Tuesday, November 17, 2009

US Sudan envoy Gration will visit Khartoum, Abeyi, El Fasher & Jebel Marra

From US Department of State
Published: November 16, 2009
U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan Scott Gration Will Travel to Sudan
U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan Scott Gration will travel to Sudan from November 16, 2009 to November 23, 2009, where he will visit Khartoum, Abyei (South Sudan), and Jebel Marra (Darfur).

In Khartoum, Special Envoy Gration will continue his consultations with members of the National Congress Party (NCP) and Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) on resolving the remaining issues around the full and complete implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).

Special Envoy Gration will also travel to Abyei to assess progress on the implementation on the Permanent Court of Arbitration's border demarcation decision. Special Envoy Gration will also travel to El Fasher and Jebel Marra in Darfur to continue to support Darfuri armed movement unification and the Darfur peace process.
Hat tip: Newsblaze

Nafie Ali Nafie: NCP will respect southerners' choice - South to South Dialogue Conference started in Khartoum on Saturday

Presidential Assistant and Deputy Chairman of the National Congress Party for Party’s Affairs, Dr Nafie Ali Nafie addressed the opening session of the South-South Dialogue Conference in Khartoum on Saturday.

Dr Nafie described the Conference as a historic landmark in the history of Sudan. He said the CPA belongs to the people of Sudan and should be owned by neither the NCP nor the SPLM.

From Sudan Radio Service, Monday, 16 November 2009:
NCP Will Respect Southerners' Choice
(Khartoum) - The National Congress Party will respect the choice of southern Sudanese to either self-determination or unity following the referendum in 2011.

That statement from Presidential Assistant and Deputy Chairman of the National Congress Party for Party’s Affairs, Doctor Nafie Ali Nafie. He addressed the opening session of the South-South Dialogue Conference in Khartoum on Saturday.

[Nafie Ali Nafie]: “I would like to say the NCP believes strongly in the implementation of the CPA and is fully committed to conducting the referendum for self-determination for the people of southern Sudan and will accept fully the outcome of this referendum and will respect it whatever the outcome may be on condition that this referendum must be free and open to all sons and daughters of southern Sudan so that the decision will be the decision of the people of southern Sudan but not the decision of the political forces, be they the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement or even other Southern parties.”

Doctor Nafie added that the CPA belongs to the people of Sudan and should be owned by neither the NCP nor the SPLM.

[Nafie Ali Nafie-Arabic]: “I would like to say this agreement is not someone’s property, it neither belongs to the NCP nor the SPLM, but it belongs to all Sudanese people and for that reason the CPA belongs to all Southern Sudanese not just to the SPLM alone. And as such, I would like to say any attempt to destabilize the implementation of the CPA, attempting to bypass the CPA in order to achieve options for Southern Sudan without involving all the people of southern Sudan and without referendum, is not just rejected but it will prevent the chance for the south, its people sons and daughters to decide for the south.”

Doctor Nafie described the South-to-South-Dialogue Conference which started in Khartoum on Saturday as a historic landmark in the history of Sudan.

Al-Bashir urges Sudanese to register

From Sudan Radio Service, Monday, 16 November 2009:
Al-Bashir Urges Sudanese to Register - In God's Name
(Port Sudan) - President Omar Hassan Al-Bashir has called on people to turn out in large numbers and register in order to vote in the elections scheduled to take place in April 2010.

Al-Bashir was speaking during his visit to Port Sudan in Red Sea state, on Monday. He was accompanied by the President of Eritrea, Isaias Afwerki.

[Omar al-Bashir]: “We want free and fair elections, election without forgeries and without fraud. We are working for God, and God is good and he only accepts good things. We can’t become closer to God through fraud, deceit and cheating. We want to tell everybody to register.”

President al-Bashir was speaking in Port Sudan on Monday.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Sudanese in Kenya to Register at Embassy

The ambassador said the Embassy will also facilitate ways in which Sudanese living in other parts of Kenya will be registered. However he said that the process may be different for people living in refugee camps.

He called on Sudanese in East Africa to come out and register in large numbers in order to be able to exercise their right to vote in the elections.

Voter registration will go on for the next ten days.

From Sudan Radio Service, Monday, 16 November 2009:
Sudanese in Kenya to Register at Embassy
(Nairobi) - The Embassy of the Sudan in Kenya launched its voter registration campaign in Nairobi on Monday to register Sudanese living in Kenya for the upcoming general elections in Sudan.

The move follows concerns by Sudanese living in Kenya last week that they may not be able to take part in the elections since Kenya was not included in the list of countries that was circulated by NEC last month.

Speaking at a press conference in Nairobi on Monday, Ambassador Majok Guangdong said the Embassy will also facilate the issuing of documents to enable Sudanese in Kenya to register for the upcoming elections.

[Ambassador Majok Guangdong]: “The Sudanese in the Diaspora have the right to participate in the presidential elections which are going to be held concurrently with the other elections such as those for the president of GOSS, the national assembly, the state governors, state legislative assemblies, and the southern Sudan legislative assembly. The National Elections Commission has decided to open a registration centre in 14 countries outside Sudan, including Kenya, which hosts the majority of the Sudanese Diaspora in East Africa.”

Voter registration will go on for the next ten days.

The ambassador said the Embassy will also facilitate ways in which Sudanese living in other parts of Kenya will be registered. However he said that the process may be different for people living in refugee camps.

[Ambassador Majok Guangdong]: “We are also considering opening registration centers in Nakuru and Eldoret; this will take place in the course of next week so that we give our citizens there the opportunity to exercise their right to vote in the coming historical elections.
The question of Kakuma, we need to make an assessment. Most of the people in Kakuma are refugees and we assume that they may not have valid documents. We are also appealing to the Sudanese citizens who have no documents to come to the embassy and get valid documents to qualify for registration.”

He called on Sudanese in East Africa to come out and register in large numbers in order to be able to exercise their right to vote in the elections.

South Sudan Gov't Minister Samson Kwaje shot by unknown gunmen in Lainya, Central Equatoria

Government of Southern Sudan Minister of Agriculture, Samson Kwaje happens to be one of the politicians that thinks that Ounduruba should be in Lainya county. That is the reason why he was attacked by those who want Lainya to be in Juba county.

From Sudan Radio Service, Monday, 16 November 2009:
Minister Attacked in Central Equatoria
(Nairobi, Kenya) - The GOSS Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Samson Kwaje, has been flown to Nairobi for emergency treatment after he was shot at by unknown gunmen in Lainya county on Sunday.

The minister’s car was ambushed on his way to Juba from Lainya. Four people were killed in the incident.

The commissioner of Lainya, Suba Samuel Manase, spoke to Sudan Radio Service on Monday from Lainya.

