Upper Nile Governor James Odhok has ordered the release of over 30 inmates charged with minor offences including pickpocketing to alleviate overcrowding at the state’s prison facilities. Continue reading “Governor Odhok orders release of 30 inmates”
Author: Memoscar Lasuba
UK urges resolve to Abyei political status
UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN says his country remains concerned by the lack of progress towards the resolution of Abyei’s political status and urged South Sudan and Sudan governments to re-engage in dialogue.
Diplomat James Kariuki made the remarks the UN Security Council meeting in New York on Tuesday.
While citing Ms. Pobee, UNISFA’s Assistant Secretary-General Mr Kariuki, underscored that despite ongoing tensions, report stated that there have been no inter communal clashes since April.
“We remain concerned by the lack of progress on a political solution for Abyei. Sudan and South Sudan must re-engage in dialogue towards the resolution of Abyei’s political status”, said Kariuki in a statment.
He emphasized the importance of UNISFA’s work in maintaining peace in a fragile region to ensure this positive trend continues.
Meanwhile, he stressed the need for the Government of South Sudan and the Sudanese authorities to remove obstacles to UNISFA’s operations.
“We call on the Sudanese authorities urgently to issue visas for UN civilian and police personnel to help UNISFA address increasing crime-related threats in Abyei.
“We also re-iterate our calls on the leaders of South Sudan to withdraw the People’s Defence Forces from Abyei. These forces compromise Abyei’s demilitarised status and violate the 2011 Status of Forces Agreement”, he added.
According to Kariuki, UNISFA’s report indicated credible evidence of arms proliferation which compromises the security of Abyei.
He further noted resettlement of 24,000 refugees and returnees who have arrived in Abyei since the outbreak of the conflict.
In regard to this, the UK top diplomat urged the parties to open the Athony airstrip to facilitate humanitarian access and to enable UNISFA’s operations.
He warns that the deteriorating conflict in Sudan and the challenges in South Sudan make the work of the mission more important than ever, and urged for support to UNISFA to discharge its mandate fully.
Australia pushes for social media ban on under-16s
Australia’s government says it will introduce “world-leading” legislation to ban children under 16 from social media, the BBC has reported.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the proposed laws, to be tabled in parliament next week, were aimed at mitigating the “harm” social media was inflicting on Australian children.
“This one is for the mums and dads… They, like me, are worried sick about the safety of our kids online. I want Australian families to know that the government has your back,” he said.
While many of the details are yet to be debated, the government said the ban would not apply to young people already on social media.
There will be no exemptions on the age limit for children who have consent from their parents. The government says that the onus will be on social media platforms to show they are taking reasonable steps to prevent access.
Albanese said there would be no penalties for users, and that it would be up to Australia’s online regulator – the eSafety Commissioner – to enforce the laws.
The legislation would come into force 12 months after it passes and be subject to a review after it’s in place.
While most experts agree that social media platforms can harm the mental health of adolescents, many are split over the efficacy of trying to outlaw them all together.
Some experts argue that bans only delay young people’s exposure to apps such as TikTok, Instagram and Facebook, instead of teaching them how to navigate complex online spaces.
Previous attempts at restricting access, including by the European Union, have largely failed or faced backlash from tech firms. And questions remain over how implementation would work given there are tools which can circumvent age-verification requirements.
One of Australia’s largest advocacy groups for child rights has criticised the proposed ban as “too blunt an instrument”.
In an open letter sent to the government in October, signed by over 100 academics and 20 civil society organisations, the Australian Child Rights Taskforce called on Albanese to instead look at imposing “safety standards” on social media platforms.
The group also pointed to UN advice that “national policies” designed to regulate online spaces “should be aimed at providing children with the opportunity to benefit from engaging with the digital environment and ensuring their safe access to it”.
But other grassroots campaigners have lobbied Australia’s government for the laws, saying bans are needed to protect children from harmful content, misinformation, bullying and other social pressures.
A petition by the 36Months initiative, which has over 125,000 signatures, argues children are “not yet ready to navigate online social networks safely” until at least 16, and that currently “excessive social media use is rewiring young brains within a critical window of psychological development, causing an epidemic of mental illness”.
When asked whether there should be broader efforts to educate children about how to navigate the benefits and risks of being online, Albanese said that such an approach would be insufficient because it “assumes an equal power relationship”.
