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May 24, 2016 (WASHINGTON) – An advocacy group, Enough Project, said there was need in South Sudan to bring to justice the leaders responsible for the 2013 crisis.

US peace activist John Prendergast speaking to senior South Sudan army officers during his visit to Bor February 9, 2014 (Photo: Larco Lomoyat)

Authored by John Prendergast, Founding Director of the Enough Project, he said the statement presented the case for the United States (U.S.) and the broader international community to counter what he said was the violent kleptocracy.

The 9-page brief statement, entitled “The Paper Tiger in South Sudan: Threats without Consequences for Atrocities and Kleptocracy” was followed. The brief presents critical recommendations for U.S. leadership, including imposing and enforcing targeted sanctions on senior officials of consequence in order to pressure these leaders to place the well-being of their people ahead of personal enrichment and power politics.

“After 30 years of either living in, visiting, or working in South Sudan, and after extensive analysis undertaken by my colleagues at the Enough Project, our collective conclusion is that the primary root cause for the atrocities and instability that mark South Sudan's short history is that the government there quickly morphed into a violent kleptocracy,” Deng said.
“Grand corruption and extreme violence are not aberrations; they are the system,” he said.

An elite pact, he added, like the current peace deal between the Juba government and the Sudan People's Liberation Army-In Opposition (SPLA-IO) may be the quickest path out of the immediate violence.

He said unless the violent “kleptocratic” system is addressed head-on by policymakers internationally, the billions of dollars spent annually for peacekeeping, humanitarian aid, and the ongoing diplomacy and assistance supporting the peace deal there will simply be treating symptoms, not addressing the primary root cause of cyclical conflict.

“The surest way for the United States and the broader international community to create real consequences and build critically-needed leverage for peace is by hitting the leaders of rival kleptocratic factions in South Sudan where it hurts the most: their wallets,” the statement said.

The lack of money requires a hard-target transnational search for dirty money and corrupt deals made by government officials, rebel leaders, arms traffickers, complicit bankers, and mining and oil company representatives.”

“Addressing root causes will require much greater international leverage, which until now has been a cripplingly and puzzlingly insufficient part of international efforts to support peace and human rights in South Sudan.”

“Sanctions, anti-money laundering measures, prosecutions, asset seizure and forfeiture, and other economic tools of 21st-century foreign policy are key instruments in securing foreign policy goals,” it said.

The administration, it said, should consider enacting secondary sanctions that would target foreign financial institutions engaged in facilitation of public corruption in South Sudan.

Additionally, sectoral sanctions could be deployed to limit certain types of financing available for future (rather than current) petroleum projects.”

The representatives see some evidence that officials from countries neighbouring South Sudan may have played a role in facilitating or helping to conceal the offshoring of their assets.

“The United States has tools at its disposal to foster significant change and help to end the suffering on the ground in South Sudan,” it said.

He said the Obama administration should deploy the tools of financial pressure accordingly, and the U.S. Congress should work to ensure that the agencies responsible for administering sanctions and leveraging such tools have sufficient resources and staff to fulfil this mission.

(ST)

La FAO et le PAM ont commencé à distribuer des semences, des outils agricoles et de la nourriture à près de 50.000 familles d'agriculteurs souffrant de la faim durant cette saison de semis dans les régions de la République centrafricaine les plus frappées par l'insécurité alimentaire.

En cette Journée de l'Afrique qui est célébrée chaque année le 25 mai, le Secrétaire général de l'ONU, Ban Ki-moon, a exhorté tous les acteurs concernés à soutenir la transformation radicale des infrastructures requise pour atteindre les objectifs de développement durable de l'Afrique à l'horizon 2030.

Le Conseil de sécurité a adopté à l'unanimité mercredi la résolution 2288 (2016) par laquelle il décide de mettre fin, avec effet immédiat, aux dernières sanctions contre le Libéria, à savoir les mesures concernant les armes, imposées en 2003.

Le Secrétaire général de l'ONU, Ban Ki-moon, s'est déclaré mercredi profondément préoccupé par les informations faisant état de tensions politiques grandissantes en République démocratique du Congo (RDC), en lien avec l'incertitude qui persiste autour du processus électoral.

Expressing concern about possible imminent executions in Gaza, the United Nations human rights office today urged the authorities in Gaza to uphold their obligations to respect the rights to life and to a fair trial and not carry out death penalty.

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

May 24, 2016 (ADDIS ABABA) – Dozens of African Health Ministers support Ethiopian foreign Minister, Tedros' Adhanom, in his candidature for a top post at the World Health Organization (WHO).

