Pope focuses on Darfur-born St. Josephine Bakhita, patron saint of Sudan and human trafficking survivors

Report from Catholic News Agency - catholicnewsagency.com
By Matthew Santucci
Vatican City

Dated Wednesday, 11 October 2023, 09:30 am - here is a copy in full:

Pope Francis highlights St. Josephine Bakhita’s example of forgiveness

Josephine Bakhita. | A.Currell via Flickr (CC BY NC 2.0)

Speaking in his first general audience since the start of the Synod on Synodality last week, Pope Francis on Wednesday resumed his ongoing catechesis on the theme of apostolic zeal, this time focusing on the story of the Sudanese-Italian saint Josephine Bakhita, which he described as “an existential parable of forgiveness.”

Born in 1869 in the region of Darfur, Josephine was sold into slavery as a young girl. She was traded between different owners and endured incredible hardship, being forcibly converted to Islam and was subjected to scarification, a process by which the skin is intentionally cut, or branded, to make a set pattern. Incidentally, her captors gave her the name Bakhita, which from the Arabic translates to “fortunata,” or fortunate. 

In 1883 she was sold to Italian Vice Consul Callisto Legnani. In 1884, following the political instability that had engulfed Khartoum, they fled Sudan to Italy. She was subsequently passed to Augusto Michieli, a friend of Legnami. She first encountered Catholicism when she was entrusted to the care of Canossian Sisters in Venice. 

While Micheli tried to force her back to Sudan with him, she refused. Her case went before the Italian court, which ultimately ruled that her slavery was null, given that Britain had outlawed slavery before she was sold and it was never legal in Italy. On Jan. 9, 1890, as a free woman, she converted to Catholicism, and nine years later, in 1896, made her final vows with the Canossian Sisters. Bakhita was canonized on Oct. 1, 2000, by Pope John Paul II and is the patron saint of Sudan and human trafficking survivors.  

It was the sisters’ example of kindness and charity that so profoundly touched Bakhita, ultimately leading to her conversion, and was the catalyst for her religious vocation but also instilled in her the evangelical imperative of forgiveness. 

She famously said: “If I were to meet those who kidnapped me, and even those who tortured me, I would kneel and kiss their hands. For, if these things had not happened, I would not have been a Christian and a religious today.” 

Her life, which was characterized by hardship but also hope and mercy, was the backdrop for Pope Francis’ appeal for forgiveness, which he said stems from God’s love. He quoted an excerpt from Luke’s Gospel (Lk 23:34): “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.”

Pope Francis pauses during his general audience on Oct. 11, 2023, in St. Peter's Square. Credit: Vatican Media

“What is the secret of St. Bakhita?” the pope asked, adding: “The vocation of the oppressed is that of freeing themselves and their oppressors, becoming restorers of humanity. Only in the weakness of the oppressed can the force of God’s love, which frees both, be revealed.” 

The pope went on to say that “to pity means both to suffer with the victims of the great inhumanity in the world and also to pity those who commit errors and injustices, not justifying, but humanizing.” 

“When we enter the logic of struggle, of division between us, of bad feelings, one against the other, we lose humanity. And many times we think that we need humanity, to be more human. And this is the work that St. Bakhita teaches us: to humanize, to humanize ourselves and to humanize others,” the Holy Father said, departing from his prepared remarks.

Throughout his address the pope emphasized that forgiveness is an essential component of Christian life. It is what enabled St. Josephine Bakhita to become “a free, joyful woman, capable of loving.”

In this way she stands as a model of not only living God’s love authentically, the pope said, but also “helps us to unmask our hypocrisies and selfishness, to overcome resentments and conflicts. She encourages us to reconcile with ourselves and find peace in our families and communities. She offers us a light of hope in these difficult times of mistrust and distrust of others.” 

Full story: https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/255647/pope-francis-st-josephine-bakhita-forgiveness

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STATEMENT: The Friends of Sudan Group reiterate steadfast support for UNITAMS and SRSG Perthes

NOTE from Sudan Watch Editor: The Friends of Sudan Group includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and the European Union.

In the Group's June 7th statement copied here below, it reiterates its steadfast support for the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) and the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative (SRSG) to Sudan and Head of UNITAMS Dr Volker Perthes and their tireless work to assist the Sudanese people in their aspirations for a civilian transition, freedom, peace and justice. 

