South Sudan: UN report finds all sides of conflict guilty of starving their citizens, govt embezzled funds. Govt struggles to merge soldiers under peace deal

On Thursday 27 February 2020, the same day the rival leaders agreed to proceed with implementing the peace deal, the UN released a new report. It finds that all sides of the conflict were guilty of starving their citizens and that the government had embezzled funds that could have gone toward humanitarian support. Read more.

Photo: A picture made available on 18 October 2016 shows Sudan People's Liberation Army soldiers (SPLA) mounting an armored personnel carrier (APC) during a military operation against Sudan People's Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO) in Eastern Nile State, South Sudan, 16 October 2016.

South Sudan struggles to merge armed forces under peace deal

Report from New Europe - www.neweurope.eu

By ELENA PAVLOVSKA

Dated Saturday 29 February 2020, 00:23

South Sudan’s president Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar agreed to form a unity government last Saturday, paving the way towards ending more than six years of war that has left at least 400,000 dead and forced 4 million from their homes.

As part of the compromise, the country’s parliament endorsed the incorporation of the 10 states and three administrative areas into the constitution.

However, key issues of the 2018 power-sharing deal are yet to be completed. One of the biggest challenges that remain is merging of both government and opposition forces into the country’s military.

The soldiers come from different sides, and are not in equal numbers, as they are supposed to be according to the deal. The opposition says it is difficult to transport soldiers from their areas to the training centers, which are in poor conditions. The army also complains it has only received a small part of the funds for the training.

On Thursday, the same day the rival leaders agreed to proceed with implementing the peace deal, the UN released a new report. It finds that all sides of the conflict were guilty of starving their citizens and that the government had embezzled funds that could have gone toward humanitarian support.

View Original: https://www.neweurope.eu/article/south-sudan-struggles-to-merge-armed-forces-under-peace-deal/

South Sudan govt 'deliberately starving civilians' -UN

NOTE from Sudan Watch editor: The population of South Sudan is 11 million. The following report says more than half are in acute need of food. That is 5.5 million people! Although it is sickening to read such reports it is good to know that investigators are collecting evidence on individuals for eventual use in court. 

South Sudan government 'deliberately starving civilians'

Report from BBC 

By Mary Harper

Africa editor, BBC World Service

Dated 20 February 2020

A UN human rights investigation has accused the government of South Sudan and other armed groups of deliberately starving civilians.

Investigators found access to humanitarian aid and other basic services was intentionally blocked, leaving more than half the population in acute need of food.

They said millions of dollars of state money had been plundered by government officials, and that they were collecting evidence on individuals for eventual use in court.

Their report was published two days before a deadline to form a unity government. Previous efforts to broker peace have collapsed.

Source: BBC South Sudan topics: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/c302m85q54lt/south-sudan

S. Sudan: IGAD urges Kiir to pay out peace deal funds

Note from Sudan Watch Editor: Who knows where the funds are sitting, maybe used to pay the soldiers and civil servants who were not paid for six months. These two men seem shameless, pity IGAD can't put them on trial for corruption.  They are ex-rebels with much blood on their hands, they could not care less about 7M South Sudanese people facing humanitarian catastrophe, 2M facing starvation from famine.  

Photo: Nektarios Markogiannis/UNMISS

President Salva Kiir, right, of South Sudan shakes hands with Riek Machar after concluding a peace deal to end the conflict in the country in September 2018.

Article from The East African (Nairobi)

By John Adukata

Dated 22 August 2019

South Sudan: IGAD Urges Kiir to Disburse Peace Deal Funds

Regional bloc Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (Igad) has asked South Sudan President Salva Kiir to disburse the balance of the pledged $100 million to speed up the implementation of the peace agreement.

Igad, which brokered the peace agreement, urged Juba "to be transparent and put in place accountability mechanisms in the use of funds for the implementation of the peace agreement."

The bloc also called on rival leaders -- President Kiir and Riek Machar -- to set a face-to face meeting to resolve outstanding issues.

The government had earlier pledged to release the funds towards the deal's implementation but cash is yet to be paid out.

The Reconstituted Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC) reported that between April and July, only $6.5 million had been disbursed for security arrangements.

South Sudan has been under pressure from the international community to use oil revenue to finance the peace process.

Read the original article on East African - https://allafrica.com/stories/201908230002.html

UK Serious Fraud Office investigates De La Rue over South Sudan operations

Note from Sudan Watch Editor: What a story, you could not make this up. The UK's Serious Fraud Office (SFO) is investigating the world’s biggest printer of banknotes over suspected corruption in South Sudan. 

Shares of the 206-year-old UK company De La Rue producing Bank of England notes have more than halved in past year.  The company produces notes for countries worldwide and is also the biggest commercial printer of passports. De La Rue said it was cooperating with the SFO.