[Suba Samuel Manase]: “The incident happened yesterday around five. He was on a tour to meet the people to encourage them to participate in the voter registration process. All of a sudden, a group of civilians attacked his car. Four people were killed and then the minister himself got injured in the right arm. The bullet went through the flesh but there is no confirmation of bone fracture.”

Suba said that the incident was provoked by a dispute about constituency demarcation.

[Suba Samuel Manase]: “It's an issue which concerns Ounduruba payam which is said to belong to either Juba county or to Lainya county. Administratively, Ounduruba is assumed to be in Juba county. But after the recent constituencies demarcation, the National Election Commotion decided that Ounduruba should become a constituency of Lainya county. So that provoked the whole situation. Samson Kwaje happens to be one of the politicians that thinks that Ounduruba should be in Lainya county. That is the reason why he was attacked by those who want Lainya to be in Juba county.”

The commissioner said that the situation in Lainya and Ounduruba has returned to normal as the police and military are in control of the area.

Security situation in Darfur - Nov 12, 2009

EL FASHER (DARFUR), Sudan, November 16, 2009/APO/
UNAMID Daily Media Brief 2009-11-15
Filipino civilian police receive peacekeeping medals

On Saturday 14 October, 91 Filipino civilian police officers received peacekeeping medals as a tribute for their activities in the African Union -United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID).

In his message to the policemen and women, Joint Special Representative ad interim (JSR a.i.), Mr. Henry K. Anyidoho, commended them for their disciplined approach to their duties, selflessness and substantial contribution to the peace process in Darfur.

Police Chief Superintendents of the Philippines, Mr. Vitorio Caragan and Mr. Reynaldo Rafal, were also special guests at the ceremony.

In brief remarks, Mr. Rafal stated that his country was proud to be part of this “worthy endeavour” of peacekeeping to bring peace and development to Darfur.

“As we all know, peacekeeping is a unique and dynamic instrument to help countries torn by conflict to create the conditions for lasting peace. This continuous effort of sending our police force only demonstrates the Philippines’ strong commitment to helping the people of Darfur,” he said.

One hundred and sixty-three police advisors, including 9 women, from the Philippines are currently deployed in UNAMID.

Meanwhile, 99 new police officers from Bangladesh and 1 from Togo arrived in the Mission on Saturday. This pushes the total number of police advisors in UNAMID to 2,844 representing over 75 per cent of the authorized deployment of civilian police. Some 1,816 policemen and women are based in 12 formed police units (FPUs). These represent more than 68 per cent of the authorized number to be deployed in a total of 19 FPUs.

SOURCE: United Nations – African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID)

Mo Ibrahim's mobile revolution - 'Africa must think big to thrive'

From BBC News 20:14 GMT, Sunday, 15 November 2009:
'Africa must think big to thrive'
Mo Ibrahim

Mo Ibrahim was speaking at a two-day forum in Dar es Salaam

Many African states are too small to continue to exist independently, Sudan-born magnate Mo Ibrahim has told a conference in Tanzania.

Mr Ibrahim said the idea that 53 small African countries thought they could compete with China, India, Europe and the US was a "fallacy".

Trade within Africa accounts for just 4-5% of the continent's international trade, something that is "not viable".

The tycoon said Africa "needs scale" to compete with the big economic players.

"We need scale and we need that now - not tomorrow, the next year or the year after."

The BBC's Peter Greste in Nairobi says Mr Ibrahim was referring to economic integration rather than political unification.

Mo Ibrahim's mobile revolution

Speaking to an audience that included Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete, Mr Ibrahim said Africans were poor, hungry and going without.

"Something is drastically wrong. I think we have the right to ask our leaders: are they really serious?" he said.

Mr Ibrahim surprised African leaders last month when the $5m (£2.9m) Ibrahim prize for good governance was withheld.

The prize is given to a democratically elected leader from sub-Saharan Africa who has served their term and left office.

South Africa's Thabo Mbeki and Ghana's John Kufuor had been among the favourites.
MO IBRAHIM
Sudan-born mobile phone entrepreneur
Moved to UK in 1974 to study
By 1983, director of BT Cellnet
Founded Mobile Systems International, which he sold to Marconi in 2000
Then set up Celtel, used by 25m Africans
2007: Started African leadership prize
2008: Named UK's most influential black person

SEE ALSO

RELATED INTERNET LINKS
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites

UN peacekeeping medals awarded to 91 Filipino police advisers serving with UN-AU Mission in Darfur Sudan

The United Nations awarded peacekeeping medals to 91 officers of the Philippine National Police (PNP) serving as police advisers with the United Nations-African Union Hybrid Mission in Darfur (UNAMID).

RP Peacekeepers in Darfur Honoured

Photo shows UNAMID Joint Special Representative Henry Anyidoho reviewing the Philippine police contingent during ceremonies in El Fasher, Sudan, where he commended the Filipino peacekeepers for their disciplined approach to their duties, selflessness and substantial contribution to the peace process in Darfur.

The Philippines has a total of 163 police officers, including nine women, serving in UNAMID. (Photo by Nektarios Markogiannis)

Source: RP Peacekeepers in Darfur Honored, November 16, 2009 by DFA-PISU / dfa.gov.ph

Saturday, November 14, 2009

NEW PUBLICATION: Peace and Security Council Report - November 2009

Here is a copy of an email received
From: Security Council Report
Subject: Peace & Security Council Report
12 November 2009

Readers of Security Council Report may be interested to know of the recent launch in Addis Ababa of a similar publication designed to provide monthly information about the work of the AU Peace and Security Council. It is called the "Peace and Security Council Report" (To access the November 2009 edition you can click here).

Peace and Security Council Report is produced and published by the Addis Ababa office of the Institute for Security Studies of South Africa. Security Council Report has assisted ISS with the development of this concept and it is pleased that ISS has taken SCR's Monthly Forecast as a model. We are pleased to have been able to help.

You are able to subscribe to regularly receive the Peace and Securty Council Report by clicking here.

Further details may be obtained from the programme directly at:
Peace and Security Council Report Programme
Institute for Security Studies
PO Box 2329
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Tel: +251-11-372-11-54
Fax: +251-11-372-59-54

_______________________________________________

Security Council Report
One Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza
885 Second Avenue at 48th Street, 31st Floor
New York NY 10017

Tel: 212.759.9429 • Fax: 212.759.4038

contact@securitycouncilreport.org
www.securitycouncilreport.org
Cross-posted to Congo Watch and Uganda Watch and Ethiopia Watch and Kenya Watch.

Friday, November 13, 2009

IMPORTANT NEWS: Some Sudanese living abroad may vote in elections - Ten arrested for impersonating registration officials in Rumbek, Southern Sudan

Report by Sudan Radio Service, Thursday, November 12, 2009:
Some Sudanese Living Abroad May Vote in Elections
(Nairobi) - Sudanese living in Kenya, Uganda, South Africa and Malaysia will now be able to register for the elections scheduled for 2010.