Ethiopia's Foreign Minister Tedros Adhanom speaks during a joint news conference with Algeria's Foreign Minister Mourad Medelci in Algiers June 30, 2013 (REUTERS/Ramzi Boudina)

Earlier this year, the African Union Executive Council endorsed the candidature of Tedros Adhanom for the post of WHO Director-General.

In statement issued Monday, Ethiopian's ministry of foreign affairs said health Ministers of more than 30 African countries have pledged to support the Ethiopian minister.

“Given the merits of Dr Tedros, what excuses do we have not to support his candidature?” said African Union's Commissioner for Social Affairs, Mustapha Kaloko at a special dinner reception in held in Geneva.

“Dr Tedros is a person WHO needs most to move forward with its reform agenda” Kaloko added.

Gambia's Health Minister described Dr Tedros as a candidate who hails an academic background and a proven public service record and a researcher that is capable of pushing for reform in WHO operations.

Tanzania's Health Minister made a moving remark where she said, Tanzania will stand by the candidate who is our own African son as Nyreee would have it.

Tedros had previously served as Ethiopia's Minister of Health for seven years before he assumed his post as Ethiopia's Minister of Foreign Affairs in November 2012.

Dr Kesetebirahn Admasu, Ethiopia's Health Minister, shared the gathering his intimate experience describing his long-time colleague as a man of profound humbleness and humility.

He cited some of the success stories of Ethiopia's health under Dr Tedros's leadership anong others mentioning those 3,500 health centers built and 16,000 health posts in less than seven years time.

He also mentioned the role he played in mosquito net distribution in Ethiopia.

“Until 2005, Ethiopia's total distribution of mosquito nets was 500,000. However, Dr Tedros had the audacity to aim leap frog the number to 20, 000, 000,” said the Ethiopian health minister.

"In less than two years Ethiopia managed to distribute 18,000,000 mosquito nets which is an unprecedented coverage in any part of the world, Dr Kesetebirahn said adding “Africa is not presenting only an African candidate, but an able candidate "

At the occasion, health Ministers of Nigeria, South Africa, Libya, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Sudan were among the Ministers who made a strong reformation of support to his candidacy.

In the past, he Ethiopian foreign minister had served in a number of expert and leadership positions in both federal and regional government,

After becoming minister of health, Tedros introduced multiple popular programs including the introduction of the 30,000-strong health extension workers program that focuses on child and maternal mortality.

Tedros dedicated his career to public service and scientific research on health concerns.

He is also a globally recognized researcher on Malaria and has written and published numerous studies on the subject in scientific publications, including Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, The Lancet, and Nature and Parasitologia.

Tedros has won many international awards including the ‘Young Investigator of the Year' award from the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

He was also the first non-American recipient of the “Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Humanitarian Award”, in 2011.

The election for the WHO Director General post is scheduled for May 2017 during the 70th session of the WHO Assembly.

(ST)

May 24, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - The Al-Khatim Adlan Centre for Enlightenment and Human Development (KACE) said Sudan's National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) last Sunday has arrested several civil society and human rights activists.

Arwa Elrabie, executive director of Al-Zarqa Rural Development Organization (KACE Photo)

Since three years ago, NISS has intensified its crackdown on the cultural and human rights centres and ordered closure of most of them accusing the organisations of receiving foreign funding and being linked to opposition and working to topple the regime.

In a statement released Tuesday, KACE said that 8 activists have been summoned to the Office of the Prosecutor for Crimes against the State last Sunday for charges filed against them by the NISS, noting they were arrested at the state security prosecution awaiting investigation.

Reliable sources told Sudan Tribune that the activists have been transferred to the Khartoum North Central Court following the investigation and they expected to appear before the court on June 8th.

According to the statement, the list of the detainees include the director of the Centre for Training and Human Development (Tracks) Khalaf Allah al-Afif, administrative director of Tracks, Arwa Elrabie, executive director of Al-Zarqa Rural Development Organization, Mustafa Adam besides Al-Khazini Ahmed al-Hadi, Midhat Afif al-Din Hamdan, Hassan Khairi, Al-Shazali Ibrahim El-Shiekh and Imani Liela.

The statement added that NISS raided Tracks' premises in Khartoum on 29 February and seized the employee laptops and personal belongings including their mobile phones, saying it continued to summon the center's officials before transferring the case to the prosecution office.

It added that NISS had previously raided the center in March 2015 and filed charges against its officials however the court dismissed the case for lack of evidence and ordered return of the properties.

The statement pointed out that the detainees are experiencing harsh conditions and some of them suffer from a number of diseases, saying their visit is only allowed upon permission from the prosecutor.

KACE expressed concern over the deteriorating human rights situation in Sudan and in particular the conditions of rights defenders and civil society activists, pointing to the large restrictions on activities of NGO's working to promote human rights in the country.