Full story in two news reports here below.

Article from The Guardian

By SEAN FARRELL

Date: Tuesday, 23 July 2019 20.25 BST

Serious Fraud Office investigates De La Rue over South Sudan operations

The Serious Fraud Office is investigating the world’s biggest printer of banknotes over suspected corruption in South Sudan.

The SFO said it was examining how the UK company De La Rue, which produces notes for the Bank of England, and associated individuals conducted business in the African country.

De La Rue said it was cooperating with the SFO, which investigates serious fraud, bribery and corruption. The Basingstoke-based company and the SFO declined to give further details about the investigation.

“Given the early stage of these matters, it is not possible to predict reliably what effect their outcome may have on De La Rue,” the company said.

De La Rue has done business with South Sudan since the country was established in 2011, designing and printing the country’s banknotes. The company produces notes for countries worldwide and is also the biggest commercial printer of passports.

The SFO’s attention adds to problems for De La Rue, which is looking for a new chief executive after Martin Sutherland agreed to leave following two profit warnings and the loss of a £490m contract to print the UK’s post-Brexit blue passport.

De La Rue shares closed down 15.8% at 251p on Tuesday. The shares have more than halved in the past year as the company has suffered poor trading and a series of setbacks.

The 206-year-old firm reported a 77% drop in annual profit in May and warned that profit would fall further this year as it faced tough competition. After losing out to a foreign rival to print the new UK passport, Sutherland said the decision risked jobs and that he would appeal, but gave up a month later.

De La Rue’s chairman, Philip Graham Rogerson, will step down once Sutherland’s replacement is found. The company’s senior independent director has also said he will quit by the end of 2019.

Rogerson and De La Rue’s board will face unhappy shareholders at its annual general meeting on Thursday. 

Last week the company rejected a call by its third-biggest shareholder, Crystal Amber, for Rogerson to stand down at the AGM. The activist investor has repeatedly criticised Rogerson’s performance.

The SFO has investigated De La Rue twice in the past 12 years. In 2010 it notified the SFO that some employees had falsified paper specification certificates, costing it at least £35m. Another investigation launched in 2007 was closed with no action taken against the company or employees.

SOURCE: https://www.theguardian.com/law/2019/jul/23/serious-office-investigates-de-la-rue-over-south-sudan-operations

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Article from The Northern Echo, UK

By NICK GULLON

Reporter (Tees Valley)

Date: 23 July 2019

'Suspected corruption' investigation at De La Rue's South Sudan business

Photo: A rare look inside De La Rue Gateshead

SHARES in a North-East passport and bank note manufacturer dived yesterday after it said the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has opened an investigation into "suspected corruption" related to business in South Sudan.

De La Rue, which has a plant in Gateshead, saw shares dive 12 per cent after it informed investors about the investigation.

In a short update to shareholders, De La Rue said: "The UK Serious Fraud Office has informed De La Rue that it has opened an investigation into the De La Rue group and its associated persons in relation to suspected corruption in the conduct of business in South Sudan.

"Given the early stage of these matters, it is not possible to predict reliably what effect their outcome may have on De La Rue."

It said that it intends to co-operate with the SFO in relation to the investigation and said it will provide a further update when appropriate.

De La Rue has worked in South Sudan since first designing and manufacturing a new currency for the country's creation in 2011.

The Basingstoke-based printer has already had a turbulent month, after it blamed the Government’s decision last year to give the post-Brexit passport printing contract to a French company for the potential loss of 170 jobs in Gateshead.

Trade union Unite said the announcement that the company has begun consultation on the future of 170 skilled printing jobs working on the foreign currency contracts came on top of the 100 passport printing jobs due to go in the autumn.

It added the Government’s "short-sighted and blinkered decision" had "seriously undermined" the financial viability of the Gateshead operation.

If the redundancies go ahead, there will still be 200 workers doing currency printing at Gateshead.

A De La Rue spokesperson said at the time: “As the world’s largest commercial banknote printer we regularly review our operational footprint to ensure it meets demand. We are in the final stages of a restructuring programme to ensure we continue to be competitive."

Shareholders are due to vote on the future of chairman Philip Rogerson, as well as executive pay, at the company's annual general meeting tomorrow.

The company is also in the midst of a leadership reshuffle after chief executive Martin Sutherland announced in May that he would quit the firm following a string of profit warnings.

Last week, the firm hit out at Crystal Amber, its third-biggest investor, and described its threats against the chairman as "precipitous and destabilising".

Passport contract 'comes home to roost' with potential loss of 170 jobs at De La Rue

SOURCE: https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/17789795.39-suspected-corruption-39-investigation-de-la-rue-39-s-south-sudan-business/

HERE IS A COPY OF 1 COMMENT

Corruption with African countries??? Printing currency? -----No sh!t Sherlock!!