Africa

Following elections in Zimbabwe, the BBC has spoken to a woman who says she was beaten by soldiers in Harare.

August 3, 2018 (WAU) – The South Sudan's opposition National Salvation Front (NAS) leader Thomas Cirillo Swaka said his groups will not ink any governance deal that does not establish a federal system.

Lt. Gen. Thomas Cirilo Swaka, the ex-SPLA deputy chief of general staff for training (youtube photo)

In a statement he released on Thursday, Swaka said the establishment of a strong federal system has been the target of his group and its allied forces in the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) rather than the current governing system which dragged the nation into war.

"Unfortunately, the current governance proposal prioritizes power-sharing over devolution of powers, strengthens and further entrenches the current rotten system in Juba rather than transforming it and defers the question of federalism to a permanent constitution-making process that the parties cannot guarantee when this will eventually happen," he said.

"I thought it fit to inform you in advance," he emphasized.

On Friday the opposition alliance and the SPLM-FDs issued a joint statement rejecting the deal after several days of discussions with the mediation.

The opposition alliance seemingly is under pressure to join the deal but the IGAD countries say they would not wave the sanctions threat to force them to sign the agreement, as talks will continue with another round in Nairobi.

The Issue of federalism was one of the major reforms for which several SPLM leaders engaged in a power struggle with President Kiir in 2013 before the eruption of hostilities by the end of that year.

South Sudanese groups particularly, the Equatorians, demand the federal system saying it would protect them from the hegemony of the dominant ethnic group of President Kiir.

(ST)

By Yasir Arman

30th of July marks the 12th commemoration of the departure of Dr John Garang and his absence is felt in the two Sudans. Many would agree that if Dr Garang was alive today, the course of action in history would have taken a different path in both Sudans.

Dr Garang's vision of the New Sudan, in essence, is an international vision. Its basics would work everywhere. It is a vision that calls to celebrate diversity and embrace social justice and democracy. The fundamental of this vision is truly what the two Sudans and Africa need; it addresses the nationality and the religion questions, calling for a new socio-economical political dispensation in the interest of the poor and marginalized, who constitute the massive majority of our country and elsewhere.

Dr Garang was a true revolutionary and a great Pan-Africanist who left no doubt of his commitment to the unity of Sudan on a new basis, and the unity of Africa as a fundamental issue for Sudanese, and Africans too to face the stormy world and its injustices, as well as for the African continent being the master of their resources and destiny.

After 12 years of the painful departure of Dr John Garang and after 35 years since the inception of this great vision in July 1983, the fundamentals and basics of this vision remain useful to address many questions of our time on nation building. Yet, this vision needs to be revisited, addressing many new realities and failures out of our own experience and gain insight on why we failed to achieve our main objective of a new, united secular Sudan, as Sudan is still neither united nor secular.

It is equally important to depart from the slogans and into solid programs that will address the issues of daily life and governance. The greatness of this vision shall be measured by its ability to bring food, clean water, health, education, housing, "taking towns to people not peoples to towns" and respect of human rights and dignity, bringing people together against the course of dichotomies.

Those who believe in this great vision, especially in the SPLM/N and others too, need a process of renewal to rebrand themselves and look critically into the failures of the past and the need for new ways to do things to allow for a second rebirth of this vision. This was the essence of my contribution in the debate the leadership of the SPLM/N opened to renew our organization in a new fashion and revisit important issues. In my paper title "Towards Second Rebirth of The New Sudan Vision: Issues of National Liberation in The Contemporary World", I touched on more than 40 areas in our efforts to address the issues of renewal of the SPLM/N.

The vision of the New Sudan drew its importance from its ability to bring unity in diversity and offer a correct blueprint for nation-building and national formation. Therefore, unity on a new basis and the New Sudan vision are synonymous.

I still believe, among many, that this vision can still reunite Sudan in a "Sudanese Union" between two independent countries, each of them managing its own affairs yet having a union between them, as the relations between the two countries can only be strategic. This union can also include many of our neighbouring countries in a wider regional arrangement. It would add great value to enhance internal national unity and economic cooperation, offering a common agenda, to face the injustice worldwide. Who would have imagined in 1945, at the end of the Second World War that France and Germany would one day be in one European Union? If Europe could need a union, what about us?