It demanded the authorities to stop the arbitrary measures against the activists and to lift restrictions on the civil society to allow it carry out its role in strengthening human rights and human development.

The statement further urged the government to abide by its international obligations with regard to human rights and freedoms of expression, association and communication set forth in international covenants and conventions.

In December 2012, Sudanese authorities closed three civil society groups: Sudanese Studies Centre (SSC), KACE, the Organisation for Human Rights and Development (ARRY). The Cultural Forum for Literary Criticism, a literary forum, was also closed.

In March 2014, NISS banned for the first time a celebration of Women's Day organised by the Salmmah Women's Resource Centre and other groups.

Also, in January 2015 NISS raided the Mahmoud Mohamed Taha Cultural Centre in Khartoum's twin city of Omdurman and ordered its closure.

(ST)

May 24, 2016 (JUBA)- South Sudanese government announced Tuesday that a high level delegation will travel to Khartoum for bilateral talks on the implementation of security arrangements the two neighbouring countries signed since four years.

South Sudan's defence minister Kuol Manyang Juuk shakes hands with his Sudanese counterpart Mohamed Ahmed Ibn Ouf while AUHIP member Abdulsalam Abubakar applauds, after the signing of an agreement to operationalize the buffer zone between the two countries on 14 October 2015 (Courtesy photo by the AUHIP).

According to acting spokesperson of South Sudan foreign affairs and international cooperation Ministry, Thomas Kenneth, The delegation, will be led by Defence Minister, Kuol Manyang Juuk.

The purpose of the mission of the delegation, according to Kenneth, will be to meet with their counterparts in the Sudanese government to hold discussions on security matters, specifically issues to security arrangement under the 2012 cooperation agreement which the two countries had signed.

Other members of the delegation will include the minister of interior, Alfred Lado Gore and foreign affairs and international cooperation Minister Deng Alor Kuol.

The chief of General Staff of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), the official army of South Sudan, Paul Malong Awan, will also go on the trip.

The latter had rejected in the past the operationalization of the buffer zone because it includes the disputed area of Mile 14, despite the assurances of the mediation that the measure will not prejudge any final demarcation of the 1,800-km border.

The officials were supposed to have travelled to the Sudanese on Monday 23 May but decided to push the meeting to June 7th as the day on which they would be able to travel to Sudanese capital, Khartoum.

The cause of the delay remains unclear and no official statements were released to the public.

Sudan recently closed again the border with South Sudan and renewed accusations that Juba continues to support the Sudanese armed groups.
(ST)

Elle était un peu sortie des radars mais la guerre en Ukraine se poursuit, de jour en jour, et ces dernières 48 heures elle a été particulièrement meurtrière. Une recrudescence des combats dans le Donbass a fait sept morts parmi les forces ukrainiennes, un regain de violence qui intervient alors que le processus de paix de Minsk n’arrive toujours pas à trouver de solution durable au conflit.

The barbers of Freetown in Sierra Leone

Good evening and welcome to this press conference. 

The main topic of today's Eurogroup was of course Greece, so I will concentrate on that. We've reached a full staff-level agreement; well actually, the institutions and Greece had already reached the full staff-level agreement and that was welcomed and agreed and adhered to by the Eurogroup today. So on the package of all these major reforms that Greece had committed to last summer - we have now a full agreement, a lot of legislative work has been done by the Greek government and the institutions will do a final check on that to look at the last legislative work and to see whether that's all in agreement. Part of that is of course the contingency mechanism that makes sure that Greece stays on the fiscal path. 

On that basis and of the full implementation of those prior actions and the completion of the national procedures, the ESM will be able to endorse the supplementary MOU and then approve the disbursement of the 2nd tranche of this programme. The figure that we have outlined for that is €10.3 billion, to be disbursed in several disbursements but perhaps I'll leave it to Klaus to outline how that works both in substance and in procedure. So this is very good news, already this part of the agreement of today is very good news because it shows that the programme is fully back on track and that Greece has done a lot and is delivering a lot and we are making good progress there. 

Of course this should lead to a full and positive conclusion of the first review, and as you remember, on that basis we've promised to look at debt and discuss debt sustainability. And we did. We prepared that in a couple of Eurogroups behind us already when we said we would discuss it, when we said we had agreed on the method to look at gross financing needs on an annual basis to take as a standard the maximum of 15% of GDP and in the future, once the debt has gone down, that can go to 20%. So on the methodology we already have agreement. We also already agreed in the previous Eurogroup to take it step by step, so we have designed and agreed today a number of measures that can be taken on in the short run. We have a number of measures already for the medium term, if and when needed, and we have designed an additional mechanism for the long term. Let me give you little more information on that. 