Incidentally, the 23 members of the Group of Friends of Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC) in Sudan are: Canada, Sweden, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Brazil, EU Delegation, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, US, UK, and Qatar, as well as UNAMID and the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator and UNICEF as the Secretariat.

Source: Office of the SRSG for Children and Armed Conflict https://childrenandarmedconflict.un.org/2018/05/group-of-friends-of-children-and-armed-conflict-caac-in-sudan/

__________________________________________

Published at Government Offices of Sweden website

Dated 07 June 2023 - full copy:

Friends of Sudan Group Statement

France, Germany, Norway, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and the European Union, as members of the Friends of Sudan, express their deep concern about the ongoing violence and the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Sudan, including reports about violations of international humanitarian law and human rights, as well as about widespread looting of humanitarian supplies.

We strongly urge the warring parties to stop the fighting and attacks on civilians, and agree to an effective and sustained ceasefire, to ensure safe, rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access and respect for international humanitarian law, and to work towards a return to the political process. We urgently call on the warring parties to adhere to their commitments agreed in the 11 May Declaration of Commitment to Protect the Civilians of Sudan and in the ceasefire of 20 May, and to return to the Jeddah dialogue to resolve issues around violations and reach a ceasefire that is respected fully. Humanitarian supplies and workers must be protected to ensure that assistance can reach people in need.

We support all international and regional efforts that work towards a cessation of hostilities and a resolution of this conflict. In this context, we would like to reiterate our steadfast support for the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) and Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) Volker Perthes and their tireless work to assist the Sudanese people in their aspirations for a civilian transition, freedom, peace and justice.

We call on the conflict parties to heed to calls of the Sudanese people for freedom, peace and justice by resolving their differences peacefully leading to the restoration of the political dialogue.

View original: https://www.government.se/statements/2023/06/friends-of-sudan-group-statement/

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Report at SudanTribune.com

Dated Monday 12 June 2023 - full copy:

Friends of Sudan express support for UN special envoy

Friends of Sudan meets in Riyadh, on January 18, 2022 SPA

June 12, 2023 (KHARTOUM) – The Friends of Sudan group has voiced its unwavering support for Volker Perthes, the UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy and head of UNITAMS, while strongly denouncing the decision by the Sudanese government to declare him persona non grata.

The military-led government in Sudan made this declaration on June 8, shortly after the renewal of UNITAMS’ mandate for six months, disregarding its demand to replace him.

In a statement released on Monday, Dennis Kumetat, the Spokesman for the German Foreign Ministry for the Middle East and North Africa, representing his country and the Friends of Sudan, unequivocally condemned the Sudanese government’s action against the German diplomat.

“Since the outbreak of hostilities, the UN Special Envoy has been working tirelessly and energetically to campaign for ceasefires, protection of civilians, and humanitarian access to assist the affected local populations. We have full confidence in his ability to continue this crucial work,” Kumetat further stressed.

Perthes will continue to work on Sudan from Nairobi, where he has opened an office.

The statement follows a letter sent on June 9 by Sudan to the African Union, Ethiopia, and various UN specialized agencies, requesting that they refrain from engaging with Perthes. It should be noted that Sudan’s membership in the regional body has been suspended since the coup on October 25, 2021.

Additionally, France and the United States issued separate statements, offering their support to Perthes and condemning the decision of the military-led government in Khartoum.

The US State Department stated on May 27, “SRSG Perthes continues to have our confidence in implementing the UNITAMS mandate and in supporting the Sudanese people to achieve a peaceful and democratic future.”

Similarly, the French foreign ministry stated on June 9, “We commend the continued commitment and tireless work of Mr Volker Perthes and all UNITAMS teams to consolidate peace and support Sudan’s democratic transition, and more recently, to secure a ceasefire and humanitarian corridors.”

The Friends of Sudan group, established by the United States to support Sudan’s democratic transition, includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and the European Union.

View original: https://sudantribune.com/article274419/

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Sudan news round-up from BBC Mon 24 Apr 2023

BBC EPA-EFE/REX/ShutterstockCopyright: EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock

Image caption: A battle-damaged street in Khartoum on 23 April

From BBC News Live Reporting 

Monday 24 April 2023 22:26 BST UK

Edited by Nathan Williams and Alys Davies

22:26 Pausing our coverage
Nathan Williams
Live reporter
We're pausing our live coverage for now, thanks for following along.