The National Election Commission had earlier exempted some countries from participating in the voter registration exercise which started on November 1.

The Sudanese Ambassador to Kenya, Majok Guandong, told Sudan Radio Service in Nairobi on Thursday that he had received a circular from the NEC instructing him to start the voter registration. exercise in Kenya.

[Majok Guandong]: “Yes it is true, the news came yesterday morning (Wednesday) that the NEC has allowed us to establish voter registration centers in Kenya, Uganda, South Africa and Malaysia. So since yesterday we have been informing the Sudanese who are residing here, starting from tomorrow (Friday). The registration process will start at the Embassy and the GOSS liaison office. This is good news, because it is a constitutional right for the Sudanese to vote in the elections.”

Majok Guandong said that the registration period will be extended to compensate for the late start. He emphasized that the exercise will take 30 days, as required by NEC.

[Guandong]: “If we start tomorrow (Friday), we will be counting the days we have missed since the official start day, because it should be 30 days as scheduled. Secondly, all the documents are available at the Sudanese Embassy, and all Sudanese have the right. Since 1997, more than 5000 Sudanese have managed to get official documents, the passport, identity cards etc. The process is still on. So they have the right, if they need any official documents, there is no problem at all.”

Earlier, the deputy chairman of the NEC, Abdullah Ahmed Abdullah, told Sudan Radio Service that NEC was only concentrating on the countries with large Sudanese populations.

The countrywide voter registration exercise is scheduled to finish at the end of November.
- - -

Report by Sudan Radio Service, Thursday, November 12, 2009:
Ten Arrested for Impersonating Registration Officials in Rumbek
(Rumbek) - Ten people posing as registration officers have been arrested in Rumbek, Lakes state.

The 10 are under police custody as investigations are going on. They are being held for registering voters, collecting people’s identification and convincing people not to register at the official registration centers set up by the state High Elections Commission.

Our correspondent in Rumbek, Mageng Wade, sent this report.

[Mageng Wade]: “These people said that they were being sent and given money by the NCP to come and register people locally in order to prevent them from registering for the elections next year. So that is the agenda behind the registration of people in their houses.”

Rumbek Central county commissioner Abraham Akol Bol also spoke to Sudan Radio Service.

[Abraham Akol] “They have been arrested by the police and they are now under police investigation and we have not yet received information from the police whether this group belongs to a political party. They were trying to register people and were telling them not to go to the registration centers because they had already been registered. They also took ID cards from the citizens, those who tried to register but the culprits were found by police and they are now under investigation.”

The deputy governor of Lakes state, David Ngok, said that the people are trying to sabotage both the voter registration exercise and the elections.

[David Ngok]: “If there are some people who are trying to sabotage the voter registration process then they are also sabotaging the elections. We will not tolerate this as the government because this is government policy and it’s part of the CPA and the constitution so we will not allow them to do it.”

The deputy governor of Lakes state, David Ngok, spoke to Sudan Radio Service on Thursday
Click on 'Election' label (here below at Sudan Watch) to read news report Nov. 10, 2009, entitled "SSDF to sue NEC for denying Sudanese in Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia a chance to register as voters in the general elections"

Cross-posted to Uganda Watch and Kenya Watch and Ethiopia Watch and Egypt Watch and Congo Watch.
- - -

UPDATE: From Sudan Tribune by Ngor Arol Garang, Friday, Nov. 13, 2009:
National election board accepts additional countries for Sudanese Diasporas
November 12, 2009 (MALAKAL) — The National Election Commission (NEC) of Sudan today confirmed acceptance of additional countries to the previous list for registration and voting to enable Sudanese abroad to participate in the upcoming elections next year.

Following the publication of a list of countries comprised mostly the Golf countries where the members of the Sudanese Diaspora are from northern Sudan, the SPLM asked to take in consideration African countries where Southerners reside massively.

The initial list includes Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Sultanate of Oman, Bahrain, the UK, Belgium (for all Western Europe) and Washington, New York, Los Angles for the USA.

"We have allocated more registration and voting centers in Africa and Asia, said Abel Alier, NEC chairman at Malakal airport as he was en route to Khartoum after inspecting southern states voter registration centers.

Countries newly agreed upon for inclusion by the two parties in Africa includes Uganda, Kenya, and South Africa as well as and Malaysia, he said adding discussions are underway to add other neighboring countries.

Therefore, as commission, "we request Sudanese people residing in those countries to immediately establish contacts with the Sudanese embassies and other designated offices for registration," he emphasized.

Asked why being selective with countries hosting number of Sudanese people abroad to participate in the ongoing voter registration, he said, national election commission gets approval of countries to be included in the registration process from the presidency.

"The Presidency is the highest authority which decides on issues pertaining to country affairs such as voter registration," he commented expressing wishes all Sudanese people abroad open registration centers.

However, he was quick to say the Commission tries its best to ensure inclusion of more centers so that every Sudanese participates in the upcoming elections.

He said constitution allows participation of legally registered citizens to elect their leaders in the upcoming April 2010 elections.

"If you are not registered, it will be hard to vote for the person one sees as leader," he said adding voter registration remains opened to the last day of November 2009.

Alier also requested local authorities to give logistical supports to voter registration teams. He also acknowledged assistance being rendered by United Nation Mission in Sudan in transportation of voter registration materials and teams in where government supports is required.

"UNMIS is greatly supporting registration process in water zones and areas without good roads mostly in the southern part of the country and transitional areas," he stressed.

US Sudan envoy Gration & Ask U.S. - "Innovative Engagement with Advocacy Groups on Sudan"

Email from US Department of State:
Sudan Updates: “Innovative Engagement with Advocacy Groups on Sudan”
Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:06:25 -0600
"Innovative Engagement with Advocacy Groups on Sudan"

Scott Gration
Special Envoy to Sudan
Washington, DC
November 12, 2009


On Tuesday, I participated in the ‘Ask U.S.’ live stream video question and answer session at the White House. Samantha Power, NSC Senior Director for Multilateral Affairs, and I answered questions posed to us by Jerry Fowler, the President of the Save Darfur Coalition, and Layla Amjadi, the Student Director of Stand (the student-led division of the Genocide Intervention Network). In the lead up to this event, the Save Darfur Coalition and STAND asked their members to both vote on which questions would be asked and to submit additional questions for consideration. We are eager to continue an active and robust dialogue with the advocacy community, and this unique event allowed us to engage directly with thousands of members of the Save Darfur Coalition and STAND.

The questions that Jerry and Layla posed touched upon a range of pressing concerns, inquiring about the administration's benchmarks for incentives and pressures, the circumstances in which internally displaced persons in Darfur might return home, the risks surrounding the 2010 elections in south Sudan, the importance of engaging China and Russia on the path forward, and the indispensability of including Sudanese civil society in the peace process. I found the exchange to be extremely useful and hope those who followed it online did as well.

