to lease Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Heron TP medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) instead of procuring the MQ-9 Reaper. The German Ministry of

Orbital ATK is finalising its design concept solution for an extended-range (ER) upgrade of the AGM-88E Block 1 Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM). The Orbital ATK AARGM ER design concept is specifically intended to address the US Navy (USN) requirement for improved AARGM operational

Raytheon Missile Systems has been contracted by the US Navy (USN) to test an extended-range (ER) variant of the air-launched AGM-154C-1 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW). The USD8.86 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract will see the company conduct a flight test demonstration of the powered JSOW C-1

In a show of support for Qatar, the Turkish government brought forward two parliamentary bills on deploying troops to the Gulf state and training its gendarmerie and used its majority to approve them on 7 June. The votes came as Qatar faced increased regional isolation after Saudi Arabia severed

June 8, 2017 (JUBA) - South Sudan's President Salva Kiir will not attend regional bloc's (IGAD) extraordinary summit due in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa on Monday, his office announced on Thursday.

Ethiopia's Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn (L), South Sudanese President Salva Kiir (C) and Kenya's Uhuru Kenyatta in Juba, December 26, 2013 (AP)

The summit, to be attended by IGAD heads of state and government, is expected to discuss the dire security and humanitarian situation facing South Sudan and the obstacles to the implementation of the peace agreement signed in August, 2015.

An official at the office of the South Sudanese presidency confirmed Kiir's absence.

“He [Kiir] will not attend the IGAD summit. The president has already sent a letter of apology through the minister in his office,” said the spokesperson for South Sudan presidency, Ateny Wek Ateny.

“There are no reasons, but the president is attending to other things here in South Sudan. The team that will represent the president has not yet been formed,” he added.

Ateny said the South Sudanese leader had other commitments in the war-torn nation, adding that government was implementing the 2015 peace accord.

Several military and government officials attributed Kiir's change of mind to advice from security and the Jieng Council of Elders (JCE), who reportedly think regional leaders may force Kiir to make concessions in favour of armed opposition forces.

Others claim the main reason for the president's absence stems from fears that he could be blocked from returning to the country since the army is divided after he sacked the army chief of general staff, Paul Malong Awan from his post in May.

There are also concerns from the leadership on why the summit was called at the time when the armed opposition forces have stepped up their activities in the region.

The summit is among others, expected to help find amicable remedies to the dire security and humanitarian situation in South Sudan.

The extraordinary summit was called by the Ethiopian Prime Minister, Hailemariam Desalegn, who is also the current chairperson of the regional bloc.

Desalegn said the implementation of South Sudan's 2015 peace deal was lagging behind and fighting still rages on, despite declaration of a unilateral ceasefire and the recent launch by the recent launch of the national dialogue.

South Sudan descended into civil war after President Kiir fired Riek Machar as vice president in 2013. A peace deal signed in 2015 is yet to be fully implemented.

(ST)

June 8, 2017 (JUBA) - More than 10 people were killed and dozens wounded when unknown gunmen attacked vehicles travelling on the Juba-Nimule highway Thursday.

General view of Juba Nimule road leading to Nimule Park and neighbouring Uganda (Pinterest photo)

No group claimed responsibility for the attack.

The police spokesman, Brigadier Daniel Justin confirmed the incident, which occurred near Moli village in Eastern Equatoria state.

The attackers, according to the police spokesman, overpowered the military escort, resulting in the death of three government soldiers while three others were wounded as they escorted buses.

"What happened was a barbaric act, it is a banditry activity. And so it is unfortunate that 14 people have lost their lives, 10 have been injured and the cars in which they were travelling have been burnt,” Justin told reporters in the capital, Juba Thursday.

He added, “The police and other organised forces have stepped up measures to restore law and order".

The attack highlights a rise in insecurity and casts doubt on the sustainability of a unilateral ceasefire President Salva Kiir declared.

The 192 km Juba-Nimule highway is the only paved road in South Sudan and is vital for supply of goods from neighbouring countries to the young nation.

(ST)

June 8, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The newly appointed chairman of the People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) Abdel Aziz al-Hilu, Thursday has accepted to temporarily assume the leadership of the group in order to overcome the crisis the armed group experiences since several months.