The two rival factions – the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and the regular Sudanese army – have agreed to a 72-hour ceasefire, the US says. But, this is not the first ceasefire of the conflict – let's see if this holds. You can continue to read about the story here.

Nations have been attempting to get diplomats and citizens out of the country. But UK defence sources have warned the situation is "more dynamic, more dangerous" than what was seen during the evacuation of Kabul, Afghanistan back in 2021.

Amid the evacuations, some 3,500 Nigerians are "stranded", a Nigerian diaspora body has said. 

Throughout the day, we've also heard many harrowing stories from people on the ground – including those who are having trouble accessing food and water.

For more on this story see this short background piece. And here's another on how evacuations happen.

And here's our latest news story on the situation in Sudan.

Today's coverage was brought to you by Heather Sharp, Alexandra Fouché, Cecilia Macaulay, Ece Goksedef, Antoinette Radford, Laura Gozzi, Adam Durbin, Sam Hancock, Aoife Walsh, Nadine Yousif, Alys Davies and myself.

Summary

The UK government has insisted it's doing all it can to help British nationals stuck in Sudan - after diplomats and their families were rescued yesterday

Minister Andrew Mitchell says there are estimates of around 4,000 Britons in the country, but the number could be higher

Fighting between two opposing forces has seen deadly shooting and shelling in the country's capital, Khartoum, for more than a week

France, Germany, Italy and Spain have been evacuating diplomats and other nationals from Sudan

But UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has warned that help for Britons will remain "severely limited" until a ceasefire is reached

He added there were "specific threats and violence directed towards diplomats", which led to the decision to evacuate staff from the British embassy in Khartoum

A British businessman living in Sudan has told the BBC the situation is a "nightmare for those of us left behind" in the country

UK defence sources say the situation in Sudan is “very, very different” than what was seen during the evacuation out of Afghanistan in 2021

Khartoum is "more dynamic, more dangerous" than Kabul - with ongoing fighting in areas where Western nationals are located, the sources say

The BBC understands that a small British military team has landed in Sudan to assess potential evacuation options

Meanwhile, Sudan's rivals have agreed to a three day ceasefire starting on Tuesday, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken says

More than 1,000 EU citizens have been airlifted out, many on French and German rescue missions

Fighting between the Sudanese army and RSF paramilitary force has left 420 people dead since it began on 15 April

About 9,000 refugees flee to South Sudan

US heavily involved in efforts to stop the fighting

Ceasefire comes after past attempts to call truce collapsed

See above reports here with thanks to the BBC.

Video caption: 

Sudan fighting: Europeans cram onto evacuation planes from Sudan

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Irish army to help evacuate citizens from Sudan

Report from BBC News

Sunday 23 April 2023, 8:24 PM GMT+1 - excerpts:

Irish army personnel to help evacuate citizens from Sudan

The conflict unfolding in Sudan's capital, Khartoum, and other regions has led to evacuations

Personnel from the Irish Defence Forces will be deployed to help evacuate citizens from Sudan.

The measure was approved by the government on Sunday amid a worsening security situation in the African country.

Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs said it is in contact with more than 150 Irish citizens in Sudan.

Twelve armed forces personnel will initially be deployed to Djibouti, on the east African coast. [...]

The Emergency Civil Assistance Team (ECAT) will provide consular and other assistance to Irish citizens and their dependents being evacuated.

Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Leo Varadkar [pictured] said the situation in Sudan's capital Khartoum had "got worse in the last few days, and violence is being reported across the city".

"The situation on the ground in Sudan remains extremely volatile and I wish the ECAT and Defence Forces team every success in this mission," he added.

The US and UK announced on Sunday that they had flown diplomats out of the country.

British diplomats and their families were evacuated from Sudan in a "complex and rapid" operation, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confirmed.

Mr Sunak said work was continuing to ensure the safety of British nationals who remain in Sudan.

UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said there were "specific threats and violence directed towards diplomats" which led to the decision to evacuate staff.

He said that by relocating the embassy to a nearby country, diplomats could provide more assistance to those in Sudan.

But he said the government's ability to evacuate other British nationals was "severely limited" until fighting between warring parties stopped.

UK citizens in Sudan are being urged to tell the Foreign Office where they are in case more help becomes available, and a hotline has been set up for those who need urgent help.