A video link of the event is below if you were not able to watch it live on Tuesday.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNSXeMkiZ_M
[end of email]

Blair on China (Thomas P.M. Barnett) - China's New Cultural Revolution (Tony Blair)

Copy of blog post by Thomas P.M. Barnett Nov. 12, 2009:

Thomas P.M. Barnett
Blair on China
OP-ED: China's New Cultural Revolution, By TONY BLAIR, Wall Street Journal, October 9, 2009

A truly magnificent piece by Blair (or his writers) that provides a lot of nice perspective of the sort I favor:

My fave section:
Prior to 1949, China was a deeply riven and unequal society. There was a reason for the civil war and the multiple invasions of foreign powers. There was a reason for the upheaval of 1949. In the first 30 years came the completion of the revolution and the establishment of the People's Republic. But then came the Cultural Revolution.
It is difficult for us to grasp the pain of that period, when China closed down and engaged in a bizarre and cruel experiment that left scars, even to this day, on those who experienced it--including many in the present leadership. Talk to those who lived during that time, when reason was turned on its head, when survival depended on the whim of officialdom, and when all independent thought was snuffed out, and you will understand how momentous the change has been since then.

The opening up of China has its ups and downs. But over the past 25 years, the number of people below the World Bank poverty line has fallen by over 80%, GDP per head has more than doubled, and Chinese entrepreneurs are among the most innovative in the world.

China is now the world's largest market for automobile sales, but it is also investing heavily in green vehicles. It is the world's second largest market for wind turbines and the third largest in solar power. Over the next decade, it will almost double its energy output from renewable sources, its cities will change much of their lighting to LEDs, and it will aim to peak its emissions in 2030.

China's universities are forging partnerships with the best of their counterparts in the West. And China is turning out more science and engineering graduates than the whole of Europe put together.
Worth reading.

(Thanks: Michael S. Smith II)

Posted by Thomas P.M. Barnett on November 12, 2009
Click here to read Dr Barnett's bio.
- - -

Copy of op-ed from The Wall Street Journal
China's New Cultural Revolution
By TONY BLAIR
October 09, 2009, 4:22 A.M. ET
Yesterday, just a week after the 60th anniversary celebrations of the People's Republic, China kicked off its first World Media Summit. It shows how far China has come—and how far it has to go.

First, understand the problem. We all know China is a nation of 1.3 billion people, but that is just a statistic. Think of how we regard the United States—how different California is from Ohio, for example. Then quadruple it. Think of trying to meld China's 56 native ethnic groupings into one cohesive state. Think of the disaster, not just to the Chinese, but to ourselves, if it fractured.

Understand also how dramatic and daunting the challenge of China's development is. The U.S. has 4% of its population employed in agriculture. Almost 60% of Chinese make their livelihood farming, and more than 150 million live on $1 a day. They need to shift from farming to industry, and they need to do so desperately. The East Coast of China, especially around Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, may look, in parts, like the First World. But rural China, inland and to the West, is in the beginning stages of development. It will have to change at a pace the world has never seen before.

China's New Cultural Revolution (Tony Blair)

Photo: Old and new. (Associated Press)

Are China's leaders concerned about ensuring that this happens with minimum chaos and maximum stability? Of course, and so they should be. Disorder is their enemy and ours.

Today, we analyze feverishly whether China will be able to help rebalance the world economy; whether it will play its full part in the Copenhagen negotiations on climate change; and what its position may be on Iran. Imagine we were analyzing the consequences of a threat to China's stability and cohesion. And then be glad we are not.

None of this means that we should stop posing tough questions to China's leaders. It simply means that we should appreciate how their country looks to them from the inside. We may criticize the speed of political reform, and raise concerns about human rights and the rule of law. But we should at least understand that their political and economic endeavor is unique in human history. Its magnitude is beyond the comprehension of most Western leaders, and its complexity should be recognized.

Prior to 1949, China was a deeply riven and unequal society. There was a reason for the civil war and the multiple invasions of foreign powers. There was a reason for the upheaval of 1949. In the first 30 years came the completion of the revolution and the establishment of the People's Republic. But then came the Cultural Revolution.

It is difficult for us to grasp the pain of that period, when China closed down and engaged in a bizarre and cruel experiment that left scars, even to this day, on those who experienced it—including many in the present leadership. Talk to those who lived during that time, when reason was turned on its head, when survival depended on the whim of officialdom, and when all independent thought was snuffed out, and you will understand how momentous the change has been since then.

The opening up of China has its ups and downs. But over the past 25 years, the number of people below the World Bank poverty line has fallen by over 80%, GDP per head has more than doubled, and Chinese entrepreneurs are among the most innovative in the world.

China is now the world's largest market for automobile sales, but it is also investing heavily in green vehicles. It is the world's second largest market for wind turbines and the third largest in solar power. Over the next decade, it will almost double its energy output from renewable sources, its cities will change much of their lighting to LEDs, and it will aim to peak its emissions in 2030.

China's universities are forging partnerships with the best of their counterparts in the West. And China is turning out more science and engineering graduates than the whole of Europe put together.

There is a new cadre of people coming to the fore within government. Conversations with Chinese leaders today—at the provincial, as well as the central government level—are a world away from the stilted, pro forma exchanges I remember on my first visit 20 years ago.

However, one of the most interesting aspects of modern China is how the narrative of China, its history and its future, is being reframed. Listen to people in China today—and not only in government—and you can see that even amid the celebrations of the 60 years of the People's Republic, China is rediscovering its history and reorienting its future as a result.

Naturally, the 60 years of the Republic and what it has done are extolled. But increasingly, there is an interest in and reverence for China's ancient civilization as well as its post-1949 transformation.

Confucius, the marvels of the Tang dynasty, calligraphy, the beauty of traditional Chinese painting and literature—all of this infuses the speeches, commentary and discourse of contemporary Chinese life. Chinese films, art, fashion and pop music are thriving. There is a new Cultural Revolution taking place in 21st century China, and it is a lot healthier than the old.

This provides those of us outside China with an opportunity. How China changes will impact profoundly how we change. Our obligation is to treat China as a partner as we determine together the way the world will work in the future. If we treat China as our equal, China can be our economic, political and cultural ally. That is an opportunity that is worth effort.

A few weeks ago, when I was in Guizhou province outside Guiyang city, standing in a small village to see a pilot project in solar lighting, I reflected on what I had seen. I had seen the city center, with its fashion shops like Christian Dior and its bustling nightlife, but also housing tenements urgently in need of renovation. I had witnessed a stunning music and dance show celebrating the region's indigenous heritage. I met the Muslim governor. And in the village, I saw newer homes, but also many that were as poor as some in Africa.

As I walked around, the local people at first hung back. But then as I reached out, they reached back. Within minutes, we were taking photos and speaking freely. OK, it wasn't like my old constituency in Sedgefield in the northeast of England. But it wasn't North Korea either. The relationship between government and governed in China is changing, and for the better.