“I don’t know about you, but I get things popping up on my system that I don’t want to see. Let alone a vulnerable 14-year-old,” he told reporters on Thursday.
“These tech companies are incredibly powerful. These apps have algorithms that drive people towards certain behaviour.”
Tumaini mediators told to finalize peace deal in 2 weeks
President Salva Kiir and his Kenyan Counterpart William Ruto have directed Tumaini Initiative mediation team to reconvene and resolve the outstanding issues within two weeks.
In a joint statement, the two Heads of States commended the parties for drafting and initializing nine protocols so far.
In order to finalize the mediation process, President Kiir and his counterpart Ruto directed the mediation team to reconvene and resolve the outstanding issues within two weeks.
Meanwhile, both leaders agreed to secure regional endorsement of the Tumaini Initiative.
They urged the Inter-governmental Authority on Development, IGAD to mobilize resources and goodwill of the international community including the TROIKA and other countries to enable full implementation of the initiative.
It’s not clear what the outstanding issues are, but the Kenyan-led mediation for South Sudan peace process stalled since August after the SPLM-IO reneged from the process, arguing the protocols proposed institutions were parallel or replaced some of those under the R-ARCSS.
The opposition also said the Tumaini undermined the sovereignty of South Sudan by establishing five institutions with the head and deputies to be appointed by the regional body, IGAD.
These include the Security Supervision Mechanism, Ceasefire Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring Mechanism, Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission, National Transitional Committee, and Strategic Defense and Security Review Board to be co-chaired by the parties to the 2018 agreement.
According to SPLM-IO, the initiative had taken the role of a funder, supervisor, coordinator, convener of a donor conference, funder manager, monitor of the agreement, guarantor and governing authority.
46% budget deficit may cause spiraling inflation, warn lawmakers
Members of the National Legislature have voiced strong concerns on how the Finance Ministry will cover the SSP. 2.6 trillion-deficit in the Fiscal Year 2024/2025.
The Financial year 2024/2025 budget projects a total envelope of 4.1 trillion South Sudan Pounds (SSP) with a deficit accounting for 46% of the total budget.
This was disclosed by the Chairperson of the Committee on Finance and Planning during the second reading of the budget.
Michael Ayuen Johnson also noted that additional allocations by various clusters amount to 695 billion SSP.
In his remarks, he questioned the Ministry of Finance on how they plan to cover this deficit, which would increase to SSP 2.6 trillion with the additions.
“The Fiscal Year 2024/2024 budget has a deficit of 1.9 trillion making a percentage of 46% and the new additions by the clusters stand at the tune of SSP. 695 billion
“Furthermore, the implication of this new additions is that, the current fiscal year 2024-2025 budget deficit alone is huge and if this is added will rise to a tune of 2.6 trillion which is unattainable.
“How are you (minister) planning to cover the inflation because this is going to cause more inflation in the market, because the things that we are doing here in South Sudan it looked like we are joking because what we are doing exactly is not what is reflected in all the writing we have on the papers”, said MP Reth Mouch
Meanwhile, lawmaker Gai Mayen called for a realistic budget that covers the needs of the country.
“As much as we appreciate the minister of finance or endeavoring cover all the needs of this country within this budget, I would urge them to be realistic in the sense that we should not leave above our means.
“It is better for us to stick to what is projected in the resource envelope even if it is very low, we can manage it and also not risk sending panic to the market and cost inflation and many other disasters we may not manage,” he added.
In response, the Minister of Finance and Planning stated that the government plans to finance the deficit through the expected resumption of Nile Dar Blend oil revenues, as well as loans and grants from international lenders.
Dr. Marial Dongrin clarified that the current budget deliberately excluded Dar Blend oil revenues, which comprise 70% of oil income, as a safeguard against uncertain production timelines.
“One, we have said is that our resource envelope as regard to oil revenues has excluded the revenues from the sale of crude from the Dar Blend, which actually constitutes 70% of our oil revenues.
“We did this as a government for strategic reasons; that if we had estimated and included revenues from the Dar Blend and include it we would not see the white fiscal deficit. But we may be risking if oil production does not resume.
“I want to assure the House that the government is working very hard to ensure resumption, even if it may take many months and part of the fiscal year is missed. We think that this is going to almost close the fiscal deficit that you currently seeing.”