Italy, Belgium, Turkey, Japan and the Netherlands said they were also organising evacuations, starting on Sunday.

On Saturday, more than 150 people, mostly citizens of Gulf countries, as well as Egypt, Pakistan and Canada were evacuated by sea to the Saudi Arabian port of Jeddah.

The World Health Organization says the fighting has killed more than 400 people and injured thousands. However, the death toll is believed to be much higher as people are struggling to get healthcare, as most of Khartoum's hospitals have been forced to close by the fighting.

View original: https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/irish-army-personnel-help-evacuate-155748352.html

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British diplomats evacuated from Sudan by 1,200 personnel Air Assault Brigade, Royal Marines, RAF

Breaking news from BBC News UK

By Antoinette Radford

Sunday 23 April 2023 c.13:40 - full copy

British diplomats evacuated from Sudan

British diplomats and their families have been evacuated from Sudan in a "complex and rapid" operation, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has confirmed. 

Mr Sunak said work was continuing to ensure the safety of British nationals who remain in Sudan.

The evacuees were taken to an airfield outside of Khartoum to fly out of the country overnight, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace told the BBC.

Fierce violence erupted last week in Khartoum between two opposing forces.

The power struggle between Sudan's regular army and a paramilitary force called the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has seen deadly shooting and shelling in the capital city.

Foreign Minister James Cleverly added that the government was working "around the clock to broker international support to end the bloodshed in Sudan." 

Mr Wallace also thanked France and the United States for their assistance in the operation in an interview with the BBC. 

He said the operation involved more than 1,200 British personnel from the Air Assault Brigade, Royal Marines and the Royal Air Force.

The UK's move follows the evacuation of US diplomats in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Fewer than 100 people were evacuated when three Chinook helicopters landed near the US embassy to collect them.

Several other countries including France, the Netherlands and Italy have also begun evacuating citizens from Sudan. 

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

You can receive Breaking News on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on Twitter to get the latest alerts.

Updated versions here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65367019

No evacuation plans for all Americans in Sudan

Report from The Associated Press

By LOLITA C. BALDOR, MATTHEW LEE and TARA COPP

Friday 21 April 2023 - full copy

White House: No evacuation plans for all Americans in Sudan

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (AP) — The Pentagon has deployed forces and is developing options to assist in the possible evacuation of U.S. Embassy personnel from Sudan, but the White House said Friday there are no plans for now for a broader pullout of the potentially thousands of other Americans from the African country where warring factions are in a violent conflict.

The troop moves by the U.S. military are intended “to ensure that we provide as many options as possible, if we are called on to do something. We haven’t been called on to do anything yet,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said at a news conference in Germany. Austin and U.S. Army Gen. Mark Milley, the Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, held meeting meetings with defense leaders from other countries to discuss additional support for Ukraine. 

An estimated 16,000 private U.S. citizens are registered with the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum as being in Sudan. The State Department has cautioned that that figure probably is inaccurate because there is no requirement for Americans to register nor is there a requirement to notify the embassy when they leave.

“It’s absolutely imperative that U.S. citizens in Sudan make their own arrangements to stay safe in these difficult circumstances,” White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said in Washington.

He added that “Americans should have no expectation of a U.S. government coordinated evacuation at this time. And we expect that that’s going to remain the case.” 

For embassy staff, according to an American official, a small number of U.S. troops have begun arriving in the Horn of Africa nation of Djibouti, where the U.S. is pre-positioning forces and equipment to assist in any potential evacuation. The official said Army soldiers are being tapped for the task.

The U.S. troops are being moved to Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti. Evacuation planning for Sudan got underway in earnest on Monday after a U.S. Embassy convoy was attacked in Khartoum, the Sudanese capital.

The conflict between Sudan’s military and a rival paramilitary force is worsening. The military has ruled out negotiations and said it would only accept surrender as a temporary cease-fire ended, raising the likelihood of a renewed surge in the nearly weeklong violence that has killed hundreds.

The U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe private deliberations, said Milley discussed the situation with defense officials from Germany, Italy and Canada, among others. One topic was ensuring that any potential evacuation efforts did not conflict.

The U.S. State Department said Friday that an American citizen had died in Sudan, but did not have further details. 

“We are in touch with the family and offer our deepest condolences to them on their loss. Out of respect for the family during this difficult time, we have nothing further to add,” the department said in a statement. 

