Africa

What's Up Africa: Were customs officers left a little red-faced at Johannesburg Airport?

Up to 400 people have reportedly been killed in the central DR Congo province of Kasai - what is going on?

A former member of Ghana's coaching team, Gerard Nus, ends his sit-in protest as he is paid all his bonuses by the football association.

Photographs of the young girls banned from attending school

Lufefe Nomjana grows, bakes and sells healthy spinach bread and juices in his local community.

Spare a thought for those who are given troublesome names. In Zambia, Chris Haslam came across some very surprising choices.

An astrologer in South Africa is fighting to get "magic" mushrooms legalised for use in spiritual ceremonies.

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

A recent court case in Nigeria highlights concerns that locally made drinks may be considered unsafe for human consumption.

A look at how the seed of a South American tree is increasingly being used as an alternative to ivory.

Intercommunal violence in south-eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo has forced hundreds of thousands of people from their homes, a top United Nations aid official in the country has said, warning that the current response is being outstripped by the needs.

The United Nations-backed International Criminal Court (ICC) today sentenced the former Congolese Vice-President, Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, to another year in prison and about $325,000 in fines for interfering with his trial.

Family portraits from the heart of the hunger crisis in Somaliland.

In our series of letters from African journalists Yousra Elbagir looks at Sudan's rich history of lyrical resistance at a time of state censorship and control.

The security situation in South Sudan is “very worrisome,” the head of United Nations peacekeeping operations today said, warning that the number of people fleeing the country showing no signs of slowing, and calling for a political solution to the hostilities.

March 21, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour and his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shukry will meet in Khartoum in the first half of April in an attempt to contain a muffled crisis between the two countries.

Tensions between Khartoum and Cairo have escalated following the former's decision to restrict imports of Egyptian farming products which was reciprocated by Cairo's decision to raise residency fees for Sudanese living in Egypt.

Also, senior Sudanese border demarcation official Sunday disclosed that Sudan's foreign ministry has instructed the concerned bodies to develop a roadmap to end the Egyptian presence in the disputed area of Halayeb triangle.

Also, some Egyptian media outlets have recently launched a negative campaign ridiculing Sudan's cultural monuments and in particular the 4,600 years old Meroe Pyramids following the visit of the Queen Mother of Qatar Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser Al-Missned to the Sudanese pyramids.

In a phone conversation on Tuesday, the two top diplomats expressed “absolute rejection for insults directed at the two brotherly countries and peoples under any circumstances and for whatever reasons or justifications”.

According to a joint press release extended to Sudan Tribune, the two ministers stressed the need “to respond with utmost wisdom to the irresponsible handling of relations by some media outlets and social media users who seek to harm these strong relations against the higher interests of the two peoples”.

The two ministers expressed “full appreciation to culture, history and civilisation of both countries”, saying the River Nile has strengthened bilateral ties and common destiny between the two countries over the ages.

The press release pointed out that “the two ministers agreed to hold the next political consultation meeting in Khartoum at the level of the foreign ministers during the first half of April 2017”.

It underlined the commitment of the two ministers to the directives issued by the political leadership of both nations to work continuously to strengthen the bonds of cooperation, solidarity and joint coordination.

The two top diplomats further said they would move forward with the implementation of cooperation programmes that were adopted during the recent meetings of the Egyptian-Sudanese Higher Committee (ESHC) headed by President Omer al-Bashir and President Abdel-Fatah al-Sisi.

(ST)

The United Nations refugee agency today expressed concern that forced returns of refugees from Cameroon’s far north region to crisis-gripped north-eastern Nigeria are continuing despite the recent signing of a tripartite agreement aimed at ensuring the voluntary nature of returns.

March 20, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The Justice and Equality Movement (JEM)'s chief of staff, Tijani al-Dhaib, Monday denied his defection and reiterated his support to the Movement's leader Jibril Ibrahim.

Undated picture extended to Sudan Tribune on 28 April 2015 by the Justice and Equality Movement showing their fighters during a training exercise

In a statement released Monday, a group of JEM officers announced their defection from the historical JEM and joined the splinter faction New Justice and Equality Movement (New JEM) led by Mansour Arbab Younis.

