The US has confirmed that more than 1,900 houses have been destroyed in the Central Equatoria of South Sudan.
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A Sudan Peoples Liberation Army (SPLA) soldier waves his AK-47 as soldiers celebrate alongside Internally Displaced People (IDP) outside the United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS) base in Malakal after the SPLA claimed it had recaptured the town from rebels on 19 March 2014. Picture: AFP.
WASHINGTON – The United States is alarmed by the violence in South Sudan, where ethnically motivated hate speech, the targeting of civilians and sexual violence is becoming widespread and cannot be ignored, the State Department said on Monday.
“The United States is alarmed by the violence in the Equatoria region of South Sudan and concerned it could quickly spiral out of control,” State Department spokesman Mark Toner said in a statement. “This situation is intolerable, will worsen the already dire humanitarian crisis.”
The United States has confirmed that more than 1,900 houses have been destroyed in the Central Equatoria of South Sudan since September, he said in a statement.
Toner said the government has also deployed at least 4,000 irregular ethnic militia soldiers to the area, “increasing the likelihood of more clashes with armed opposition groups and attacks against innocent civilians.”
The statement urged the international community to impose an arms embargo and targeted sanctions to help deter the violence in the world’s newest state.
The United States is struggling to secure the minimum number of votes needed for the United Nations Security Council to impose an arms embargo on South Sudan amid UN warnings of possible genocide, diplomats said last month.
The State Department also urged the creation of a special court for South Sudan. “We cannot turn a blind eye to these crimes, and must ensure that all those who order, incite or commit violence against civilians are held accountable,” Toner said.
Sudan (MNN) — Millions of people in Sudan are facing the most violent and oppressive government in the world. Since 1989, there have been 26 civil wars, four genocides, and 2.5 million who’ve lost their lives to the aforementioned problems. Trouble spots include Darfur, Abyei, South Kordofan and Blue Nile (the Nuba Mountains), and Eastern Sudan.
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Omar al-Bashir (Photo courtesy of Wikipedia)
President Omar al-Bashir has stated his goal was to create a new Sudan defined by the Arab identity under severe Islamic law. That was reiterated when South Sudan separated from the North in 2011.
All through this time, the persecution of Christians in Sudan has been systematic and suggestive of ethnic cleansing. For those reasons, Sudan has been designated a “Country of Particular Concern” by the U.S. State Department since 1999. Open Doors’ World Watch List, a listing of the top 50 countries known for the persecution of Christians, notes Sudan as the 9th worst offender in the world.
What does it look like to be a Christian in Sudan? For many, it looks like being in exile. One Christian, whom we’ll call “D” for security purposes, explains why he’s no longer living in his homeland. “The main reason, for me, for not being in Sudan is because of the suffering and persecution I faced there. I came to faith in Christ in 1995. Just a couple of years later, in 1997, I was arrested by the Sudanese Islamic Authority.”
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view. Because he converted from Islam to Christianity, he was guilty of apostasy. What’s more, “D” also shared his faith with other Muslims, primarily students, which meant he was also blaspheming. Sudan is one of 12 countries in the world that carry both apostasy and blasphemy laws on the books. Both call for the death penalty.
For “D”, it meant years of trouble. “This story of persecution continues from 1997 up until 2001. I have been in prison six times; was tortured so many times by the Sudanese Islamic Authority. That forced me to look for a new refuge, and that’s why I’m no longer in my mother country.”
Yet he says the Body of Christ continues to grow among the Sudanese. About 15 or 20 years ago, he says, the number of Muslim converts in Sudan were probably 100 to 150, according to some reports. “Today, the churches in Sudan and the Sudanese churches in the Diaspora are full of Muslim converts.”
His story isn’t unique, and many who decide to follow Jesus expect what comes with it. ”Persecution became part of our DNA in Sudan and many other Muslim countries. It is something that every day we face, because of the ways God is acting in our lives during the times of suffering.”
“D” has lived out the paradox of persecution, as have many of the other Christians who’ve fled Sudan. Instead of looking at the dark side, he wants to look at the beautiful, bright side of it. “Whenever we go through times of suffering or persecution, we see God is much closer to us than when we are in a time of happiness. For me, personally, I see persecution is always a joyful time because it is a time I see God is revealing Himself to me.”
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(Photo courtesy of Open Doors Ministries)
He shared his story with MNN because getting it in front of other believers in the West can result in action in the ‘pray, give, go’ liturgy. It’s important, says “D”, because, “The West has forgotten, not just the suffering Church in Sudan, but also the suffering human beings in Sudan in general — in the Nuba Mountains, in Darfur. I pray that people will start to come back again and to look [at] the disasters that are happening in these areas and try to bring relief and help and pray for the safety of those who are persecuted there.”
Prayer is a first line defense — for boldness, for provision, for wisdom. As these exiled believers live out their faith, “D” urges, “Let us pray earnestly for the God of the harvest to send more workers. Pray for the authorities in Sudan, that God will reveal Himself to them, and that some or many of them will come to know Him and end the persecution we are facing.”
Then, pray that those workers would richly communicate the breadth of the true, good, and beautiful Gospel. Ask God to help the marginalized and persecuted Christians to forgive, love, and pray for their persecutors.
As far as “going” is concerned, stay informed; share the stories of the Sudanese Church under fire so more people know what’s going on and how to pray. Advocate where there are opportunities to join your voice to a larger voice. Finally, consider giving to ministries that advocate on the persecuted Church’s behalf.
December 5, 2016 (JUBA)- The South Sudanese government said it has requested the Sudanese government to shut down offices of armed opposition faction (SPLM-IO).
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South Sudan’s former FVP Riek Machar, speaking to visitors at his residence in Khartoum, on 1 September 2016 (courtesy photo of SPLM-IO)
South Sudanese Presidential Advisor on Security Affairs Tut Gatluak told Sudan Tribune Monday that Juba government hopes Sudan will accept the request and act as a demonstration of commitment to implement the outcome of the meeting between President Salva Kiir and his Sudanese counterpart in Equatorial Guinea.
“The Sudanese government has an important role to play in bringing peace to this country.
Sudan is a key member of IGAD [Intergovernmental Authority on Development] which mediated the peace and this is why it would be wise to not support any group wanting to continue with the war.
And because of this important of the role, we believe Sudan would not allow any group to use its territory as base for hostile activities,” said Gatluak.