Abel Aziz al-Hilu (Reuters file photo)

"Taking into consideration the leadership vacuum caused by the crisis and the rift caused by the unfortunate events in the Blue Nile region, in addition to the absence of a Manifesto and national structures, I hereby accept the temporary assignment to contain the crisis on the one hand, and work with the two Councils (of the Nuba Mountains and the Blue Nile) to accomplish the following tasks: 1-break the rift (the group is experiencing) 2- complement and build the temporary national structures to prepare for the General Conference," said al-Hilu in a statement he released.

In a meeting held on Wednesday in the SPLM-N controlled areas in South Kordofan, the Nuba Mountains Liberation Council (NMLC) decide to relieve Malik Agar from the chairmanship of the group and appointed al-Hilu to replace him.

Last March, the NMLC declined to accept al-Hilu's resignation and sacked Yasir Arman, the SPLM-N secretary-general and chief negotiator. The latter was accused by al-Hilu of refusing to include the demand for self-determination in the agenda of talks with the Sudanese government.

However, al-Hilu in his statement said Agar and Arman have contributed to the struggle of the group and have the right retain their membership in the Movement, to take part in the general conference, and to run for any position in the organisation as any other member.

"Thus, it is clear that my mission is limited to creating a conducive environment and achieving unity and harmony between the different components of the Movement until the General Conference, after what I will hand over the responsibility to the leadership elected by the Conference," he asserted.

Agar didn't react to the decision of the Nuba Mountains body to dismiss him from the leadership of the group. However, a source close to the rebel leader says they are expected to riposte to these developments soon.

Also, SPLM-N spokesperson for peace talks Mubarak Ardol released a statement where he accused al-Hilu of plotting take power adding that the NMLC decisions have no value and that the new leader is not a factor of unity within the SPLM-N nor in the Nuba Mountains.

CALLS FOR SUPPORT

Nonetheless, SPLM-N spokesperson Arnu Ngutulu Lodi has called on the leadership and members of the armed group to contribute and support the new leader Abdel Aziz al-Hilu.

Wednesday's decisions were "eagerly awaited by the people of the SPLM for a long time ago to reform Movement and direct it to fulfil the desires and aspirations of the marginalised, and in support of the decision of the Blue Nile Liberation Council," he said in a statement released on Thursday.

He said the Nuba Mountains Liberation Council was forced to take these decisions because of its keenness to accomplish the vision of the New Sudan and to preserve the SPLM-N unity.

He further expressed the hope that all the "comrades" would stand by the new leadership and appealed the SPLM member and all those who support the New Sudan project to support and contribute with their opinions and ideas.

He stressed that "the next phase under the new leadership will witness the establishment of the SPLM institutions at all levels."

(ST)

FIVE soldiers and three pro-government militiamen were killed when unidentified armed people opened fire at security forces in the Aimaq Khana area in Qorghan district in Afghanistan's Faryab province on 8 June, Afghan Islamic Press reported. Taliban militants claimed responsibility for the attack

Leonardo Helicopters is scheduled to conduct a first flight of a modernised Super Lynx AH-11B multirole helicopter for the Brazilian Navy in July, the service told Jane's . The company is upgrading eight of the Super Lynx AH-11As fielded by HA-1 Lince Squadron from São Pedro da Aldeia naval

The Chilean Navy plans to soon upgrade its eight AS 365 Dauphin 2 helicopters, but has not awarded or signed contracts yet, military sources in Santiago told Jane's . According to the sources, upgrades for the AS 365 fleet have long been studied, including talks and information exchanges with

Key Points Turkey and Iran have criticised Saudi and Emirati-led action against Qatar, and are also offering support to offset the impact of their campaign to isolate it. Saudi Arabia and the UAE's commitment to countering the Qatar-backed Muslim Brotherhood, together with President Erdogan's

In the Galbi area of Mora district, Mayo Sava department, Extreme Nord region, two female suicide bombers detonated their explosives wounding two people. Although there was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, Wilayat Gharb Afriqiyya were assessed to have been responsible.

The Patria AMV was developed in close co-operation with the Finnish Defence Force and has gone on to enter service with a number of militaries and prove itself capable in an expanding range of missions. Christopher F Foss explores the variants Patria's first wheeled armoured personnel carrier (APC)