The short term is basically a debt management so we've asked the ESM management to look at the measures, which have to do with repayment profiles, which have to do with reducing interest rate risks and which also outline a waiver of the step-up interest rate margin related to the debt buy-back tranche which was in the second Greek programme. So along those lines we've asked the ESM management to see what is possible and to take decisions on that in the short run and to take that on. 

It's difficult now and of course Klaus now probably will say more about what in economic terms the impact of that will be, but that is yet to be developed further by the ESM management. 

For the medium term -- this is a second term of measures -- will come into play upon the full implementation of the programme, so this is mid-2018, and the programme runs until July 2018 to be precise. If all is implemented and the programme has come to a successful end, we intend to do more along the following lines to abolish the step-up interest rate margin to the debt buy-back tranche of the 2nd Greek programme as of 2018 and the following years. It is the same measure that was also in the short-term package, but then it was only for 2017 so we will continue that measure for the longer term. 

A second element here is the use of the SMP profits and the restoration. If you remember, this was also the part of the second programme where we agreed to return the SMP profits and the profits from ANFA holdings to Greece. When the programme got into trouble in 2014, that stopped, the transfer of these profits. Some are still in the segregated account at the ESM in Luxembourg, that's the 2014 June tranche, so that will be made available. And as of budget year 2017, we will restart this transfer of ANFA and SMP profits to Greece. 

A third element in the medium term package: liability management, where we will consider early partial repayment of existing official loans to Greece. Utilizing unused resources within the ESM programme. To be a little more precise, you remember that part of this programme last summer: we reserved €25 billion for the recapitalization of banks; a lot less was needed -- roughly €5 billion -- so there's €20 billion so far unused. Part of that we will set aside for possible future problems in banks, but the larger part of that could be made available and used to swap existing official loans to Greece in order to reduce the interest rate costs or extend maturities. 

A final element in the medium term package is targeted EFSF re-profiling: that could be extension of weighted average maturities re-profiling of EFSF amortization, as well as capping and deferral of the interest payments. And here we will make sure that we don't incur any additional costs for former programme countries or to the EFSF. 

Then finally for the long term we've agreed to put in place a mechanism, which if needed and activated by the Eurogroup could provide additional debt measures to meet the gross financing benchmarks if it were to be a problem in the future. Of course, as you know, the whole loan package has a long maturity period so we also need to consider the longer period ahead. All of this of course under the agreement that Greece complies with the requirements of our fiscal frameworks. 

Now having said that, the key issue that will certainly interest you is whether the IMF is coming on board and tonight I am very glad to be able to say that the IMF has expressed its intention to recommend to the Fund's board to approve the financial arrangement before the end of the year. So the IMF will go to the board on the basis of this agreement to be part again of the support programme for Greece. Of course this requires a number of steps still to be taken. I will mention just two -- one is of course that before the IMF goes to the board we have a new DSA, to assess where we are, take into account all that is in this agreement and the IMF will of course assess the possible debt relief measures that we, the Eurogroup members, agreed tonight. So those are two key issues that IMF will have to assess before taking that board decision. 

The possible debt relief -- mainly talking about the medium-term package -- will be delivered at the end of the programme, so we are talking mid-2018. The scope will be determined by the Eurogroup on the basis of a revised DSA which will be designed in cooperation with European institutions, also taking into account the European fiscal policy framework -- and this is an important point brought by a number of ministers and also by Klaus -- that of course even after the programme, Greece will, as all Eurogroup members, remain under supervision for its fiscal policies by the Commission. So that is an important element also to take into consideration when we look at the future. 

On that basis we look forward to not just the successful completion of the first review, but also the intention of the IMF management to go to the board. I think this is an important moment in the long Greek programme -- an important moment for all of us since last summer when we had a major crisis of confidence between us -- that confidence has begun to recover. I think that this helped us very much in this Eurogroup and in the last Eurogroups, starting to talk about where we are in the programmes, talk about what is further needed to support Greece, also looking at its debt. And I want to extend my thanks to also to the Greek finance minister and his staff; they have been working very constructively, very seriously, with us, with the institutions, to get us where we are now and I think that is a new phase that I welcome very much. 

Thank you. 

Réuni mardi soir à Bruxelles, l'Eurogroupe a trouvé un accord sur l'octroi d'un nouveau prêt de 10,3 milliards d'euros pour Athènes. Autre point important : les ministres des Finances sont convenus de mesures pour un allègement de la dette grecque. 