He said Juba requested Sudan to not host any group whose activities are intended to encourage armed resistance as a means to change the government in South Sudan.
The young nation had earlier made a similar request to the Ethiopian government. Addis Ababa hosted South Sudan rebel leader, Riek Machar prior to the signing of the August 2015 peace deal, which eventually paved way for formation of the coalition government.
An executive mandate with full implementation capabilities might be the last shot at success for UNMISS. By Meressa K Dessu for ISS TODAY.
The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has increasingly come under criticism for failing to achieve its core mandate – to protect civilians – following the July 2016 crisis in the capital city, Juba.
Numerous factors contributed to this failure, chief among them a fundamental mismatch between the mandate and capacity of the mission.
The current mandate of the mission expires on December 15. The UN Security Council (UNSC) is currently reviewing the possibility of extending it.
This raises several key questions. Would UNMISS be able to overcome the many hiccups it has experienced to effectively support the peace process beyond December? And, more important, would it continue with a similar mandate, or will the mission be empowered with an executive mandate of full capability?
The July crisis was ignited when armed fighting broke out between soldiers loyal to President Salva Kiir, and his former vice president, Riek Machar – who respectively lead the Sudanese People Liberation Movement/Army in government and the SPLM/A in Opposition (SPLM/A-IO). The crisis marked a grave violation of the peace agreement signed between the two leaders on August 17, 2015.
This agreement was expected to end the civil war through the subsequent establishment of a transitional government of national unity. The deal collapsed, however, when fighting erupted once more – forcing Machar to flee and resulting in many deaths, sexual violence, torture and harassment among civilians.
Initially established in July 2011 with the ambitious mandate of supporting the newly independent state through building capacities, protection of civilians (PoC) has since become a core mandate of UNMISS. The mission was authorised to use “all necessary means” within its capacity to protect civilians from any threats of physical violence; “irrespective of sources”. This shift was the result of the civil war that broke out on December 15, 2013 between the armed forces of the two leaders.
Efforts in this regard have included the sheltering of over 200,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in UNMISS bases in Benitu, Malakal, Wau, Bor, and Juba – known as PoC sites. On the whole, however, the mission has failed to protect civilians, including the IDPs, satisfactorily.
The Centre for Civilians in Conflict recently published a comprehensive report on the impact of the July crisis on civilians and the subsequent response from UNMISS. According to the report, there were incidents where SPLA soldiers shot indiscriminately, killing dozens of IDPs in Juba PoC Sites; and further incidents where civilians were killed based on ethnic grounds. There were also reports of rape, abductions, summary executions and extensive looting perpetrated by these soldiers.
The report also details how UNMISS peacekeepers were “unable and at times unwilling to respond” to the crisis, because they were caught in crossfire between the two fighting forces.
In another incident, peacekeepers were unwilling to respond when the soldiers, bearing uniform with insignia of the president’s personal guard, attacked a civilian compound located very close to the UNMISS base. The soldiers committed physical and sexual abuses against international aid workers and staff, and looted the entire compound.
On August 23, the UN Secretary General (UNSG) established an Independent Special Investigation Team (ISIT) to examine the July violence and the response from UNMISS. The recently released ISIT report confirmed that the SPLA soldiers perpetuated the violence, and that UNMISS failed to respond and implement its mandated tasks.
Following this report, the UNSG dismissed the force commander of the mission for incompetency and requested his country, Kenya, to send a replacement. However, Kenya rejected this and responded by withdrawing its troops from South Sudan. Kenya had more than 1,000 troops deployed in South Sudan, and this decision will impact negatively on the political and operational dimensions on the mission.
It is critical to ask why UNMISS has failed.
The above-mentioned reports emphasise weaknesses in UNMISS planning, preparation and co-ordination. Similarly, a UN Board of Inquiry report on the February 2016 violence against IDPs in Malakal revealed confusion in UNMISS command and control, rules of engagement and coordination: both within mission components and among partners.
These causes point to a key flaw in that the mandate of the mission does not match its capacity. The UN High-Level Independent Panel on United Nations Peace Operations has underscored the importance for mandates to “be aligned with capacities”. In the case of UNMISS, the mission has been tasked with a mandate of huge responsibility – but has been given limited capacities to achieve this.
The mission consists of roughly 12,000 troops and 1,320 police, but has no “force multipliers” such as attack aeroplanes, helicopters and advanced weaponries.
During the July fighting, UNMISS had less than 2,000 troops and some police on the ground. These peacekeepers were scarcely able protect themselves – let alone avert the violence of SPLA soldiers who had ground and air capabilities.
Added to that, the political support extended to UNMISS was neither sufficient nor timely.
Although there have been moves towards establishing a hybrid court aimed at ensuring justice for victims of violence, this has not yet materialised. After the July violence, the UNSC decided to deploy a regional force of 4,000 troops to function as part of UNMISS, but this has also been obstructed by Kiir’s government. Despite ongoing violations, the international community, and the UNSC in particular, have yet to take truly meaningful action against perpetrators.
Thus, how could UNMISS overcome these setbacks? The current mandate will expire soon, so it becomes critical to question how the mission would function beyond this time. Would it continue with a similar role of limited capacity – or will the mission be empowered with an executive mandate of full capacity?
The first option has already proven unsuccessful – and the situation in South Sudan is growing increasingly serious. This is due to the proliferation of multiple armed groups in the country; the growth of ethnic-based polarisation; continued violence perpetrated by the government and opposition soldiers and militias; and a lack of effective and committed leadership in the country. Continuing with the same mandate would not allow UNMISS to be effective in protecting civilians and support the peace process.
In this respect, the success stories of the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) offer valuable lessons learnt. The UNTAET was authorised to exercise administrative authorities over East Timor during its transition to independence, and was given the right mandate, troops, police, equipment and robust rules of engagement that were required for that specific situations.
Considering the situation in South Sudan, UNMISS should be given a similar mandate. Beyond the protection role and support for the political process, UNMISS should transform the divided SPLA – which continues to pose real security threats to civilians and challenge the entire peace process – into an accountable security force through a complete reform and restructuring process.
This can be only possible if the UNSC authorises UNMISS with an executive mandate – and fully equips the mission with all implementation capabilities.
DM Meressa K Dessu is a Researcher and Training Co-ordinator, Peace Operations and Peacebuilding division, ISS Addis Ababa.