So when we reflect on China's last 60 years, reflect by all means on how far they have to go. But spare a thought for how far they have come. And then figure out how we can help.

Mr. Blair was Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1997-2007.
Cross-posted to my blogs China Tibet Watch and Blair Foundation Watch

Thursday, November 12, 2009

DDDC Sudan: Darfur civil society to participate in Doha peace talks

Source: Darfur Darfur Dialogue & Consultation (DDDC)
Date: 11 Nov 2009 (with thanks to ReliefWeb)
KHARTOUM, SUDAN – For a host of reasons, feeding the views of Darfur civil society into the Darfur peace process has been a challenge. A recent breakthrough in the ongoing Doha Darfur peace talks, however, has created a civil society track that has long been absent.

The Technical Workshop on Darfur Peace held in Doha, Qatar, October 12 – 14, 2009, and co–chaired by Qatari State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ahmed bin Abdalla Al–Mahmoud, and the head of the African Union – United Nation's Joint Mediation Support Team (JMST), Ambassador Djibril Bassolé, "to discuss and propose the best ways to accelerate the peace process to reach a comprehensive resolution for the conflict in Darfur," adopted a plan of action that recognized the key role of and called for input from Darfur civil society.

As a result, JMST, in partnership with the Darfur–Darfur Dialogue and Consultation (DDDC), the United Nation – African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) Civil Affairs Department (CAD), Gender Advisory Unit (GAU), and other UN bodies, established and is leading a multi–faceted process through which representatives from Darfur civil society can directly contribute their views on achieving peace in Darfur to the Doha peace talks.

During the past several weeks, more than 200 Darfurian tribal leaders and chiefs and civil society representatives from all sectors of society, including Internally Displaced Persons (IDP), Arab nomads, women, and youth, have attended preparatory workshops in North, South, and West Darfur. These workshops have been tailored to enable participants, all of who were selected by their peers, to discuss and formulate how they envision the role of civil society in the Darfur peace process and decide on the issues they want to address in Doha. Each workshop has produced recommendations, which select participants will present in Doha.

Prior to gathering in Doha on November 16, 2009, for the four–day conference, which has been described as the "commencement of the Darfur peace process," the civil society representatives will have the opportunity to further unify their positions, consolidate their recommendations, and learn more about what is expected to take place in Doha.

The DDDC is an autonomous, inclusive, non–partisan process mandated to enable Darfurians to voice their opinions and views to achieve sustainable peace and reconciliation in Darfur.

Seeking peace and reconciliation through dialogue and mediation to resolve conflict within and between communities is a deeply rooted Darfurian tradition. By engaging conflicting groups, restoring confidence, building trust, and promoting open and transparent dialogue to overcome grievances and agree on common grounds to achieve sustainable peace, the DDDC is a continuation of this tradition.

For further information, contact Joel Frushone, frushone@dddc.org.

For DDDC news, reports, events, initiatives, to comment, and more, visit www.dddc.org

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Meme: Joe Trippi's Eleven-Eleven 1111Campaign - America's and Britain's Veterans have given so much. Now, you can give back.

Joe Trippi, one of America's greatest bloggers, has launched Eleven Eleven Campaign. The objective of the Eleven Eleven Campaign is simple: to get 11 million Americans to donate $11 to support America’s Veterans. Here is a copy of Joe's latest tweet on Twitter:
Tomorrow is Veterans Day, and now is our moment to encourage our friends, family members and colleagues to join us... http://bit.ly/9Iu9s
33 minutes ago from Facebook
1111Campaign
Eleven Eleven
Hey Joe! Britain's Veterans have given so much too!

Stand with 11 million Brits and Give £11 to Support Britain’s Vets!

Take Action Today
Click here to support Britain's Veterans
November 11, 2009

Britain's Veterans have given so much.  Now, you can give back.

SSDF to sue NEC for denying Sudanese in Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia a chance to register as voters in the general elections

From Sudan Radio Service, Tuesday, 10 November 2009:
SSDF to Sue NEC over Foreign Voters
(Khartoum) - The South Sudan Democratic Front Party says it will mobilize other political parties in southern Sudan to sue the National Elections Commission for denying Sudanese in Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia a chance to register as voters in the general elections.

In an interview with Sudan Radio Service in Khartoum on Monday, the Chairman of SSDF Party, David de Chand, said it is against the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and the National Elections Act to deny Sudanese living abroad a chance to exercise their rights to vote.

[David de Chand]: “Nowhere it is mentioned in the CPA that those in Nairobi, Kenya or Uganda and Ethiopia should not be allowed to vote. I think the right to vote is a democratic right guaranteed to every citizen by the constitution and it is an unalienable right to all people. We the political party leaders would also go to the NEC to challenge such a statement and they will have to prove to us beyond reasonable doubt. If not, we can file a case before the Constitutional Court to challenge such a statement. Why should southern Sudanese refugees in Kenya, Uganda and in Ethiopia be denied their legitimate right to be registered?”

De Chand said that if the National Elections Commission fears that non-Sudanese may register to vote as southern Sudanese, it should allow the United Nations to undertake the exercise abroad.

He urged southern Sudanese to register to vote in the elections next year because it is a step towards the possibility of self-determination offered by the 2011 referendum.
Cross-posted to Uganda Watch and Ethiopia Watch and Kenya Watch

Sudan's NCP should accept that SPLM is aiming for separation and that most of the southern people want separation

From Sudan Radio Service, Tuesday, 10 November 2009:
Analyst Pessimistic About NCP-SPLM Peace Plans
(Khartoum) - While the two partners in the Government of National Unity, the SPLM and NCP, are engaged in intensive meetings in Khartoum, a prominent political analyst says that he is not optimistic that the two partners will agree over their differences.

The NCP deputy chairman and the presidential adviser, Doctor Nafie Ali Nafie, announced on Saturday that the two partners have agreed to stop the war of words and come out with an agreement within 48 hours.

Professor Al-Tayib Zain Al-Abidin is a lecturer of political sciences at Khartoum University. He spoke to Sudan Radio Service from Khartoum on Tuesday.

[Al-Tayib]: “I think these meetings suggest more optimism than is merited. The differences between the two partners have been there for months, but the two parties have realized after some international pressure, that there is no other choice except to reach an agreement over their differences. But that doesn’t mean their differences will not continue, and that new differences might appear, especially when the election time gets closer, and different alliances appear. Will the SPLM stand separately, or will it ally itself with the NCP or the northern opposition?”