Lee and Copp reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Aamer Madhani in Washington contributed to this report.

View original: https://apnews.com/article/united-states-sudan-djibouti-evacuation-2773f4922611aeed462652f178745688

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South Sudan: images reveal global hotspot for biodiversity

South Sudan: latest images reveal a global hotspot for biodiversity

Report from Fauna & Flora International (FFI)

Written by Nathan Williams

Dated 16 August 2019

In 1979 the government of the Democratic Republic of Sudan and the government of Italy began working together to survey the incredible wildlife in the forests of Sudan’s Southern National Park in preparation for drawing up what they called a “Master Plan” for protecting the park.

Surveys undertaken over the following two years revealed a spectacular variety of animals, including elephants, pangolins, leopards, chimpanzees, monkeys, servals, hyenas and much more. With logging and hunting growing as threats, officials and researchers said, in an official report produced in 1981, that the protection of the park should be considered a “priority.” The stage seemed set for one of the world’s most biodiverse regions to secure the protection it deserved. 

But when civil war broke out soon afterwards, the plans were shelved. Conservationists left the country, government focus switched to fighting a war, and wildlife protection efforts were derailed for the best part of 30 years.

In recent years, despite the huge challenges, that has started to change. Fauna & FIora International (FFI) began working in South Sudan (when it was still part of Sudan) in 2010, and over the ensuing decade has built the trust and relationships essential to working in an environment still riven by civil conflict.

A significant development in FFI’s South Sudan work was reached when FFI and Bucknell University researchers teamed up with government authorities and local partners to deploy motion-sensing camera traps to record South Sudan’s still poorly understood wildlife.

Hundreds of thousands of images later, stunning pictures have emerged that shed light on the vast array of wildlife that inhabit these remote forests.

Through these images researchers have documented species not previously known to be found in this richly forested area, where the wildlife of East and Central Africa collide to form a unique tropical forest belt. From African golden cats to leopards, chimpanzees to aardvarks, the stunning images captured over the last year are evidence that this patch of Africa is home to some of the most varied wildlife on Earth.

Photo: A young bongo. Credit: Bucknell University/FFI

The images are hosted on Zooniverse, the world’s largest platform for online citizen science; a collaborative project of the University of Oxford, Chicago’s Adler Planetarium, and the broader Citizen Science Alliance.

Community engagement

This region of South Sudan has historically fallen within a regional wildlife trafficking corridor from Central to North Africa, so to enforce laws and step up protection FFI and its partners have initiated patrols, involving local people and communities, focused on working within two reserves.

Delivering this protected area management and maintaining community led conservation efforts within community managed areas requires the Wildlife Service rangers and the communities adjacent to the Game Reserves to work closely together – cooperation that is unique to this area of South Sudan. The bridges that have been built between communities and government officials has created a pocket of stability and security which is enabling the continued build-up of on-the-ground efforts.

Photo: A curious chimpanzee. Credit: Bucknell University/FFI

And these efforts are very much field-based. Despite the huge challenges of working in this region, FFI staff and its partners are not stuck in a compound but are out every day getting their hands dirty monitoring boundaries and conducting field work across a wide area of the landscape.

FFI’s approach also goes beyond dedicated species work and includes assisting communities with food security issues as well as equipping them with the tools for natural resource management. FFI’s goal is to see these communities become strong, long-term stewards of nature.

Photo: An African golden cat. Credit: Bucknell University/FFI

With civil strife a sadly regular feature of Sudanese life in recent years it would have been easy to pack up and declare South Sudan too difficult or dangerous to work in. Instead FFI has maintained a presence, adapting to situations and the reward is clear to see: some of the world’s most iconic species roaming the land they have called home for thousands of years, protected by a growing network of communities and conservationists.

Written by: Nathan Williams

Communications Executive, Press & Media

Nathan has a background in climate communications, journalism, and PR.

View Original: https://www.fauna-flora.org/news/south-sudan-latest-images-reveal-global-hotspot-biodiversity

Sudan closes schools & unis over coronavirus fears - Quarantines nationals returning from Egypt in camps

Photo: Coronavirus disease (Covid 19)- Photo courtesy of US Department of State

Sudan to quarantine its nationals returning from Egypt in camps

Report from Egypt Today.com

By Staff

Dated Sunday 15 March 2020

CAIRO - 15 March 2020: The Sudanese Cabinet announced that it would bring back all Sudanese nationals stranded in border crossings with Egypt. 