Dr Garang remains a hero of all time, shared by both Sudans and a true representative of a freedom fighter who worked for equality, justice and freedom, leaving a huge impact on our modern history. We are forever grateful and indebted to him.

Thank you very much Dr Garang De Mabior for your immense contribution!

The author is the Vice-Chairman of the SPLM-N led by Malik Agar

August 3, 2018 (JUBA) - The South Sudanese President Salva Kiir Friday said his government is ready to implement a deal that it has negotiated with the opposition groups stressing that it was not imposed by the IGAD mediation as it was the case in August 2015.

President Salva Kiir discussed with the visiting Sudanese Foreign Minister El Dirdeiry Mohamed Ahmed the implementation of the security arrangements and power-sharing agreements.

Kiir further held a press conference with the big Sudanese media delegation that travelled to Juba with Minister El-Dirdeiry.

In his press conference at the State House, President Kiir declared his full commitment to the agreement initialled on 25 July and will be signed on 5 August.

"The 2015 deal was forced on us, this is why when we signed the agreement I signed with 26 reservations and the agreement collapsed before us. This agreement I am sure will not collapse because the people of South Sudan have agreed to make peace between themselves," Kiir said.

The revitalization process has been conducted under the direct supervision of the IGAD Council of Minister including the South Sudanese government.

This approach has enabled the South Sudanese government to impact the decision-making and propositions at the level of the mediation which was accused of considering Juba's positions more than the opposition groups.

This time, also, the mediation held workshops for the parties and came out with proposals to be discussed at the negotiating table. The opposition groups denounced this method and accused the mediation of ignoring its positions in the proposals it drafts.

“This agreement will not collapse and I am sure that it will not collapse because the people of South Sudan have now agreed that they must make peace among themselves,” he further stressed.

Kiir said his government is keen to have a comprehensive agreement with the participation of all the parties as the transitional period will witnesses important activities to achieve political and economic reforms.

He further pledged to settle the remaining outstanding issues with SSOA and SPLM- FDs which contest a referendum on the fate of the 32 states.

"These outstanding issues that are not yet resolved, we shall resolve them as soon as I land in Khartoum," said Kiir.

However, Kiir said they need some time to finalize the preparation to receive the First Vice President and two vice-presidents and other ministers.

“They need security, they need vehicles, they need houses... five-vice presidents, this is a very big responsibility to manage. I need to get for them their transport, and one person needs a motorcade of maybe five vehicles. Where will I get this?” He said.

In return, he declined to comment on the issue of Abyei area saying they have now to end the inter South Sudanese conflict before to resume talks with Khartoum on the disputed border area.

For the SPLM-N, Kiir repeated his readiness to mediate the conflict in Sudan's Two Areas but said Khartoum should accept first such initiative.

(ST)

The violence that followed the election has created a febrile environment, writes Fergal Keane.

August 3, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The joint border security committee between Sudan's Blue Nile State and Ethiopia's Benishangul-Gumuz region has kicked off on Thursday in Asosa.

The semi-official Sudan Media Center (SMC) quoted Blue Nile State spokesperson Mohamed Abu al-Gasim as saying the meeting discussed joint efforts to secure the border.

He added this round of talks would discuss coordination between the two sides to secure the border as well as trade, political, agricultural and health cooperation.

Since several years, Ethiopia and Sudan boosted security cooperation between the two countries. Khartoum handed over rebels and opposition activists to Ethiopia and Addis Ababa banned any rebel activity from the border area with Blue Nile State.

Last January, Blue Nile State and Benishangul-Gumuz region agreed to deploy a joint border force to secure the border area and prevent goods and arms smuggling.

(ST)

August 3, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The Arab Parliament has announced the beginning of the first phase of its plan to lift Sudan's name from the U.S. list of states sponsors of terrorism.

Sudan was placed on the U.S. terrorism list in 1993 over allegations it was harbouring Islamist militants working against regional and international targets.

On Wednesday, Arab Parliament speaker Meshal bin Fahmi al-Salami discussed with Sudan's State Cabinet Minister Tarig Tawfiq ways to implement the plan to lift Sudan's name from the terror list.

The official news agency SUNA quoted al-Salami as saying the Arab Parliament would send a senior delegation to the Pan-African Parliament to discuss the plan.

He pointed out that a joint letter signed by the speakers of both parliaments would be sent to speakers of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate as well as U.S. Secretary of State.