During his speech, the Minister disclosed his meetings at IMF and World Bank in DC that the government will take loans and grants from international lenders, especially the International Monetary Fund.
Trump wins US election
Donald Trump has won the US election and will make a historic return to the White House
Hailing a “magnificent victory”, the Republican told jubilant crowds in Florida: “America has given us an unprecedented and powerful mandate”
President-elect Trump carved a path to victory by winning the swing states of North Carolina, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Georgia
Kamala Harris is yet to concede or address supporters – dejected crowds left her watch party earlier before the final result came in
Meanwhile, Republicans have also taken the Senate back from Democrats after flipping a string of crucial seats
Kenyan President William Ruto arrives in Juba
Kenyan President William Ruto on Wednesday morning arrived in Juba to engage with his Counterpart Salva Kiir on the Tumaini Initiative and infrastructure development project, LAPSSET among others
In his Facebook page on Tuesday, Mr Ruto confirmed he would meet President Salva Kiir Mayardit in an engagement he said will lead towards the final signature and implementation of the Tumaini Initiative.
On Tuesday, he held an engagement with opposition parties’ representatives to the Tumaini Initiative in Nairobi.
According to the Kenyan President, the parties compromising the government and opposition groups have confirmed their readiness to sign the Tumaini Consensus in what he describes as the product of sustained inclusive negotiations.
Last month, the Chief Mediator of the Kenya-led peace negotiations between South Sudan government and opposition groups – Lt. Gen. (Rtd) Lazarus Sumbeiywo – told The East African newspaper that parties would sign the final agreement in November 2024.
He said the Tumaini Initiative already completed nine protocols on key agenda items and will finalize the pending.
Sumbeiywo, who also mediated the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement that guaranteed South Sudan’s path to independence, assured that the current peace negotiations have not collapsed.
The unity government and opposition alliance (SSOMA) and other stakeholders, kicked off negotiations in May 2024 to bring about lasting peace incorporating all the holdout groups that have not signed the 2018 peace deal.
Mr. Yakani urges Kiir, Ruto to complete Tumaini Initiative
Activist Edmund Yakani says he hopes President Salva Kiir and William Ruto will make decision that ensures the completion of Tumaini peace process in a successful manner.
Yakani has also accused some leaders in the unity government of working against the Tumaini peace initiative.
Without mentioning their names – Edmond Yakani, the executive director of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization – says the officials are now on regional advocacy to derail the initiative.
He emphasized that the Tumaini initiative is neither intended to replace the revitalized peace agreement nor create new government under the 2018 peace pact.
“We are aware that some leaders in the incumbent government have taken an initiative of fighting Tumaini peace initiative simply because of a fear for losing positions.
“Though they say there are contradictions against the R-ARCSS, those contradictions could have been sorted out on the mediation table without withdrawal and without creating jeopardy or contradiction to the Tumaini, or suspending the process of Tumaini.
Yakani called on President Kiir and his Kenyan counterpart William Ruto to end their meeting in Juba today with a positive outcome on Tumaini initiative.
“We hope that President William Ruto and President Salva Kiir will make decisions that mainly aimed at completion of Tumaini peace process, in a successful manner, in a manner that the interest of the citizens of South Sudan is above the interest of any political leaders of any capacity.
The two leaders are expected to discuss in Juba Wednesday the Tumaini Initiative that is reportedly due for signature this month.
The Heads-of-State will then hold another on bilateral ties between the two neighboring nations.
Donald Trump declares victory in address to supporters
Donald Trump declares victory in the US election as he addresses jubilant supporters in Florida, according to BBC report.
America has given us an unprecedented and powerful mandate,” he says to cheering crowds
The Republican has picked up the battleground states of Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Georgia, leaving Kamala Harris with only a narrow path to victory
Just before Trump began speaking, Fox News projected that he had won the election; other US TV networks are yet to do so
A return to the White House would be an extraordinary comeback for Trump after he lost to Joe Biden in 2020
Harris’s campaign says she won’t speak today, as dejected supporters left her watch party earlier
Lawmakers move 2024-2025 fiscal budget to third reading
The National Legislature has moved the 2024-2025 National Budget to the third reading stage following discussions that underscored significant concerns regarding fiscal discipline and sector funding. Continue reading “Lawmakers move 2024-2025 fiscal budget to third reading”