The Cabinet added that all evacuated nationals will be isolated in a temporary shelter camp after bringing them back through Arqin crossing with Egypt. 

Two days ago, the Sudanese government closed land crossings with Egypt and suspended entry visas for foreigners from a number of countries, namely South Korea, China, Italy, Iran, Spain, Japan and Egypt. 

The Sudanese Ministry of Health announced Saturday the death of the only reported case. He was a 50-year-old Sudanese citizen who had visited the United Arab Emirates. 

Coronavirus has forced many countries to suspend their flights around the globe after the infected cases reached 157,483 people and 5,845 deaths were reported to date. On March 10, 2020, the virus was announced a global pandemic by the World Health Organization. 

“WHO is deeply concerned by the alarming levels of the coronavirus spread, severity & inaction, & expects to see the number of cases, deaths & affected countries climb even higher. Therefore, we made the assessment that COVID19 can be characterized as a pandemic,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesusin in a press conference. 

View Original: https://www.egypttoday.com/Article/1/82644/Sudan-to-quarantine-its-nationals-returning-from-Egypt-in-camps

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RELATED REPORTS

Sudan closes schools for one month to prevent coronavirus spread

Report from Global Times.cn

By Xinhua 

Dated Sunday 15 March 2020 14:09:03

Photo: Sudanese people are seen wearing face masks in Khartoum, Sudan, on March 14, 2020. Sudan's Health Ministry on Friday announced the death of a Sudanese citizen infected with COVID-19. (Photo by Mohamed Khidir/Xinhua)

Sudan's Council of Ministers on Saturday decided to close universities and schools for one month and ban public gatherings to prevent coronavirus spread, according to a council statement. 

The council also decided to close the kindergartens and religious schools for one month, said Faisal Mohamed Saleh, Sudan's information minister and government spokesman, was quoted as saying in the statement. 

Photo: Sudanese people are seen wearing face masks in Khartoum, Sudan, on March 14, 2020. Sudan's Health Ministry on Friday announced the death of a Sudanese citizen infected with COVID-19. (Photo by Mohamed Khidir/Xinhua)

It has also been decided to postpone the basic school certificate examinations in all states, the statement added. 

Meanwhile, the council decided to evacuate the Sudanese citizens trapped at the border crossings with Egypt through the Arqin crossing, establish a temporary accommodation camp and conduct medical examination there. 

On Friday, the Sudanese health ministry announced the first death from coronavirus in the country. 

Photo: A Sudanese man is seen wearing a face mask in Khartoum, Sudan, on March 14, 2020. Sudan's Health Ministry on Friday announced the death of a Sudanese citizen infected with COVID-19. (Photo by Mohamed Khidir/Xinhua)

View Original: https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1182629.shtml

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Sudan closes schools and universities over coronavirus fears

Report from english.alarabiya.net

By Reuters, Khartoum

Dated Sunday, 15 March 2020

Last Update: Sunday, 15 March 2020 KSA 01:27 - GMT 22:27

Sudan has ordered the closure of schools and universities for one month from Saturday to stop the spread of coronavirus, a statement from the prime minister’s office said.

The statement said all public gatherings, such as weddings and social events, will also be banned.

On Friday, Sudan announced its first case of the novel coronavirus following the death of a 50-year-old man the night before.

The Sudanese citizen had recently been in the UAE, the health ministry said in a statement, without providing further details.

For more coronavirus news, visit our dedicated page.

View Original: http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/2020/03/15/Sudan-closes-schools-and-universities-over-coronavirus-fears.html

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Coronavirus measures: Sudan’s Council of Ministers issues directions

Report from and by Radio Dabanga.org

Dated Sunday 15 March 2020 

(KHARTOUM) - Sudan’s mini Council of Ministers has issued a set of directions following an emergency meeting held in Khartoum yesterday to discuss the recommendations of the Supreme Coordination Committee for combating the coronavirus (Covid-19) epidemic. Their directions include enforced quarantine of those who have been in contact with Covid-19, as well as the closure of all schools, universities, and religious institutes for a month.