Photo: Members of the South Korean contingent Hanbit unit are in action at its base in the city of Bor, Jonglei State, South Sudan, 06 July 2015, as they take part in a quick-reaction-force drill. EPA/YONHAP/POOL
December 4, 2016 (JUBA) – At least 3.6 million people in South Sudan are currently facing severe food shortages, the highest levels ever experienced at harvest time with the crisis is likely to worsen when food from the current harvest runs out next year, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), announced on Friday.
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Thousands of people wait for food aid in the hot sun near the air drop zone in Leer, South Sudan, in July 2014 (Photo AFP/Nichole Sobecki)
The latest report says the number of people facing severe hunger is expected to rise to 4.6 million between January and April next year and increase even more from May to July unless aid is scaled up.
Renewed violence broke out in the young nation in July this year when the country’s rivals forces clashed in the capital, Juba, leaving more than 200 dead and displacing thousands on the population.
The country descended into civil war in December 2013 when a row between President Salva Kiir and his sacked deputy, Riek Machar, ended with fighting that often erupted along ethnic fault lines.
The conflict has prevented farmers from reaching their farms in several parts of the country, thus denting food security hopes.
"The scale of food insecurity remains unprecedented in South Sudan, despite seasonal improvements that are typical of the harvest season," partly reads WFP’s latest report on war-torn South Sudan. The country’s hunger levels, the UN food agency stressed, have doubled since last year. For instance, it said, nearly 60% of the population of South Sudan’s Northern Bahr el Ghazal state is affected, 56% in Unity, and 47% in Western Bahr el Ghazal state.
The number of people facing severe hunger is expected to rise to 4.6 million between January and April next year and increase even more from May to July unless aid is scaled up, the WFP report said.
The fighting and tumbling oil production and prices have hammered South Sudan’s economy. Inflation shot to 835 percent in the year to October, while the official value of the currency has plummeted.
Conflict and insecurity, WFP said, have also cut off trade routes and disrupted imports. Last month, however, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said there was a growing "risk of famine," especially among the country’s most vulnerable communities.
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December 4, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) says the number of South Sudanese refugees in Sudan has reached 263,000, with October 2016 marking the highest monthly arrival rate.
In Sudan’s White Nile State, it said, 3,962 individuals (1,552 households) registered at the three main border reception centres of Jouda, El Keweik and El Mquiens.
The majority of new arrivals (73 per cent), it stressed, arrived through Jouda, bringing the total number of South Sudanese refugees arriving in the state in 2016 to 22,000. As of 15 November, about 263,000 South Sudanese refugees have arrived in Sudan since December 2013.
"With continuing insecurity in South Sudan, a steady influx of new refugees is expected throughout December and into next year. About 263,000 South Sudanese refugees have arrived in Sudan since Dec. 2013," said the agency in a statement.
"With continuing insecurity in South Sudan, a steady influx of new refugees is expected throughout December and into next year," it added.
The majority of the South Sudanese refugees, according to the UN body, live in the camps distributed in the states of White Nile, East Darfur, West Kordofan and Khartoum.
On March 17, the Sudanese government decided to treat the South Sudanese nationals inside the country as foreigners, saying it would adopt legal procedures against those who do not have passports or entry visas.
An armed conflict broke out in South Sudan in late 2013, causing hundreds of thousands of refugees to flee to neighboring countries, including Sudan.
Meanwhile, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and UNHCR’s Joint Assessment Mission (JAM) is reportedly underway across all eight camps in White Nile hosting South Sudanese refugees. JAM is a months-long process to assess whether the basic needs of South Sudanese refugees are being met by humanitarian partners.
"As part of the JAM’s initial stages, UNHCR and WFP have completed a series of assessments, including a food security assessment, a Standardized Expanded Nutrition Survey (SENS), a livelihoods assessment and a Cash-Based Transfer (CBT) market and supply chain capacity assessment," the UN Humanitarian Agency (OCHA), said.
"Preliminary findings are currently being reviewed. The aim of the JAM and the validation exercise is to improve the food security and self-reliance of South Sudanese refugees in White Nile State for the coming years," it stressed.
A final report, according to OCHA, is expected in February next year.
China sends additional 120 peacekeepers to South Sudan
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December 6, 2016 (JUBA) - China has sent 120 troops to South Sudan as part of a 700-member U.N peacekeeping force, the Associated Press reported.
The second battalion pf peacekeepers are in South Sudan to protect civilians, humanitarian workers, conduct patrols and provide security escorts.
South Sudan experienced renewed violence in July this year when its rival armies clashed in the capital, Juba killing hundreds and displacing thousand of the population.
This is despite a peace deal agreed upon by leaders from both rival factions.
The world’s youngest nation has seen continuous fighting since its civil war broke out in mid-December 2013. Also, the more than 12,000 U.N. peacekeepers already operating in the country have often been criticized for failing to protect civilians.
During the July violence, two Chinese peacekeepers died and five others were wounded after their vehicle was struck as fighting intensified in the capital, Juba.
China is reportedly the biggest contributor of peacekeepers among the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, with 2,639 currently deployed.
Juba/Pagak, December 6, 2016 (SSNA) — The military command of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-In Opposition (SPLA-IO) has refuted claims by South Sudan national army (SPLA) spokesman Lul Ruai Koang on social media that the rebel forces who captured Commissioner of Kangapo County of Yei River State Juluce Tabule over the weekend now demand that the government pays a $2.5 million ransom in exchange for the detained commissioner.
The SPLA Spokesperson posted a comment on his Facebook profile today.
“This is to inform the people of South Sudan, region and the international community that armed terrorists affiliated to Warmonger Riek Mach[ar] have demanded $2.5Million USD in order to release Mr. Julius-Tabule Commissioner of Kangapo- County in Yei River State whom they abducted over the weekends with his three bodyguards,” Koang wrote today.
In response, the SPLA-IO blasted Koang for calling the armed opposition “terrorists,” adding that the claim of the ransom is nothing but part of government outrageous propaganda it has been feeding the people of South Sudan and the international community for years.
In the statement, the SPLA-IO says South Sudanese and the international community should know that the armed opposition is fighting for a cause and that the claim of ransom is false, adding that Tabule is being treated like any other prisoners in Upper Nile, Jonglei, and Unity States.
“We refute these unfounded allegations, we have never asked for any ransom since the war broke out, we are fighting for a cause, and we will never ask for a ransom,” a senior rebel officer said.