Asked whether the two parties will reach a solution on the issues which divides them, Zain Al-Abidin continued:

[Al-Tayib]: “There is no solution, unless the partners reach an agreement which will not happen unless the two parties compromise on certain issues. The main compromise is that the NCP should accept that SPLM is aiming for separation, and that most of the southern people want separation. So there is no need for obstruction by using desperate measures and introducing ineffective laws. At the same time, the SPLM should not interfere in the north’s affairs. Southern Kordofan is a northern state and there is no doubt about it, and so is Blue Nile state. So trying to pretend that popular consultation is the same as self-determination is a terrible mistake and will not be accepted by any northern government.”

The SPLM and the NCP reached a deadlock over key issues in the CPA, a situation that led to the SPLM boycotting some parliamentary sessions.

Sunday, November 08, 2009

It is time that we face the truth, northern and southern Sudan have never been and will never be one country

Quote of the Day
"What is needed now is leadership to ensure that there is a roadmap towards a peaceable partition. This is not a decision that can be taken by default, by allowing the momentum of events to take their course. The statements by Deng Alor and Salva Kiir may have made secession inevitable, but they have not made it easy. A huge amount of work needs to be done. For the political leaders of south and north, secession entails a huge amount of hard work, organization and leadership." - Dr Alex de Waal OBE, November 3, 2009.
Note to self, for future reference. I have selected the above quote, plus the following extracts from a comments thread at Alex de Waal's blog post of November 3, 2009 “Let Us Make It A Peaceful Divorce” because it puts into words what I am thinking but unable to express right now.
“Let Us Make It A Peaceful Divorce”

Muhammad Osman:
November 6th, 2009

It is time that we face the truth, northern and southern Sudan have never been and will never be one country. We have always been two countries, if not politically then morally. We lie to ourselves when we say that unity is possible. To me, the CPA has failed because neither the SPLM nor the NCP wanted to implement it in good faith.

I agree with Deng Alor, let’s make it a peaceful divorce, and then it’s up to us, northerners, to find a way to get rid of the NCP.
- - -

Vagn Sparre-Ulrich:
November 3rd, 2009

Is anybody believing that there will be a peaceful separation between the North and the South? And after the South (maybe) leaving, what will happen to the Northern Government? If this scenario (of separation) is a realistic one, there might be political turbulence in both the North and the South. Maybe a military coup in the North could give unity a chance? It seems as if we are heading for a meltdown situation, where the outcome is very unpredictable.
- - -

Abd al-Wahab Abdalla:
November 3rd, 2009

The old has died and the new is struggling to be born. The subjective conditions for statehood exist in South Sudan but under present circumstances we can only be fearful about the nature of any new state that emerges, as well as the nature of the remnant state in North Sudan that survives. My fear is that both mother and child may not survive the rigours of childbirth.
- - -

David Barsoum:
November 4th, 2009

Late, late yestreen, I saw the new moon
With the old moon in her arm,
And I fear, I fear my Master Dear,
That we shall come to harm


The Ballad of Sir Patrick Spence
- - -

+ + + Remembrance Sunday &
The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month + + +


Remembrance Day Poppy

Photo: Remembrance Day Poppy

Two minutes of silence at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month because that was the time (in Britain) when the armistice became effective. The two minutes recall World War I and World War II. Before 1945 the silence was for one minute, and today some ceremonies still only have one minute of silence despite this.

In the United Kingdom, although two minutes' silence is observed on November 11 itself, the main observance is on the second Sunday of November, Remembrance Sunday.

Source: Remembrance Day - Wikipedia

Sudan politicians report widespread electoral fraud

Sudan's political parties accused each other of widespread fraud and intimidation as voters began to register for the oil-producing state's first multi-party elections in 24 years.

Opposition political party monitors told Reuters they had evidence of intimidation, buying of votes and other irregularities by Sudan's dominant National Congress Party (NCP), headed by President Omar Hassan al-Bashir.

The NCP dismissed the allegations and accused its junior coalition partner, the former southern rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), of trying to sabotage the election, saying NCP supporters had been tortured in the south.

Full story: KHARTOUM (Reuters) by Opheera McDoom Sun Nov 8, 2009 9:45am GMT - Sudan politicians report widespread electoral fraud

Sudan politicians report widespread electoral fraud

Photo: Sudanese officials show registration kits at the Elections High Committee compound in Khartoum November 1, 2009. South Sudan's president Salva Kiir urged southerners to vote for independence in a referendum if they wanted to be free, the closest he has come to calling publicly for the separation of the oil-producing region. Sudanese began to register for Sudan's first presidential, legislative and regional elections in 24 years, with the authorities facing a tough logistical challenge. (REUTERS/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah)

New book: Environment and Conflict in Africa: Reflections on Darfur

Environment and Conflict in Africa: Reflections on Darfur
Edited by Marcel Leroy, UPEACE Africa Programme
Publication date October 2009, 404 pages.
ISBN 978-9977-925-63-9
This volume examines climate and ecological changes in Sub-Saharan Africa, and how these relate to conflicts on the continent. Particular attention is paid to environmental and livelihood aspects of the crisis in Darfur. Conclusions are drawn regarding peace-building in areas facing resource constraints.

The book includes research conducted in-house at UPEACE Africa in Addis Ababa under a project funded by the Preventive Diplomacy Programme of the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Also included are twenty-five contributed papers that are based on presentations made at a conference which was organized by the project in Addis Ababa 20 to 23 July 2009.

To download click here.

Copyright © 2009 University for Peace
Printed in Ethiopia
All rights reserved. The views expressed in this book are those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the University for Peace.
ISBN9789977925639
To order copies of this book please contact: africaprogramme@upeace.org
Hat tip: Alex de Waal 03 Nov 2009.

AU Panel Darfur Report in Arabic

Click here to view AUPD report in Arabic.

Hat tip: Alex de Waal - 3 Nov 2009.

Saturday, November 07, 2009

Laureate Safaa Elagib Adam awarded prize for freedom and human rights

Laureate Safaa Elagib Adam

Photo: Laureate Safaa Elagib Adam, one of the founding members for the Community Development Association (CDA), a Sudanese non-governmental organization working on sustainable development and peace with special focus on Darfur, adjusts an earphone as she attends a ceremony prior to being awarded the prize for freedom and human rights in Bern, Switzerland, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009. (AP Photo/Keystone, Peter Klaunzer)

UNICEF: The Netherlands donates $23.5 million for safe water in Sudan

Great news from UNICEF (KHARTOUM/JUBA) 06 November 2009:
The Dutch Government has given $23.5 million to UNICEF in Sudan which will be used to provide safe water and improved sanitation for hundreds of thousands of people across the country.

“This very generous contribution by the Dutch Government will have a real impact on saving lives,” said Hilde Johnson UNICEF’s Deputy Executive Director. Every year in Sudan about 60,000 children under the age of five die from diarrhoea, a preventable disease caused in large part by unsafe water and poor sanitation. “This donation will help to provide safe drinking water, sanitary latrines and fund public campaigns targeting hygiene behaviour.”