Az Eurócsoport keddi ülésén megszületett az elvi megállapodás az új görög program első felülvizsgálatáról, a kölcsön második, 10,3 milliárd eurós részletének nyár végéig történő folyósításáról és a görög adósság könnyítését célzó intézkedésekről is. Az IMF tárgyaló delegációja a valutaalap görög hitelprogramban való részvételét fogja javasolni az igazgatótanácsnak, ami az év vége előtt hozza majd meg a döntést.

Graduates' fruitless search for employment

The Eurogroup welcomes that a full staff-level agreement has been reached between Greece and the institutions. Also, the Eurogroup notes with satisfaction that the Greek authorities and the European institutions have reached an agreement on the contingency fiscal mechanism, which is in line with the Eurogroup statement adopted on 9 May in particular as regard the possible adoption of permanent structural measures, including revenue measures, to be agreed with the institutions. It therefore provides further reassurances that Greece will meet the primary surplus targets of the ESM programme (3.5% of GDP in the medium-term), without prejudice to the obligations of Greece under the SGP and the Fiscal Compact. 

The Eurogroup also welcomes the adoption by the Greek parliament of most of the agreed prior actions for the first review, notably the adoption of legislation to deliver fiscal parametric measures amounting to 3% of GDP that should allow to meet the fiscal targets in 2018, to open up the market for the sale of loans and to establish the agreed Greek Privatisation and Investment Fund that should operate in full independence. The Eurogroup mandates the EWG to verify in the next few days the full implementation of the outstanding prior actions on the basis of an assessment by the institutions, in particular the corrections to the legislation on the opening up of the market for the sale of loans, and on the pension reform, as well as the completion of all prior actions related to the government pending actions in the field of privatization. 

Following the full implementation of all prior actions and subject to the completion of national procedures, the ESM governing bodies are expected to endorse the supplemental MoU and approve the disbursement of the second tranche of the ESM programme. The second tranche under the ESM programme amounting to EUR 10.3 bn will be disbursed to Greece in several disbursements, starting with a first disbursement in June (EUR 7.5 bn) to cover debt servicing needs and to allow a clearance of an initial part of arrears as a means to support the real economy. The subsequent disbursements to be used for arrears clearance and further debt servicing needs will be made after the summer. The disbursements for arrears clearance will be subject to a positive reporting by the European Institutions on the clearance of net arrears. The additional disbursement for debt servicing needs will be subject to milestones related to privatization, including the new Privatization and Investment Fund, bank governance, revenue agency and energy sector to be assessed by the European institutions and verified by the EWG and the ESM Board of Directors. 

In line with the 9 May Eurogroup statement, and in view of the forthcoming full implementation of all the prior actions by Greece and completion of the first review, the Eurogroup considered today the sustainability of Greek public debt. 

The Eurogroup agrees to assess debt sustainability with reference to the following benchmark for gross financing needs (GFN): under the baseline scenario, GFN should remain below 15% of GDP during the post programme period for the medium term, and below 20% of GDP thereafter. 

The Eurogroup recalls the medium-term primary surplus target of 3.5% of GDP as of 2018 and underlines the importance of a fiscal trajectory consistent with the fiscal commitments under the EU framework. 

The Eurogroup recalls the following general guiding principles agreed on 9 May for possible additional debt measures: (i) facilitating market access in order to replace over time public financed debt with privately financed debt; (ii) smoothening the repayment profile; (iii) incentivising the country's adjustment process even after the programme ends; and (iv) flexibility to accommodate uncertain GDP growth and interest rate developments in the future. On 9 May the Eurogroup also reconfirmed that nominal haircuts are excluded, and that all measures taken will be in line with existing EU law and the ESM and EFSF legal frameworks. 

Guided by these principles and on the basis of technical work carried out by the EWG, the Eurogroup agreed today on a package of debt measures which will be phased in progressively, as necessary to meet the agreed benchmark on gross financing needs and will be subject to the pre-defined conditionality of the ESM programme. 

For the short-term, the Eurogroup agrees on a first set of measures which will be implemented after the closure of the first review up to the end of the programme and which includes: 

• Smoothening the EFSF repayment profile under the current weighted average maturity
• Use EFSF/ESM diversified funding strategy to reduce interest rate risk without incurring any additional costs for former programme countries
• Waiver of the step-up interest rate margin related to the debt buy-back tranche of the 2nd Greek programme for the year 2017

The Eurogroup asks the EFSF and ESM management to take these measures forward within their mandate, on the basis of preparatory work by the EWG, and where needed to prepare formal decision making by the relevant EFSF and ESM decision-making bodies. The decision on the smoothening of the EFSF repayment profile and the reduction of interest rate risks should be taken as a matter of priority. 