“This is just one of government dirty propagandas. The people of South Sudan and the world know exactly how Juba talks,” he asserted.
The armed opposition calls the accusations “misleading” and warned that the detained government official would soon declare his defection to the SPLM/A-IO.
“The claim by the government of South Sudan is a misleading nature or propaganda and we would like to inform the general public that the captive is in a good care, healthy and being kept in safe-conduct by the administration of the SPLA/IO. It would be his decision to join the SPLA/IO and announce his defection to the people movement in the coming few days,” the statement added.
The office of the rebel military spokesperson described Mr. Koang as “somebody who can lie even if he knows what he is saying is a pure lie.”
Sudan's ecosystems and natural resources are deteriorating.
Temperatures are rising, water supplies are scarce, soil fertility is low and severe droughts are common. After years of desertification, its rich biodiversity is under threat and drought has hindered the fight against hunger.
This burden is affecting not only the country's food security and sustainable development, but also the homes of many Sudanese families.
Dust storms -- known locally as "Haboob" -- have also increased in this region. Moving like a gigantic thick wall, it carries sand and dust -- burying homes, increasing evaporation to a region that's struggling to preserve water supplies, as well as eroding valuable fertile soil.
Experts say that without quick intervention, parts of the African country -- one of the most vulnerable in the world -- could become uninhabitable as a result of climate change.
Increasing temperature
"North Africa is already hot and is strongly increasing in temperature. At some point in this century, part of the region will become uninhabitable," Jos Lelieveld, a climate scientist from the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, told CNN.
"That will string from Morocco all the way through to Saudi Arabia," he said.
Sudan's temperature is expected to increase significantly. By 2060, it's projected to rise between 1.1 °C and 3.1 °C.
As a result of hotter climate and erratic rainfall, much of Sudan has become progressively unsuitable for agriculture and villages.
Irregular rain has ruined crops, and the country is experiencing both droughts and floods -- making arable land unsuitable for cultivation and displacing more than 600,000 people due to flood-related disasters since 2013, according to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Center (IDMC).
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It is estimated 1.9 million people will be affected by reduced agricultural and livestock production -- due to smaller farming areas, poor pastures and limited water availability.
Michelle Yonetani, a senior advisor on disasters from IDMC, says 70 percent of the rural population are reliant on traditional rain-fed agriculture -- for both food and livelihood -- while 80 percent of the population rely on rainfall for their water supply.
She told CNN that Sudan was facing a "hugely complex emergency situation."
"Drought aggravates desertification which affects the savannah belt in the northern region -- so these encroaching deserts have been displacing entire villages."
Yonetani said Sudan was one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change because of the issue of food security -- it ranks 98th out of 113 countries on the Global Hunger Index, placing it in the top 15 most food-insecure countries in the world.
Until the late 20th century, the Sahel -- the transitional zone between the desert and the tropical south -- was peppered with baobab and acacia trees as well as sparse grass cover. But now desertification is changing the landscape and invading on precious agricultural and habitable land.
"Communities who are already very vulnerable -- who are already suffering from impoverishment, who may be in areas that may be affected by climate change -- are pushed to the limits of their coping mechanisms," Yonetani said.
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Desertification is encroaching on valuable agricultural land -- affecting the livelihoods of many Sudanese farmers.
The livelihoods for farmers located in thousands of villages spread across this region are becoming increasingly strained because of heat stress and persistent drought.
According to a report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), it is estimated 1.9 million people will be affected by reduced agricultural and livestock production -- due to smaller farming areas, poor pastures and limited water availability.
And 3.2 million people are expected to face water shortages, causing what OCHA says is a "further deterioration of already fragile sanitation and hygiene conditions."
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According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), 3.2 million people are expected to face water shortage. Sometimes locals are forced to walk for miles to find a water point.
IDMC's Yonteani said this crisis wasn't a humanitarian crisis, "It's a crisis of development."
But head of Program for the World Food Programme (WFP) in Sudan, Marco Cavalcante, told CNN it's not too late to change the country's future.
"This trend is not unstoppable if important measures are taken."
A lasting impact
To make a lasting impact against climate change, holistic adaptation and mitigation efforts need to target farmers, pastoralist communities as well as vulnerable groups who are affected by the food insecurity.
The government released a renewable adaptation plan in July which published agreed strategies to protect Sudanese people -- particularly those in rural communities.
"It's a very positive sign that there is a political commitment," Cavalcante said.
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Shifting climatic conditions has a dramatic effect on Sudan's livelihood and food security.
Within the report, Sudan's Ministry of Environment has broken down adaptation plans for each region of Sudan. Strategies include drought resistant crop varieties that can withstand shifting climate conditions, more efficient irrigation technologies and improved crop storage.
WFP's Cavalcante added that crop storage was important to ensure farmers weren't forced to sell right after harvesting when the price may be low.
He also said that because of the variability in climatic conditions, farmers may experience a good harvest one year and a bad one the next. So by improving crop storage, they can "ensure income for the following year."
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Construction the haffirs (water reservoirs) can supply communities with hygienic water for both humans and livestock.
The report also outlined plans to dig more wells and boreholes to alleviate water scarcity.
The WFP also has helped Sudan construct "haffirs" (water reservoirs) to help retain water and boost crop yields in years of poor rainfall.
Communities are also being taught how to plant trees to help combat desertification -- which Cavalcante says has a "substantial impact" on Sudan's future.
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The Great Green Wall was conceived as a 7,700-kilometer tree belt streching the length of the Sahara Desert to stop desertification.
Health is also a large focus of the government's adaptation plan. It says climate change could accelerate the spread of malaria, yellow fever and cholera -- and while investment into education to ensure humans are more resilient to climatic shocks is important, there also needs to be research into the link between rising temperatures, water stress and the spread of those diseases.
While Sudan is making efforts to fix the issue of climate change, it's not one that the country can fix alone. Climate change is a global challenge affecting every continent, and the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, according to scientist Lelieveld, is one of the most important aspects.
Funding needed to help Africa
Despite being one of the most affected countries by climate change, the funding Sudan receives to help combat the pressures is significantly lower than other countries.
Experts say it's going to take a substantial amount to expand adaptation projects to lower temperatures, prevent desertification from intruding on precious habitable and agricultural land and to educate communities on how to adjust.