The statement allegedly was signed by the 13 officers on the top of them al-Dhaib.

"A malicious party that was not happy with the release of our captive heroes from the jails of the regime has issued this poor and lying statement (...) in order to spoil the joy of the Movement, the families, and the Sudanese people," he said.

He further said that the officers whose names appeared in the statement had nothing to do with this false statement and had not heard about it because they are in locations outside the communications networks.

It is noteworthy that a group led by Arbab and Houzaiffa Mahi-Eldin Mohamed in May 2015 issued a communiqué dismissing Ibrahim from the chairmanship of the JEM. They accused him of running the rebel group in a despotic manner; besides nepotism and tribalism.

They later formed the New JEM and participated in the government-led national dialogue conference in Khartoum before to denounce the bad treatment received in Khartoum and leave the country.

The alleged statement of defection includes Tigani al-Dhaib, Major General Mohammed Ishaq Adam, Brig. Abdel-Rahman, Col. Al-Sadiq Hamdan, Col. Ibrahim Toga, Col. Mohamed Daffaallah, Lt. Col. Adam Gumaa, Lieu. Col. Yahia Stu, Major Arbab Abdalla, Major Idriss Ali Gumaa, Major Osman Shofo and Major Abdallah Yahia.

(ST)

March 20, 2017 (YAMBIO) –Police arrested three suspects over the weekend in connection to the killing of a commercial boda-boda rider who was kidnapped and killed in Gbudue state capital, Yambio after unknown people demanded SSP 100.

The map of Western Equatoria in red

Gibson Wande, Minister of Information, Culture Youth and Sport spoke to the media after the arrests stating that the suspects were arrested in at a Gangura checkpoint, in possession of the deceased's motorbike.

“The government, through its security apparatus has arrested three suspects who were identifies with the motorbike of the boda-boda rider who was killed last week” said Wande.

The suspects have been placed in police custody pending an investigation.
Wande added that the suspected culprits would face the law if they were found guilty of killing Elia Samuel, a commercial boda-boda rider who was killed last week.

The suspects were headed to Nabiapai on Saturday morning, when they were caught at the border marker between Socratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan by Criminal Investigation Department (CID) personnel.

The Minister stated that the deceased, Elia Samuel disappeared last Friday, when he carried a passenger towards the Mamenze area which is southwest of Yambio. Samuel failed to return and text message was received by his relative's demanding a ransom of SSP 100, 00 for his release.

Wande mentioned that the case was referred to the court for a hearing for the murder of the boda-boda rider last week, but failed to mention when.

James Atovura, a boda-boda rider who attended the press briefing at the police station said, the life of a boda-boda rider is risky as many have been killed while working and no justice had been done.

"We want the government to make a judgement openly, so we can see justice prevail. There are several suspects that have been arrested but nothing has been done," said Atovura.

“Our life's are at risk while we're doing our jobs. We are being killed like animals and no justice is done. We need the government to do something this time,” he added.

(ST)

March 20, 2017 (WAU) – The minister of health of Wau, one of South Sudan's new states, Bona Guandensio Wol has vowed to prioritise health service delivery in the state.

Wau state minister of Health Bona Guandensio (ST photo)

“Since I have been give this assignment, I will do what I can to improve health services in Wau state, there are many challenges but day and night in collaboration with all health partners operating in Wau state, we will do our level best to overcome these challenges,” said Bona.

“Our state government runs Wau teaching hospital is not operating at night hours but with my recent appointment, I will work with the Doctors and all staff to make sure that service at the hospital are back at the standard level,” he said.

Bona said his appointment would brighten the health services in the state and promised to delivery more medical practitioners to the rural areas.

“I have so many challenges in the ministry but my main target is to change the quality of services at Wau teaching hospital, I will work to reinstall the light at the hospital and make sure that the doctors are on their duties day and night at the hospital, the rural area will also be made standard in term of health care,” he said.

The minister said improving health care unites outside the town would help the elderly people to access the health services next to them.

Bona was sworn in Friday and assumed his duties as minister of health on Monday.

(ST)