For the medium term, the Eurogroup expects to implement a possible second set of measures following the successful implementation of the ESM programme. These measures will be implemented if an update of the debt sustainability analysis produced by the institutions at the end of the programme shows they are needed to meet the agreed GFN benchmark, subject to a positive assessment from the institutions and the Eurogroup on programme implementation. 

• Abolish the step-up interest rate margin related to the debt buy-back tranche of the 2nd Greek programme as of 2018
• Use of 2014 SMP profits from the ESM segregated account and the restoration of the transfer of ANFA and SMP profits to Greece (as of budget year 2017) to the ESM segregated account as an ESM internal buffer to reduce future gross financing needs.  
• Liability management - early partial repayment of existing official loans to Greece by utilizing unused resources within the ESM programme to reduce interest rate costs and to extend maturities. Due account will be taken of exceptionally high burden of some Member States.
• If necessary, some targeted EFSF reprofiling (e.g. extension of the weighted average maturities, re-profiling of the EFSF amortization as well as capping and deferral of interest payments) to the extent needed to keep GFN under the agreed benchmark in order to give comfort to the IMF and without incurring any additional costs for former programme countries or to the EFSF.

For the long-term, the Eurogroup is confident that the implementation of this agreement on the main features for debt measures, together with a successful implementation of the Greek ESM programme and the fulfilment of the primary surplus targets as mentioned above, will bring Greece's public debt back on a sustainable path over the medium to long run and will facilitate a gradual return to market financing. At the same time, the Eurogroup agrees on a contingency mechanism on debt which would be activated after the ESM programme to ensure debt sustainability in the long run in case a more adverse scenario were to materialize. The Eurogroup would consider the activation of the mechanism provided additional debt measures are needed to meet the GFN benchmark defined above and would be subject to a decision by the Eurogroup confirming that Greece complies with the requirements under the SGP. Such mechanism could entail measures such as a further EFSF reprofiling and capping and deferral of interest payments. Also, the Eurogroup commits to long-term technical assistance to boost Greek growth. 

The Eurogroup recognises that over the exceptionally long time horizon of assessing debt sustainability there can be no forecasts, only assumptions, given the sizable degree of uncertainty over macroeconomic developments. 

Against the background of the forthcoming successful completion of the first review and the agreement on debt relief, the Eurogroup welcomes the intention of the IMF management to recommend to the Fund's Executive Board to approve a financial arrangement before the end of 2016 that will support the implementation of the agreed fiscal and structural reforms. It is recognised that, consistent with IMF policies, approval of this arrangement will also be based on a new DSA and the assessment of possible debt relief measures mentioned above. The possible debt relief will be delivered at the end of the programme in mid-2018 and the scope will be determined by the Eurogroup on the basis of a revised DSA in cooperation with the European Institutions for purposes of taking into account the European policy framework, subject to full implementation of the programme. 

The Eurogroup stands ready, in line with usual practice, to support the completion of future reviews provided that the policy package considered today, including the contingency mechanism, is implemented as planned.  The Eurogroup confirms that programme implementation, as well as policy conditionality and targets, will be reviewed regularly based on input from the institutions.

How Israel flew 14,000 people to safety in two days

Ein CIA Putsch, wie immer mit den korruptesten und Kriminellsten eines Lande und Alles war Bluff. Triebfeder: Privatsierungs Gewinne, mit kriminellen Partenern, welche man als Regierungs Chefs einsetzt. Praktisch alle Süd Amerikanischen Regierungs Chefs, welche gegen die US Mafia waren, erkrankten an Krebs, starben an Krebs, was ein System ist. Dilma Rousseff, musste weg, denn die Mitgliedschaft von Braslien in den BRICS Staaten, gefährdet das $ Betrugs Imperium, wie es bei Gadaffi identisch war. Brasilien: Neuer Präsident Temer war Informant für US-Regierung Abhörskandal belegt Putsch in Brasilien Harald Neuber 25.05.2016 Der Präsident der PMDB, Romero Jucá, spricht in geleakten Aufnahmen von Absprachen mit Militär und Richtern und gibt Gründe für […]

Americas

• USAF commitments to maintain 1,900 aircraft beyond 2021 may be in trouble according to the Pentagon’s annual aviation, inventory, and funding plan for fiscal years 2017 through 2046. Budget constraints across the armed forces are requiring the Air Force to retire more aircraft than it procures; with the report predicting the fleet to reach its lowest in point 2031. The report notes that the service plans to sunset John McCain’s beloved A-10 between FY18 and FY22, but hints that those plans “are subject to change,” while Congress’s desire to restart the F-22 Raptor production line looks increasingly like a non-runner.