She said by encouraging governments to increase its commitment to act upon climate is "perhaps one of the most indirect ways, but globally the most important."
"Now really is the time to push governments to act and mitigate," she added.
Unless the world is prepared to take on refugees as a result of the food crisis and uninhabitable areas, "we will have to help Africa to invest and protect itself," Lelieveld said.
"They didn't cause this problem," he added. "We did."
Floods– Since 2013, there have been over 600,000 displacements of people from their homes by flood-related disasters in Sudan. This includes some 122,000 people displaced by floods between June and September this year alone, with Kassala, South Darfur and White Nile states worst affected.
Displacement– Thousands of displaced Sudanese people have been forced to live in makeshift houses where there's few water points and no food or health services.
Food insecurity– Children scavenge food and clothing from the Juba Municipal Garbage Dump. Sudan has become one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change because of its effect on food security. 70% of the rural population are reliant on traditional rain-fed agriculture -- for both food and livelihood.
Livelihoods– A man walks with his sheep in the Abu Shouk camp for Internally Displaced People (IDP), near North Darfur's state capital el-Fasher. According to a report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), it is estimated 1.9 million people in Sudan will be affected by reduced agricultural and livestock production -- due to smaller farming areas, poor pastures and limited water availability.
Sand storms– A gigantic cloud of dust known as "Haboob" advances over Sudan's capital, Khartoum. A Haboob usually occurs after a few days of rising temperatures and falling pressures and can change the landscape in the few hours it lasts by depositing enormous quantities of sand -- destroying villages and crops.
Vulnerability– Sudan has been affected by conflict and civil war for decades and is considered one of the most vulnerable countries in the world. Now, Sudan's ecosystems and natural resources are deteriorating -- temperatures are rising, water supplies are scarce, soil fertility is low and severe droughts are common.
Rising temperatures– Sudan's temperature is expected to rise significantly between 1.1 °C and 3.1 °C by 2060. As a result of increased temperatures and rainfall which has become erratic and inconsistent, much of Sudan has become increasingly unsuitable for agriculture -- due to either floods, or severe droughts.
Link to web article here.Image caption South Sudan is the world's newest country, but was at war after two years of independence
A foreign correspondent working in South Sudan says he has been deported for being too critical of the government.
Justin Lynch, an Associated Press freelancer, said he had been arrested by government agents. He recently reported on evidence of ethnic violence and alleged abuses committed by government troops.
South Sudan's three-year civil war has caused more than 2.2 million people to flee their homes. A spokesman for the South Sudan's president said he was not aware of Mr Lynch's deportation and could not yet comment.
On his arrival in Kampala, Uganda's capital, Mr Lynch tweeted that his deportation was a violation of press freedom.
"The officers did not officially present me with a reason for my arrest and deportation, but repeatedly said my reporting was too critical of the government," he said.
"As an international journalist, it is an unfortunate reality that I am privileged compared to my brave South Sudanese colleagues who are frequently the victim of intimidation or even death."
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view. Image caption Both the rebels and the government have been accused of using child soldiers during the three-year conflict According to the AFP news agency, the 25-year-old was the last foreign reporter living in South Sudan and had been in the country for about a year.
Members of the security service temporarily seized his mobile phones and allowed him to pack a bag after his arrest, the Associated Press reports.
"Any move to suppress legitimate journalism and truthful reporting shedding light on humanitarian crimes is wrong and should be condemned. We hope that the government of South Sudan will reconsider its actions," said AP executive Ian Phillips.
Last week, a UN Human Rights Commission in South Sudan warned that ethnic cleansing was taking place in the country, something that President Salva Kiir has denied.
December 10, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan’s National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) on Saturday has seized copies of Al-Jareeda newspaper for the seventh time within thirteen days from the printing house without giving reasons.
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Sudanese newspaper vendors talk to each other at a bus station in Khartoum, Sudan (AP)
Al-Jareeda has been one of the most newspapers in Sudan subject to suspension and confiscation. Last May, the NISS had confiscated copies of the newspaper four times during five days.
In a short statement posted on its Facebook page, the independent daily announced it would hold a press conference on Monday to discuss the repeated confiscations and launch a campaign entitled the “Prudent Reader” to support the newspaper financially.
It pointed that the campaign comes in response to continued demands by its readers to participate in the struggle to restore press freedoms, saying the main goal of the campaign is to enable each reader to donate price of one seized copy.
“This campaign would send a strong message to the NISS to respect freedom of opinion and expression and to resort to the law and it also seeks to establish free and independent press” read the statement.
The NISS routinely confiscates newspapers either to prevent circulation of certain stories or to punish them retroactively on previous issues.
It uses seizures of print copies of newspapers, not only to censor the media but also to weaken them economically.
Last July, Al-Taghyeer newspaper decided to suspend publishing and laid off its staff following large financial loss incurred due to repeated confiscations.
The statement further pointed that the seized paper copy of the newspaper is available on its website and the Facebook.
Journalists working for Al-Jareeda told Sudan Tribune on Friday that the NISS seeks to put pressure on the newspaper to mitigate the harsh criticism of the government contained in the Op-ed articles and in particular by columnists Osman Shabona and Mohamed Wida’aa.
However, the newspaper’s administration refuses to succumb to the NISS’s pressures and rejects the idea of dismissing any journalists or columnists.
Sudan’s constitution guarantees freedom of expression but laws subordinate to the constitution such as the National Security Forces Act of 2010 contains articles that can be potentially used to curtail press freedom and instigate legal proceedings against newspapers and individual journalists.
The state-run Sudanese National Council for Press and Publications (NCPP) rarely interferes to stop the security punishments although it is the official body responsible for running the work of newspapers in the Sudan.
December 11, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Chairman of the rebel umbrella Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF) Sunday Malik Agar has urged the Sudanese to participate effectively in the civil disobedience action on 19 December.
The government decision to lift fuel, electricity and drug subsidy stirred up large protests across the Sudan last month. Following a three-day protest against the decision between 27 to 29November, activists called on the Sudanese people to engage in a civil disobedience on December 19 th.
Several opposition forces and armed groups expressed support for the upcoming event and called upon their affiliates to play an active role in the strike.
In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune Sunday, Agar described the civil disobedience as “important move to overthrow the regime”, calling on the marginalized people to lead the strike. “The suffering of the [people] in the peripheries and the cities wouldn’t end unless the regime is toppled,” he said.