The ministers have directed Sudan’s security authorities to support the Ministry of Health to implement quarantine procedures in the isolation and quartering centres to isolate and examine “those who have been in contact with the virus and who refuse to submit to quarantine procedures”.

Military hospitals throughout the country have been directed to serve as centres for shelter and to provide treatment services.

All kindergartens, schools, Koran schools (khalawi), and religious institutes at all levels are to be closed for a month. All festivals, camps, ad remedial classes are cancelled.

The ministers direct that the basic exams in those states where the exams have not yet been held should be postponed until “a date to be determined later”.

An exception is the Sudanese Certificate (secondary school) exam, which the ministers say will occur on time “unless another decision is issued”.

All universities, colleges, as well as government, private, and foreign higher institutes will also be closed for a month.

Additional health measures

The ministers direct that additional health measures and controls should be implemented in prisons and reformatory centres, while ministries, government, and private companies should “take measures to reduce crowds in the workplace”.

Public gatherings such as weddings, condolences, and other public events are suspended, while the ministers ordered “tightening control over public markets, the control over prices of food supplies, and medical and non-medical supplies”.

Sudanese nationals stranded at Egyptian border crossings – which have been on lockdown since Thursday – will be evacuated through the Argeen crossing, the establishment of a temporary shelter camp, and conduction of medical examination by an integrated medical team.

PM Hamdok

On Friday, Sudan’s Prime Minister, Abdallah Hamdok called on the Sudanese public to be vigilant when dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic which spread rapidly, across the world.

In a statement via social media, Hamdok said: “We must be careful because the epidemic is spreading rapidly. We urge all citizens to follow the health directives announced by the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization to protect ourselves and our families.”

The PM urged people to wash their hands regularly and to avoid gatherings, “which will be useful during this critical stage”.

He underlined that all the concerned authorities in Sudan are ready to implement the comprehensive plan to confront the coronavirus outbreak.

Border lockdown

As reported by Radio Dabanga on Friday, Sudan has suspended issuing visas to citizens of countries marked as major Covid-19 hotspots by the World Health Organization (WHO), and advised Sudanese against travelling to those countries unless in the case of force majeure. Flights to those countries have been suspended and the four crossing points between Sudan and Egypt will be closed ‘until further notice’.

The official Sudan News Agency (SUNA) reports that on Thursday, Minister for Cabinet Affairs, Omar Manis issued a decision suspending issuing visas to citizens of Korea, China, Italy, Iran, France, Spain, Japan, and Egypt – countries listed by the WHO as being majorly affected.

Also on Thursday, the Sudan’s Civil Aviation Authority shut-down all direct flights from Egypt to El Fasher, Nyala, and El Geneina in Darfur by the Unamid peacekeeping mission.

View Original: https://www.dabangasudan.org/en/all-news/article/coronavirus-measures-sudan-s-council-of-ministers-issue-directions

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Sudan shuts schools and universities over coronavirus

Report from and by Sudan Tribune.com

Dated Sunday 15 March 2020 - Excerpt:

(KHARTOUM) - Sudan on Saturday has ordered the closure of schools and universities for a month and restricted mass gatherings to slow the spread of the coronavirus. 

View Original: https://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article69104

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Japan confirms first case of person re-infected with coronavirus

Report from and by The Hill.com

Dated 27 February 2020 - Excerpts:

Officials in Osaka say a tour bus guide tested positive for COVID-19 for a second time. 

There have been a number of cases of reinfection in China.  

As much remains unknown about the virus, cases of reinfection have health experts worried that the illness could remain dormant after an apparent recovery. 

“Once you have the infection, it could remain dormant with minimal symptoms,” Philip Tierno Jr., professor of microbiology and pathology at New York University, told Reuters. 

“And then you can get an exacerbation if it finds its way into the lungs,” he said.  

View Original: https://thehill.com/changing-america/well-being/prevention-cures/484942-japan-confirms-first-case-of-person-reinfected

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Can you get coronavirus twice?

Report from and by The Hill.com

Dated Friday 13 March 2020 - Excerpt:

“If you get an infection, your immune system is revved up against that virus,” Keiji Fukuda, director of Hong Kong University’s School of Public Health, told the Los Angeles Times. “To get reinfected again when you’re in that situation would be quite unusual unless your immune system was not functioning right.” 

View Original: https://thehill.com/changing-america/well-being/prevention-cures/487436-can-you-get-coronavirus-twice