• Huntington Ingalls has been awarded a $152 million US Navy contact for advance planning for the construction of the aircraft carrier Enterprise (CVN 80). The third aircraft carrier in the Gerald R. Ford class was named in honor of the Navy’s first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, USS Enterprise (CVN 65). Work to be carried out includes engineering, design, planning, and procurement of long-lead-time material, and will be performed at the company’s Newport News Shipbuilding division through March 2018. Construction is to commence in 2018 and be delivered to the Navy in 2027.

• Weapons testers upgrading the Northrop Grumman RQ-4B Global Hawk have commenced laser-printing simulated ice for ice-shape testing on the UAV. Using a process known as “selective laser sintering,” it is possible to characterize ice buildup on the aircrafts wings and V-tail, a common problem found on most aircraft. The testing will now allow operators to know the airframe’s exact tolerance to buildup when carrying different fuel loads. In use since the late 1990s, the USAF is looking to extend the UAV’s lifetime through to 2034 instead of early retirement.

Middle East North Africa

• Saab has announced increased interest in its configuration of a Bombardier 6000 business jet with the company’s GlobalEye system for the UAE. The $1.27 billion deal will see the heavily adapted Global 6000 to be capable of conducting airborne early warning and control (AEW&C), maritime and land surveillance, and electronic intelligence duties. Included in the package is Saab’s improved Erieye ER active electronically scanned array radar, now capable of a 70% greater detection range than its previous sensor, and the ability to spot challenging targets, such as cruise missiles, small unmanned air vehicles and hovering helicopters. Combining its below-fuselage mounted maritime search radar and electro-optical/infrared sensor will enable operators to locate surface threats and submarine periscopes, while its primary sensor’s synthetic aperture radar and ground moving target indication modes will be used to locate land targets.

Europe

• The first two Dutch F-35As have successfully landed in the Netherlands, marking the Joint Strike Fighter’s first eastbound transatlantic journey. Dubbed AN-01 and AN-02, the fighters were welcomed by a crowd of 2,000 including Minister of Defence Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert. The aircraft will now spend the next few weeks conducting noise and environmental tests over the country, designed to determine the levels of noise disturbance the residents experience. The jets will perform flights over the North Sea range and then appear and fly at the Netherlands’ Open Days in June.

Africa

• After showcasing its Parabot super robot at this year’s SOFEX in Jordan, South Africa’s Paramount Group is setting its sights on increasing their defense collaboration with US firms. With partnerships already existing with Boeing, Airbus, and firms in Kazakhstan and Jordan, Paramount’s founder, Ivor Ichikowitz, believes the company has much to offer the US defense industry, not just in supplying technology, but in philosophy, as the US attempts to rethink how it acquires defense capabilities. Having known nothing but government budget restrictions since its foundation in early post-Apartheid South Africa, Ichikowitz said, “We’ve always had to come up with technologies that give our customers the most capabilities for the least amount of money.”

Asia Pacific

• The Indian Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) successful test-firing of an indigenous Advanced Air Defense (AAD) missile interceptor on May 15 is being called into question following claims that the launch didn’t occur in the first place. Initially it was claimed that the missile successfully tracked, engaged and destroyed a naval version of the Prithvi missile, which was fired to simulate an enemy target. However “informed sources” talking to The Hindu newspaper claim that the test was a failure as the interceptor was never launched. Perhaps its back to the drawing board for the DRDO, again.

Today’s Video

• Recording of the F-35A’s arrival in the Netherlands:

Arabian/Persian Gulf
(click to view full)

In November 2009, Saab announced a 1.5 billion SEK (about $220 million) contract from the United Arab Emirates for 2 of its Saab 340 regional turboprops, equipped with Erieye active-array radars that can scan large airspace volumes, and with related command and control systems. The Saab 340 AEW contract also includes ground equipment, initial spares, and support services.

The UAE is just the latest buyer of Saab’s Erieye system.

The Erieye, and Its Competitors cutaway view
(click to view full)

The Erieye family of Airborne Early Warning & Control aircraft offer of small size, lower purchase price, dual air/sea scan capabilities, and comparatively cheap operating costs are making it one of the world’s most popular AEW systems. The antenna reportedly provides coverage out to 450km, with a detection range of 350km even inchallenging conditions. The Erieye Ground Interface Segment (EGIS) provides a 2-way exchange of data via an associated “Link-E” datalink sub-system, and the plane’s capabilities can can also reportedly be used to support border control or even rescue operations.

The UAE joins Sweden, Pakistan, and Thailand, who have all ordered systems based on Saab’s S340/S2000 regional passenger turboprops. Brazil, Mexico, and Greece all ordered R-99As/ EMB-145 AEW&Cs that pair Erieye with Embraer’s ERJ145 regional passenger jets.