“Not only will this funding help to reduce the number of children who die each year, it will also help improve the lives of women and girls who often travel many kilometres to collect water for their families, Johnson said.”

Half of this contribution will be used for projects in the transitional areas of Blue Nile State, South Kordofan and Abyei over the next four years.

Southern Sudan will benefit equally from the Dutch funding which will be for projects in Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Eastern Equatoria and Jonglei.

The Dutch Ambassador to Khartoum, Norbert Braakhuis, said he hoped that providing equal access to resources like water, which had often been the source of conflict in Sudan, would help to promote a sustainable peace between different communities.

“Many communities are still very fragile after Sudan’s long civil war. We hope that providing basic services will help people resettle peacefully and build strong ties between different groups,” he added.

The official agreement was signed today by the Dutch Ambassador in Khartoum, Norbert Braakhuis, and UNICEF’s Deputy Executive Director Hilde Johnson, who is currently visiting Sudan. The signing was also attended by UNICEF’s Representative in Sudan, Nils Kastberg.

UNICEF video and high-resolution photography for media organizations is available at: http://www.thenewsmarket.com/unicef

About UNICEF
UNICEF is on the ground in over 150 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence. The world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.

For additional information, please contact:
Amber Henshaw, Chief, Media & External Relations, UNICEF Sudan
Mobile: + 249 (0)912 177 291
Email: ahenshaw@unicef.org

Douglas Armour, Communication Manager
Mobile: + (249) (0) 928 278 975 + (249) (0) 913 143 481
Email: darmour@unicef.org

Abdel-Rahman Ghandour, Chief Communication, UNICEF Middle East and North Africa
Mobile: + 962 (6) 550 2407
Email: arghandour@unicef.org

Kathryn Donovan, UNICEF New York,
Tel + 1 212 326 7452,
Email kdonovan@unicef.org

Friday, November 06, 2009

South Sudan: 47 LRA rebels surrender in Yei, Central Equatoria

From Sudan Radio Service, 03 November 2009:
LRA rebels surrender in Yei
(Yei) - More than forty Ugandan rebels of the Lord’s Resistance Army surrendered to authorities in Yei county, Central Equatoria state last week.

The Commissioner of Yei county, David Lokonga confirmed that pockets of LRA rebels have been handing themselves in since September this year.

[David lokonga 1 -Eng/Arabic]: “Starting from September 22nd, some of the L-R-A have surrendered themselves to the authority of Yei county. On October 7th, some of the rebels including two officers surrender themselves to us, on October 22nd some more LRA surrender themselves again. The last group surrender themselves on October 30th including the wife of their commander called Arob. This means the number of the LRA soldiers that have handed themselves to Yei county is forty seven. We would like to urge the rest of the remaining rebels in the LRA who are still in the forest to emulate their colleagues and end theses atrocities.”

Lokong’a added that most of the LRA soldiers who surrendered expressed frustration and exhaustion over their movement’s unclear vision and activities.

He said the arrested LRA who have surrendered will be handed over to their respective communities.

[David lokong’a 2 -Eng/Arabic]: “We and the Uganda government have agreed to hand over these people to their communities. After they surrendered themselves to the SPLA and the UPDF, I will then hand the Ugandans over to Ugandan government and the Sudanese will remain with me. We have some from Wonduruba and we have handed them to their community.”

That was the commissioner of Yei County, David Lokonga talking to Sudan radio service from Yei on Tuesday.

Leading LRA rebel commander Charles Arop surrenders to Ugandan army?

Report from Sudan Tribune by Richard Ruati Friday 6 November 2009:
Leading LRA rebel commander surrenders to Ugandan army
November 5, 2009 (KAMPALA) — Lt Col Charles Arop, a leading Ugandan LRA rebels (the Army of the Lord’s Resistance), has decided to surrender himself to the Ugandan army. Arop is responsible for a bloodbath perpetrated on Christmas Day last year in Faradje in the DRC during which at least 143 people have died.

He was left with only one rebel fighter, so he had little choice," a spokesman of the UPDF, LT Col Felix Kulayigye has said on Thursday. The Army spokesperson spoke to Sudan Tribune via telephone hookup from Kampala. Not a long time ago, Arop commanded an army of 100 rebel fighters, most of them having been decimated after actions from the UPDF.

Kulayigye revealed that “the surrender of Arop took place near Faradje, adding that his surrender is very significant given the fact he was Commander within Kony units, however this has degenerated and declined the commanding chain of LRA.”

He added that, “the surrender of Arop is fortunately making the arrest of Kony the next target of UPDF.”

Asked whether how many Kony fighters are still in the jungles, he said at moment the Ugandan Army doesn’t know, however Kony is believed to be in isolation in Central Africa Republic.”

Lt Col Felix dismissed future peace negotiations with LRA, saying that, “the only options left for Kony are to capture or kill him, except if Kony signs the negotiated agreement.

He dismissed the media reports that, “the Operation Light Thunder is a failure,” he tabled the rescue of 450 abductees and the capture of 20 LRA officers as a success, he also said there are no LRA rebels in DR Congo anymore.

Speaking to local journalist of Yambio FM in Western Equatoria, Lt Col Charles Arop said that, he was arrested in 1994 from Northern Uganda; he has been the immediate operation commander of Joseph Kony.

Arop appealed to his former LRA colleagues those still close to Joseph Kony to put down their guns and come out of the jungles, he directed his appeal mainly to his former closed commanders like Dominic Okello and Smart, that by the mercy of God they should come back home “the children of Acholi have finished in the bush.”

He advised the remaining LRA soldiers in the bush not to fear to hand themselves in to the UPDF.

He further appealed to Joseph Kony himself to come out open, as the war has claimed the lives of innocent civilians and displaced many others.

The Ugandan Army spokesperson said that, Arop may decide to remain as civilian or politician, however if at all he committed any crime against humanity, legal actions shall be taken against him by a competent law institution.

He also revealed that, since the Light Thunder Operations started last December only 12 Ugandans armies have lost their lives. The Ugandan army hunts down LRA fighters in the DRC, Central African Republic and Southern Sudan. Since the attacks of the army on the LRA at the end of last year, this movement has dispersed in small units.
Cross-posted to Congo Watch and Uganda Watch

Turkey to host Sudan, Iran leaders at OIC meeting in Istanbul next week

* Bashir, Ahmadinejad to attend OIC meeting

* ICC arrest warrant, nuclear row could overshadow gathering

* Host Turkey's foreign policy fuels Western worries

From Reuters Friday 6 November 2009:
PREVIEW-Turkey to host Sudan, Iran leaders at summit
By Thomas Grove
(ISTANBUL) - A summit of Islamic countries in Istanbul next week will boost Turkey's quest to deepen ties with the Muslim world, but some of its new friends are not to the taste of its traditional ally, Washington.