Agar, who is also the chairman of the rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), further called on the opposition Sudan Call forces to work jointly to ensure the success of the December 19th event, describing the strike as “new move on the path to change”.
For its part, the Unified Unionist Party (UUP) has called on its members to support the civil disobedience action, describing it as “historical duty” to fight against dictatorship and totalitarianism.
This article shares key insights from Imatong state in South Sudan ahead of a meeting at Lambeth Palace for educationalists, church leaders, aid workers and government officials to discuss the future of education in the country. Speakers will describe the situation in South Sudanese schools today and discuss the financing of education and the associated role of international donors. They will also lead a discussion on how fragile educational achievements can be maintained.
Widening access to education had been an important achievement of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) government since it took power in South Sudan in 2005, following a peace deal with the Sudanese government in Khartoum. In 2003-4, only 400,000 children, about a quarter of the school age population, were estimated to be in education, and successive EMIS reports showed growth, to over 1.3m in primary and secondary education in 2013.
By 2016, enrolment had bounced back from the 2013 crisis, though with a different geographical distribution, and 1.318m primary and secondary pupils were recorded by name on the South Sudan Schools Attendance Monitoring System (www.sssams.org), a system supported by the UK Aid Girls’ Education South Sudan project.+ While these figures are gathered on different bases, and data about those in alternative education systems is least sure, it is hard to dispute the evidence of growing access. This growth happened because South Sudan’s new government financed the staffing, and led the rehabilitation and construction, of schools across the country.
When independence came in 2011, South Sudan’s government was comparatively wealthy: it had the region’s highest level of public spending per capita. But only five percent of the budget was allocated to education, far less than most African countries – and disbursement rates were even lower.+ + Nonetheless, an activist Ministry of Education used the opportunity of peace to develop an education system that could meet the country’s huge challenges. Realising the importance of professional recognition, one of their priorities was paying teachers regular salaries, in contrast to the situation during Sudan’s twentieth century wars, when most were unpaid.
The outbreak of conflict across Greater Upper Nile in 2013 put these achievements at risk. The conflict gradually spread to Equatoria and Bahr al-Ghazal before a peace agreement between the government and the SPLM-in-Opposition was signed in August 2015. But its implementation was delayed, allowing the conflict to intensify, particularly in Equatoria. Implementation of the peace deal began hesitantly when the opposition leadership returned to Juba in April 2016. But a political crisis in July 2016 led to renewed violence; many opposition leaders and their soldiers fled the capital and the future of the peace deal is now in severe doubt.
Since 2014, a currency and inflation crisis has dramatically reduced the real value of government funding for schools and teachers’ wages with classroom teachers’ wages, worth $100 a month at independence, now worth less than $5 a month.
Do more violence and less funding affect enrolment?
But did conflict and shrinking funding lead to a drop in school attendance? In May 2015, UNICEF reported that 70% of schools in the conflict-affected states of Jonglei, Unity and Upper Nile were not functioning and about 400,000 children who had been in school no longer were.
South Sudan Schools Attendance Monitoring System data, compiled from school enrolment lists, showed enrolment falling to 1m in 2014 (from 1.3m in 2013). It then bounced back in 2015 and 2016 – but with a different pattern. As many as 500 schools in Greater Upper Nile remained closed, but schools in Greater Bahr-el-Ghazal and Greater Equatoria grew with the displaced and with locally generated growth.
If this reporting from schools reflects reality, it is not unprecedented. Between 1960 and 1965, enrolment increased significantly in what were then Sudan’s three Southern provinces (now South Sudan), even as internal fighting gathered pace. It was not until government-sponsored urban massacres emptied towns and schools that enrolment in formal schools dropped to almost nothing. But ‘bush schools’, run by the Anya-Nya rebel movement, ended up taking increasing numbers of students.
When peace came in 1972, the World Bank estimated that there were almost 60,000 children in formal schools and 25,000 in bush schools. Enrolment continued to increase, reaching 142,598 by 1981+ and appearing to hit over 400,000 by 2005 – trebling in size over two decades.
Getting an accurate picture of the interaction between war and education is very difficult and it is beyond our scope to address the many challenges involved. But it may be the case that violence pushes young people towards schools, increasing enrolment in wartime.
Defense Minister Tomomi Inada has suggested the possibility of withdrawing Ground Self-Defense Force personnel from the U.N. peacekeeping mission in South Sudan if local security conditions deteriorate due to protracted large-scale fighting.
“If a situation like the exchange of fire in July (in the capital city of Juba) continues for a long time, and the (GSDF) personnel cannot carry out meaningful activities while securing their safety, it would be possible for us to consider withdrawing them even if the five principles governing (Japan’s) participation in U.N. peacekeeping operations are met,” Inada said in a recent interview.
One of the five principles stipulates that a cease-fire between conflicting parties must be in place. The GSDF troops in strife-torn South Sudan are tasked primarily with engineering work. including infrastructure development.
They are newly authorized to carry out more dangerous duties under the controversial national security laws, including the rescue of U.N. personnel and other members of the peacekeeping mission if they come under armed attack at locations away from the usual areas of GSDF activity.
In the interview, conducted last week, Inada said, “It’s meaningful that the legal foundations for the new duties have been clarified and GSDF troops can now receive sufficient training.”
SDF personnel have provided protection for other peacekeepers in past missions in response to requests, but the lack of training for such tasks and legal stipulations imposed a strain on SDF personnel, Inada said.
On the possible execution of the new duties, she said, “The troops are well-trained, and I think they will not push themselves too hard.”
“I’m not concerned,” she said. “The chief commander (of the GSDF unit in South Sudan) is a person who can make the right judgment calmly.”
December 11, 2016 (YAMBIO) – The Christians of Evangelical Lutheran Church, at an extra-ordinary convention held in Yambio, voted out the former Bishop and elected a new one to be in charge of South Sudan and Sudan Lutheran Church affairs.
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A group of Bishops in Juba (ST/file)
James El-taib, the legal advisor of Church, said the removal of the former Bishop Wilson Noah was done in accordance to the law.
The convention, he added, also had right to elect a Bishop to work as per the will of the Christians and constitution of the church.
Early this year, the board of the church accused the former Bishop of Evangelical Lutheran Church of not doing enough to develop the church, and later suspending and dismissing pastors for no reasons. Other allegations were labeled against the former Bishop to defend himself, but the religious leader failed to do what the church expected.