Key global competitors for Erieye systems include Boeing’s developmental E-737 ordered by Australia, South Korea, and Turkey; Israel’s Phalcon system (active on 707, IL-76, and Gulfstream G550 jets), and Northrop Grumman’s carrier-capable E-2 Hawkeye. That may become relevant, as some reports depict the Saab 340 Erieye as an interim system for the UAE, on the way to a final purchase of additional AWACS platforms.

The UAE’s aircraft order also fits into a regional trend, as the Emirates move to establish a leadership position within the Gulf Cooperation Council’s accelerating command-and-control efforts. Over time, the GCC’s ability to fuse the UAE’s efforts with local infrastructure like long range radars, Saudi Arabian 707-based E-3 AWACS/TASS planes, and other assets, may begin to produce cooperative situational awareness on a regional level.

Contracts & Key Events Thai S340 Erieye
(click to view full)

May 25/16: Saab has announced increased interest in its configuration of a Bombardier 6000 business jet with the company’s GlobalEye system for the UAE. The $1.27 billion deal will see the heavily adapted Global 6000 to be capable of conducting airborne early warning and control (AEW&C), maritime and land surveillance, and electronic intelligence duties. Included in the package is Saab’s improved Erieye ER active electronically scanned array radar, now capable of a 70% greater detection range than its previous sensor, and the ability to spot challenging targets, such as cruise missiles, small unmanned air vehicles and hovering helicopters. Combining its below-fuselage mounted maritime search radar and electro-optical/infrared sensor will enable operators to locate surface threats and submarine periscopes, while its primary sensor’s synthetic aperture radar and ground moving target indication modes will be used to locate land targets.

February 18/16: Following a custom $1.27 billion two-aircraft deal to provide an early warning and control (AEW&C) system to the UAE, Saab has officially launched the new early warning aircraft to the wider market. The GlobalEye combines the Erieye ER active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar with Bombardier’s Global 6000 business jet. The Erieye had been previously offered on the Embraer 145, Saab 2000 and Saab 340, but its incorporation on the Global 6000 will allow it much greater altitude and endurance capabilities, flying at 11,000 ft for 11 hours. The business jet will likely be armed with Saab’s RBS-15 anti-ship missile and a lightweight torpedo; possibly a EuroTorp weapon. Saab’s announcement comes as they look to provide maritime, land, and air surveillance capabilities to countries increasingly involved in anti-terrorism, anti-piracy, or territorial monitoring operations.

November 10/15: Saab has received an order for two additional Airborne Early Warning aircraft from the United Arab Emirates in a deal valuing $1.27 billion. The Swing Role Surveillance System (SRSR) will incorporate the company’s Erieye radar and other sensors aboard two Bombardier Global 600 business jet platforms. The UAE already operates two Saab Erieye-equipped AEW turboprop aircraft, ordered in November 2009 through a $220 million contract.

March 16/11: The Khaleej Times reports that Sweden’s Saab Group will deliver the 2nd S340 Erieye to the UAE slightly late, in April 2011. It quotes Swedish Ambassador Magnus Scholdtz as saying that “We’ve offered to the UAE to sell 4 more such aircraft… it is up to the UAE to decide.”

Nov 17/09: 1.5 billion SEK (about $220 million) contract for 2 of Saab’s S340 Erieyes announced. An official statement hinted at more orders to come, saying that:

“The UAE Air Force & Air Defence is currently evaluating several options to purchase permanent solution Command and Early Warning aircraft to meet the UAE Armed Forces operational requirements.”

Local defense media picked up on this theme amd noted the order’s interim status, pending a wider buy that could involve more Erieyes, Boeing’s 737 AEW&C, or Northrop Grumman’s new E-2D Advanced Hawkeye. Deliveries of the 2 Erieye planes are scheduled for Q3 2010, and Q1 2011. Saab [PDF] | Arabian Aerospace | Dubai Airshow 09 | Khaleej Times | UAE’s The National.

Additional Readings

• Saab Group – Erieye AEW&C Airborne Border Surveillance

• DID – UAE Looking to Become a Regional C2 Leader. They bought the required back-end ground systems for national command and control first, so they could make full use of AEW&C systems when they finally bought some. Smart.

• DID (Oct 11/10) – Saab’s Mysterious S-2000 AEW&C Customer? Saudi Arabia. Essentially the same plane & system as the UAE is buying.

• Aviation Week (Feb 13/08) – Low-Cost and Effective AEW Systems Find Buyers

• C4ISR Journal (Jan 4/08) – AEW&C contenders confident as UAE decision nears