Category: News

President Kiir invites Dr Machar to Juba

President Salva Kiir has invited the main opposition leader, Dr. Riek Machar, to return to Juba for the formation of the reconstituted transitional government of unity.

Presidential press secretary, Ateny Wek Ateny, revealed this to Eye Radio on Tuesday.

Ateny says President Kiir invited his future first vice president during the spiritual retreat at the Vatican last week.

“The President asked Dr. Riek to come to Juba on or before the 12 of May so that the revitalized transitional government of national unity is formed,” he said.

According to the peace accord, the transitional government shall be formed at the end of the 8-month pre-transitional period, on May 12.

However, Dr. Riek Machar – who remained in Rome following the ousting of Omar al-Bashir – told Reuter’s news agency that he would like the pre-transitional period be extended for 6 months, citing unimplemented security provisions.

But Ateny argued that “the opposition leaders are in Juba already, an indication to Dr. Riek that his security will taken care off while the government is formed.”

Only 44% S.Sudanese have access to healthcare since 2014-official

The undersecretary of the ministry of health says the poor healthcare in South Sudan is due to concentration of major health facilities in urban centers compared to those in the rural areas where majority of the population lives.

According to UN estimates, only 44 percent of citizens are able to access health services in the country.

“Why are we doing so little almost ten years since independence is also a function of so many things, ” Dr. Makur Koryom asked.

He made the remarks during the launch of the state of world population 2019 report by United Nations Population Fund in Juba on Monday.

He said those who have access to state resources and working class are the ones who can afford health services.

“But who are those? It’s me, it’s you your Excellency, and your deputy minister and those who are sitting around here,” said Dr Makur.

Dr. Koryom went on to say since 2014, the government has not been able to purchase essential medical supplies for the people due to under-funding of the health sector.

This, he said, has made the country so dependent on the international community.

“Let me say the donor community has being doing a lot to support health care in this country. Since 2014 we have never as a government procured medicines for the country,” Dr Makur said:

“I am not saying this secretly Your Excellency [Dr James Wani Igga], since 2014 we have never as a government procures medicine for the country.

“Our list of essential medicines has been reduced from 200 to only 73, because that’s what the donor money can afford.”

“It tells us that there is more that we need to as a government and to encourage and motivate our donors to invest in health.”

Formation of interim govt fixed, ‘despite failures’- NPTC member

An opposition leader has said the parties will form the reconstituted government of national unity as scheduled.

This is in reaction to a call by the main opposition leader, Dr. Riek Machar, to extend the pre-transitional period.

On Friday, Dr. Machar told Reuters that it would not be possible to set up the interim government, citing unimplemented security arrangements.

These include unification, training and cantonment of the soldiers.

However, the member of the Other Political Parties, Peter Mayen, who also represents his group at the NPTC, questioned:

“We will continue to be the same members, the mechanisms will remain the same, the parties will remain the same but the question is, what is going to be a new added value to the process?”

“If South Sudanese lose the momentum, and the army give up on this peace agreement, that is my biggest worry,” he said.

The end of the pre-interim period is just less than a month away.

So far, most of the key provisions in the accord such as cantonment of forces, establishment of tribal boundaries and determination of the number of states, among others, have not been implemented.

UNFPA urges partners to aid S.Sudan realize 2030 SDGs

The United Nation Population Fund has urged its partners to help South Sudan realize the international conference on population and development.

Held in Cairo in September 1994, the conference, abbreviated as ICPD, was agreed upon by 170 countries.
Its resulting Program of Action is the steering document for the United Nations Population Fund.

The program emphasizes the need to empower women and eliminate all forms of gender bias.

It also advocates for reduction in infant and child mortality, reduction in maternal mortality, and access to reproductive and sexual health services including family planning.

“UNFPA has charted a course to achieve three zeros by 2030: zero maternal deaths, zero unmet need for family planning and zero gender-based violence,” said Dr. Mary Otieno, South Sudan’s UNFPA country representative.

The others Ms. Otieno said are “harmful practices including early and force child marriage and female gentle mutilation.”

UNFPA says all these are key to achieving sustainable development.

“UNFPA alone cannot realize world of three zeros alone; governments, civil society, international institutions and activists and advocates must join forces to make it happen,” she appealed.

Ms. Otieno spoke during the UNFPA world population report titled: “Unfinished Business, the pursuit of rights and choices for all.”

According to UN reports, maternal deaths in South Sudan remain high at 789 deaths per 100,000 live births.

Public universities to reopen after receiving partial funding

Public universities are expected to re-open next week or so after receiving two months’ operational costs.

This is according to the minister of higher education, science and technology – Yien Oral.

“They will operate soon. For the last weeks, the universities’ administrations have been paid two months’ operational fees,” he told reporters in Juba.

He said that each public university has been given 3 million South Sudanese Pounds except the University of Juba.

“The University got a 4 million SSP-loans and the other universities have got 3 million ssp, as well as the contractors’ companies that feed students have been paid 10% of the money,” said Oral.

Last month, a dispute over new fee structure led to suspension of the reopening of the public universities.

“So now, I would say this week, next week or as soon as possible, the universities will be re-opened,” he announced.

Yien Oral said this yearS’s accademic Continue reading Public universities to reopen after receiving partial funding

Torit loses huge revenues to illicit forest activities, says official

Torit State Revenue Authority is losing millions of South Sudanese pounds in revenues to illicit forest activities including logging.

That is according to the revenue authority commissioner Charles Onen Lokwyaruk

“We have realized that the state on average is losing 30 million SSP per month,” he said.

Mr. Lokwyaruk said some individuals are illegally possessing the state form 15 which authorizes official collection of revenues.

He said this form is cheaply issued out to loggers at an amount ranging between 10 000 and 20000 pounds to have access to the forest.

“If you calculate in terms of per year, you will realize that you have billions of revenues, and yet our budget of state is around five-to-six hundred million per year,” he said.

Based on this, Mr. Lokyaruk issued a directive to all the state institutions and County commissioners to implement the order.

“They need to implement this directive to ensure that we safeguard our forest resources and also stop or minimize our revenue losses in the state.”

Mr. Lokwyaruk said he is soon releasing a report detailing illegal activities that are affecting revenue collection in the state.

IOM scales up support to returnees

The International Organization for Migration –IOM says it is scaling up its response to returnees across the country.

In a statement seen by Eye Radio, IOM says it is now putting into use the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund of 2.6 million US dollars to support those returnees.

It says the money is being spent to provide construction materials to more than 50,000 returning households – particularly in Western Bahr el Ghazal, Western Equatoria and Unity States to rebuild damaged homes.

Those returning will also be provided small grants to enable them invest in local markets.

IOM South Sudan Chief of Mission, Jean-Philippe Chauzy said: “While it’s still premature to scale up these operations en masse, newly offered services should be available in areas where people are willing and able to return.”

In its latest round of mobility tracking, covering 87 per cent of the country and reaching 1.2 million IDPs, IOM said the DTM  identified over 860,000 returnees, of whom a third returned last year.
 
Apparently in Wau County, Wau State, the organization said relative stability in Wau town, has enabled increased returns.

However, it said in its surrounding areas such as Baggari, Beselia and Kuarjena, ongoing violence has triggered new influxes of IDPs to PoC sites and collective centers. 

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