El-taib said the convention, which drew participants from across the two Sudans, unanimously elected Pastor Peter Anibati to be the Bishop of Evangelical Lutheran Church and will be ordained in three months to assume office, according to the church constitution.
The convention also elected the Assistant Bishop Rev. Simon Gatluak who will be in upper Nile to run the Evangelical Lutheran Church.
Meanwhile, the former bishop, who hails from Juba, appealed the convention’s election outcome, describing it as being “illegal”.
He said he still remains the Bishop of Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sudan and South Sudan. “A committee is expected to go and meet the former Bishop in Juba where he is expected to hand over all the assets he was using when he was a bishop,” El-taib stated.
Speaking to leaders of church after the convention, Simon Masini, a church member accused the former bishop of poor administration.
“Christians have been waiting for the convention to take place so they can elect somebody who will take ahead the church ahead,” he said.
December 10, 2016 (SSNA) — The endings to the painful, humiliating lot of the South Sudanese anguish looks miles away into the future as confusions surrounding the implementation of the IGAD-plus mediated Compromise Peace Agreement (CPA2) dazzled the minds. There was an inferred impression that the long-mediated deal was going to be the order of things in the troubled young nation especially after making Dr Machar and Kiir to ink it through regional and international pressure. Unfortunately, it became apparent that the document lacks the force it should to make its signatories comply with its terms of reference. The signed deal had become indeed not a “Holy Bible nor Holy Quran” quoting President Kiir’s once captured media remarks.
And, because it is neither of the two holy books, President Kiir behaves as though he had not committed himself to any internationally mediated deal. His non-negotiable redlined 28 states’ political agenda and others of similar intensities stand unmistakably the pretext Kiir has planned to use to wreck the peace he had signed reluctantly. Kiir is moving on undisturbed while th international communities are entertaining his jokes.
The tribally favoring based politics played by the so called juba/kiir regime in South Sudan have already thrown the nation deep into an irreversible political chaos threaten the very existence of the people of newly born nation itself. Instead the international communities call for a genuine political urgency in the country; they are engaged in worsening of the situation by supporting peace already killed by juba regime on their faces. After all, the creation of more states was not among what triggered the ongoing unrest in the country nor was it an outstanding issue in the nation’s politics, but was used by kiir as a weapon for killing people and the august peace dealt.
Now the issue of more states is the most killing head-ache. As for Kiir, the creation of 28 states was for ideological reasons –an introduction of a new dynamism in South Sudanese politics that based on tribe, bribery and control. Kiir created his states to re-inject his diminishing grip onto power.
Sadly, our struggle for FREEDOM was seen differently by others while we are fighting to ensure the self-existence of the country and we vowed to keep our people united under diversity and tolerance.
Where will a nation dominated by one certain ethnic community at the expense of the others take us? We are working hard to build our country on principles of equality, justice and fair distribution of both power and wealth among its citizens. Will tribalism take us anywhere?
The whole case of South Sudan stands a challenging subject in a world that pride itself to protecting human dignity and rights. Before the world’s watch, Juba Regime had been seen killing her own people, looting the properties of her own people, burning off to ashes the houses of her people and displacing her citizens to foreign lands amid the absolute display of human madness. Who doesn’t know that in Juba the nation’s capital, about 20,000 of Nuer Ethnic members were house to house searched and shot dead in a course of days simply because they belong to the opposition leader’s ethnic community Dr Riek Machar Teny, and the recent executing of Equotorian people in Yei State when their loyalty to former first vice president were discovered.
As violence continued, the targeted community’s youths the (Mighty Nuer White Army) rose for reprisal, President Kiir headed off to neighboring States and beyond lobbying for help to back up his threatened regime from imminent collapse and to strengthen his might in his agenda of blot out the Nuer from the existence. Thus one hears of the Ugandan intervention; the cluster bombing of the armed youths (White Army) who were only some miles away to Juba the blood stained city to get Kiir the murderer; hiring of external forces like Torrobora, JEM, the SPLA North and the armament of massive South Sudanese ethnic minorities through deception and bribery for the same effect.
Months into the violence, atrocities of heart-cutting nature were witnessed and reported—raping of both females and males, cutting off of females’ breasts, the loin lynching of young Nuer, Equotorians, and Shilluk boys. Girls killed by enforcing ruff hard wooden sticks into their virginals, forcing captured Nuers’ indigenous to eat the flesh of their just burned semi-roasted dead body of their fellow Nuers. These and countless others of the same madness were reported and went unaccounted. With all these, President Kiir is just playing with the only hope (the signed peace) which promises restoration to people he had targeted and abused. Indeed, the suffered Southerners are not inquiring for a possible call to remove Kiir from power despite all he had done, but only praise him.
The only choice that be able to restore peace to triumph in the younger nations is when SPLMIO MAIN STREAMloyalist to Dr Riek Machar Teny participated in the process of peace. Attempt to leave out the mentioned PARTY or the Party’s most powerful leader Dr Riek Machar Teny will worsen the situation.
Already the regime in juba is discarded by the nation’s quarter population e.g. Greater Upper Nile, Greater Equotoria region and half of Barigazel region. Hence South Sudan at the present required a political leader who has the capacity to bring together all fighters fighting government, bring together South Sudanese tribes and leader with high integrity, competency and capability to see or treat South Sudanese fairly without discriminations. Thus, to me Dr Riek Machar Teny is the only one many analyst proposed that.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Dr Renish Achieng Omullo who has been appointed a special envoy for the Government of South Sudan in charge of the Federal Republic of Germany affairs/MAURICE ALALLink to web article here.
President Salva Kiir of South Sudan has appointed a Kenyan lady, Renish Omullo as special envoy for his government to the Federal Republic of Germany.
Renish, a resident of Berlin Germany, becomes the first Kenyan female to hold such senior position. In the letter signed by President Salva Kiir, the appointment came into force on December 8, 2016.
“This Decree shall be cited as “The Republic Decree No.324/2016 for the Appointment of the Republic of South Sudan Special Envoy to the Federal Republic of Germany 2106 A.D.” shall come into force on the date of its signature of the President of Republic,” reads the letter.
In a separate letter seen by the Star, Doctor Renish also take charge of international and regional affairs for the Government of South Sudan on the same capacity.