“This letter is supported by a legal memorandum including practical, moral, political, legal and humanitarian answers refuting allegations upon which Sudan's name was placed on the [terror] list,” he said.

He added the Arab Parliament is working closely with the concerned bodies in Sudan to implement the plan, saying Sudan has been subjected to injustice by placing its name on the terror list.

In October 2017, Washington decided to lift economic sanctions on Sudan in line with a five-track framework reached by the countries in December 2016. Khartoum, accordingly, authorized humanitarian access to civilians in Darfur and unilaterally declared a cessation of hostilities in Darfur, the Blue Nile and South Kordofan states.

The two countries agreed to resume talks on the normalization of bilateral talks and the lift of remaining sanctions particularly its designation as a state sponsor of terrorist groups.

Sudanese officials insist on the need to remove Sudan from the list of terror states, pointing out that the country cannot benefit from the debt relief and international development aid without this measure.

But Washington insists on the need to improve Human rights, religious freedom and other freedoms in a way to create a conducive environment for the opposition group to take part in the constitutional process after the signing of a peace agreement with the armed groups.

(ST)

August 3, 2018 (JUBA) - South Sudanese political opposition groups Friday declared their rejection of the agreement on the outstanding issues on governance, dashing hopes for an inclusive deal on 5 August 2018.

In a joint statement on Friday, the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) and the SPLM-FDs said they have been informed by the mediation that Juba rejected their proposals to settle the difference over the Independent Boundary Committee (IBC), and the proposed referendum which is now the default position if the parties fail to reach an agreement on the disputed 32 states.

"In view of this development, we would like to inform the public that we cannot sign the said agreement in its present form," reads the joint statement reiterating their readiness sign it "if and when our concerns are addressed" in line to the three proposals they made.

The two opposition groups previously said opposed to the conditions under which the popular consultation over the number of states would be held, stressing that it would lead to maintaining a territorial administrative division illegally established.

Instead, they proposed that in case the IBC fail to reach a compromise over the 32 states to re-establish the previous territorial administration: 10 states, as agreed in a decision by the IGAD Council of Ministers in January 2016. Otherwise, or the "seventy- nine (79) Counties as they stood on 9/7/2005 or the three regions or, as a last resort, arbitration".

The IGAD leaders and some African Union leaders are expected in Khartoum on Sunday for the signing of the agreement which will be the last on the outstanding agreement.

The deal will be signed by the South Sudanese government and the main armed opposition group, the Other Political Parties (OPP) led by Peter Mayen Majongdit and the South Sudan United Movement (SSUM) of Peter Gadet Yak who was part of the SSOA.

The South Sudanese information minister minimized the political opposition groups, saying their absence will not affect the implementation of the peace agreement. However, the IGAD mediation was keen to achieve a holistic and sustainable peace agreement.

The contribution of the SSOA and FDs would be important at the constitutional process as they represent the interests of some social segments that are not represented in the other political groups including the Shilluk which is the third ethic component in the country.

(ST)

Samuel Karimbo is a Kenyan inventor who prides himself on thinking outside the box.

The aftermath of a disputed election has seen violence and opposition claims of fraud.

To address the urgent needs of more than a million displaced by inter-communal violence in southwestern Ethiopia over the past four months, UN humanitarian agencies and their partners are ramping up their efforts, providing among other things shelter, household items, water and sanitation, and food to the most vulnerable.

Protecting vulnerable people in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) from the latest Ebola Virus outbreak is going to be “very, very complex”, given the huge logistical challenges and ongoing conflict there, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday.

Arsenal midfielder Alex Iwobi signs a new "long-term" deal with the club, reportedly until 2023.

A selection of the best photos from across Africa this week.

Nigeria forward Ahmed Musa leaves Leicester City for Al-Nassr for an undisclosed fee, the Saudi Arabian club announces.

Zakarie Ali was scouted in Finland after moving there with his family at the age of three.

Striking scenes from a trek through the Sinai desert

Regional security topped the agenda of a United Nations-backed joint summit on Central and West Africa searching, among other things, for a practical approach to fighting terrorism.

A picture of a former prime minister meeting ex-military ruler Mengistu spurs controversy in Ethiopia.

Senegal striker Moussa Sow announces his retirement from international football to focus on his club career with UAE side Shabab Dubai.