She brings a lot of experience in international trade and diplomacy affairs having worked as the Business Development manager for Africa for Celle Brunnenbau GmBH. She was the first female African to hold the position.
She has been engaged with issues of South Sudan in trade and diplomacy for a long time.
Renish, an avid reader and traveler, hails from Kisumu county and is married with children. She welcomed her appointment by President Kiir and pledged to serve diligently to the benefit of the citizens of South Sudan.
“I am fully focused to do my best to serve well. I take the opportunity to thank President Kiir for the confidence and trust he has bestowed on me,” Renish said on the phone on Saturday.
Many cases of rape are reported in the world’s newest country, South Sudan.
Government forces, unidentified armed groups, and rebel fighters are suspected of these crimes. Yet not one individual has been arrested or sentenced to prison for rape this year.
That information comes from the Voice of America (VOA) program South Sudan in Focus. South Sudan in Focus is a joint effort of VOA and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
On Wednesday, a top African Union (AU) official made an appeal to South Sudan’s government. Bineta Diop called on government officials to arrest and punish soldiers who sexually abused women during the three years of conflict in the country. She said punishing those responsible for sexual abuse against women will guarantee security and self-respect for South Sudanese women.
Diop is the AU’s Special Envoy for Women, Peace and Security. She met this week with South Sudan’s Minister of Gender, Child and Social Welfare, women activists and others in the city of Juba. They talked about how women’s rights can be protected in South Sudan, despite ongoing fighting.
Diop said the AU has launched a campaign aimed at reestablishing the dignity of women in South Sudan.
The chairperson of the AU Commission, Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, is directing the campaign. She is a former wife of Jacob Zuma, South Africa's president.
“It’s time for us to silence the guns in South Sudan,” Dlamini Zuma said. “It’s time for us to restore peace in this country,” but especially to bring back “the dignity of women in South Sudan.” 16-day campaign against sexual violence
Bineta Diop called on national, state, and local officials across South Sudan to enforce the law and arrest and punish criminals who violate women’s rights.She said that the African Union stands firmly with South Sudanese women who launched 16 days of activism against sexual violence. She said the AU wants women to have a say in finding solutions to the country’s widespread problem of sexual abuse.
In Imatong state, women’s rights activists have been using the 16-day program to talk directly to men about sexual violence.
They are also campaigning for more women to be appointed to local and state government positions. They say women serving in these positions can influence decisions and policies.
The activists say the reason rapists are not punished is because men control decision-making positions. And, the men do not arrest other men for crimes like rape.
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The President and founder of the organisation 'Femmes Africa Solidarite' (Women Africa Solidarity), Bineta Diop, delivers a speech during a regional conference on Women, Peace, Security and Development in the Great Lakes region, June 9, 2013 in Bujumbura.
High-ranking women seen as key Imatong state lawmaker and activist Angela Achiro said women must hold office at all levels of government.
“For instance, at the county level, we would like to see a female commissioner. In Imotong state, we have 12 counties, but no woman is appointed county commissioner," she said.
Achiro said women employed in the military or police are only offered jobs as office cleaners, tea makers and messengers, while uneducated men are given higher positions.
Achiro also said if a woman headed the army, she would enforce the law and prevent government soldiers and rebel forces from raping women.
Davidika Ikai heads an organization called Itwak. She said having women in high local and state positions will help ensure that girls are registered in school and stay there. She believes that educating girls is the only thing that will end sexual violence in South Sudan.
‘A lot more needs to be done’ Mary Cummins heads the office of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, or UNMISS. She said dealing with the problem of sexual violence will be a long and difficult process.
"A lot more needs to be done,” Cummins said. It is very hard work for women to succeed in a male-controlled society, she added.
There have been an average of 30 rape cases per month this year, and those are only the ones that are reported.
Many South Sudanese women do not report a sex attack because they do not want to be rejected by their communities.
Jacob Atari, Imatong state Education, Gender and Social Welfare Minister, said there is a need to get many organized forces involved, “especially soldiers and some men, so that we can talk about these things…to the people who are violating it.”
December 11, 2016 (JUBA)- The intergovernmental authority on development Authority (IGAD) has expressed disappointment at the targeted killings in South Sudan, forcing its member states to condemn in the strongest terms.
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An extraordinary session of the IGAD heads of states meeting in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, on 10 June 2014 (IGAD photo)
IGAD heads of states and governments held a two day meeting in Addis Ababa on Friday 9 and Saturday 10 where they discussed the implementation of the South Sudanese peace agreement, and the delay of presidential election in Somalia.
The summit, according to the communique, was chaired by Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalegn and attended by the heads of state of Sudan, Djibouti, South Sudan and Somalia. Kenya and Uganda were represented by Foreign ministers. The regional leaders, according to the communique, expressed disappointed and “condemned sexual violence on women and girls and expresses deep concern with the rising ethnic rhetoric, hate speech and ethnically-fuelled violence,".
They called upon the political leadership in South Sudan to immediately condemn and take steps to prevent any act of discrimination, hostility, and hatred that could constitute incitement to violence. It called on all parties to immediately "cease all hostilities, while condemning declaration of armed uprisings in South Sudan" and called upon the SPLM-IO faction to "renounce violence as means of solving the problems of South Sudan".
The IGAD leaders expressed their serious concern and dismay that the implementation of the peace agreement has faced a serious setback since July clashes in Juba and underlined their firm conviction that the peace accord is the only viable way towards achievement of peace and stability in South Sudan.
They however commended the JMEC Chairperson and members of the Commission for the hard work they are performing under extremely difficult circumstances in monitoring the implementation of the peace agreement.
The summit welcomed the consent given by the unity government for the immediate deployment of the Regional Protection Force (RPF), including equipment and weapons required by the Force. It commended the troop contributing countries for the Force for accepting the responsibility of deploying their troops under the RPF in the spirit of regional solidarity.
It reiterated the continued and collective commitment of the region in the search of lasting peace, security and stabilization in South Sudan, including through the early deployment and full operationalization of the RPF.
Ethiopian Prime Minister and IGAD Chairperson Hailemariam Desalegn on Friday called on Kenya to "reconsider its decision to withdraw its forces from South Sudan and to consider its participation". He further said that Kenya is n anchor for peace and security and its participation in peacekeeping is vital.
Addis Ababa December 9, 2016 The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has called on Kenya to reconsider its decision to withdraw forces from South Sudan.