Sudan's President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, who has an international arrest warrant against him for war crimes, and Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, engaged in a standoff with the West over Tehran's nuclear programme, are among leaders who will attend an Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) meeting.

The one-day summit on Monday will add to growing concerns in some Western circles that Turkey, an OIC member which is seeking European Union membership, is shifting away from its pro-Western foreign policy and embracing countries such as Iran and Syria, while distancing itself from regional friend Israel.

"I think this summit will put Turkey again on the frontline, both in regards with Iran and Bashir," said Hugh Pope, a senior analyst for the International Crisis Group.

"Engagement and cooperation can be a way to bring autocratic states into the international system, but the challenge for Turkey is that it needs to show results and that the behaviour of these states is changing," Pope said.

Although the 57-nation body's meeting has been billed as an economic summit to discuss trade and anti-poverty measures among members, the presence of Bashir and Ahmadinejad will likely overshadow its economic goals.

Western powers are seeking to exert pressure on Tehran for concessions on its nuclear programme, and Ahmadinejad could use the summit to undermine efforts to isolate the Islamic republic and to give one of his trademark anti-Western speeches.

The West fears Tehran's nuclear programme is a covert plan to develop nuclear weapons, but Iran has denied this and says it needs nuclear technology to generate electricity.

The visit by Sudan's Bashir, who has travelled to African countries since the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued the arrest warrant against him in March for war crimes in Darfur, puts NATO member Turkey in an awkward position, but a Turkish Foreign Ministry official said there were no plans to arrest him.

"We have invited Bashir as one of the heads of state to the meeting and he will be treated as one," the official said.

Turkey, which has deepened commercial ties with Sudan, has not ratified the 2002 Rome Statute that established the ICC, but is under pressure to do so to meet European Union standards.

WESTERN WORRIES

The attendance of Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and Syria's President Bashar al-Assad might also add weight to the summit of the OIC, which has little political power.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Thursday he did not wish to run for re-election in January, voicing disappointment at Washington's "favouring" of Israel in arguments over re-launching peace talks.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai, in what would be his first trip abroad since his re-election was announced this week following a fraud-marred ballot, is also expected to attend.

Ahmadinejad's visit to Istanbul will follow a state visit last month by Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan to Tehran, in which the two countries signed trade and energy deals.

Ankara's growing attachment to Iran has fuelled worries that Turkey, a moderate Muslim democracy and a U.S. ally, is turning its back on Washington and the EU, something it denies.

"Policymakers in the West are getting worried that Turkey's growing ties with Iran -- by lessening that country's sense of isolation -- may frustrate diplomatic efforts to prevent Tehran from building a nuclear bomb," Katinka Barysch, of the Centre for European Reform thinktank, wrote this week.

Erdogan's AK Party government, which has roots in political Islam, has sought to expand Turkey's influence in the Middle East -- a process analysts say has run in parallel with Ankara's frustration at perceived EU misgivings over its membership bid.

During his warmly received trip to Tehran, Erdogan blasted Western powers for treating Iran "unfairly" and said the Islamic republic's nuclear programme was for humanitarian purposes.

Ian Lesser, from the German Marshall Fund of the United States, said that by inviting Ahmadinejad and Bashir, Turkey might deepen perceptions its foreign policy is ambiguous.

"It is an example of the risks that Turkey is running by trying to be too many things in too many places at the same time and without too much discrimination," Lesser said. (Additional reporting by Zerin Elci and Ibon Villelabeitia in Ankara, Opheera McDoom in Khartoum and Peter Graff in Kabul) (Writing by Ibon Villelabeitia; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)
Cross-posted to Tehran Watch and Syria Watch

FOCA: China, Africa hold summit to reinforce bilateral trade

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao can expect a warm welcome from Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak and finance and foreign ministers from 50 countries when the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCA) starts in the Egyptian resort of Sharm El-Sheikh on Sunday.

Ever-eager for raw materials and markets to sell its products, China has said the new meeting will lay down a “road map” to further boost cooperation between 2010 and 2012.

Direct Chinese investment in Africa leapt from $491 million in 2003 to $7.8 billion in 2008. Trade between the two has increased tenfold since the start of the decade.

Last year, China-Africa trade reached $106.8 billion - a rise of 45 percent in one year and on a par with with the United States, which estimated its two-way trade with sub-Saharan Africa at $104 billion for 2008.

Chinese imports from Africa last year were worth $56 billion, dominated by oil ($39 billion) and raw materials.

Its $56 billion of exports in 2008 consisted mainly of machinery, electrical goods, cars, motorbikes and bicycles.

FOCAC is held every three years and this will be the fourth since it started in 2000.

Source: AFP report via Saudi Gazette Online Friday 06 November 2009. Copy:
China, Africa hold summit to reinforce bilateral trade
CAIRO - Leaders from China and Africa start a three day summit on Sunday that will again throw the spotlight on Beijing’s strategic sweep for energy, minerals and political influence in the continent.

China has over the past decade paid for dams, power stations, football stadiums across Africa and scooped up copper, oil and other fuel for its breakneck economic expansion from Algeria to Zimbabwe.

It has invested billions of dollars while raising eyebrows in the United States and its allies by pursuing the hunt for oil and other resources in Sudan, Somalia and other nations that the West has shunned.

Many African leaders praise China however for not preaching about rights and corruption. So despite neo-colonialist qualms, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao can expect a warm welcome from Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak and finance and foreign ministers from 50 countries when the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation starts in the Egyptian resort of Sharm El-Sheikh on Sunday.

FOCAC is held every three years and this will be the fourth since it started in 2000.

Ever-eager for raw materials and markets to sell its products, China has said the new meeting will lay down a “road map” to further boost cooperation between 2010 and 2012.

Direct Chinese investment in Africa leapt from $491 million in 2003 to $7.8 billion in 2008. Trade between the two has increased tenfold since the start of the decade.

Last year, China-Africa trade reached $106.8 billion - a rise of 45 percent in one year and on a par with with the United States, which estimated its two-way trade with sub-Saharan Africa at $104 billion for 2008.

Chinese imports from Africa last year were worth $56 billion, dominated by oil ($39 billion) and raw materials.

Its $56 billion of exports in 2008 consisted mainly of machinery, electrical goods, cars, motorbikes and bicycles.

Some in the West have accuse China of worsening repression and human rights abuses in Africa by supporting countries such as Sudan and Zimbabwe.

US intelligence director Dennis Blair told a Congress committee in March that US agencies are keeping close tabs on China’s expanding influence in Africa, especially in oil-producing countries like Nigeria.
Cross-posted to:
China Tibet Watch
Congo Watch
Egypt Watch
Ethiopia Watch
Kenya Watch
Niger Watch
Uganda Watch
Africa Oil Watch

Thursday, November 05, 2009

AGI: Tony Blair Africa Governance Initiative

AGI:  Tony Blair Africa Governance Initiative

From The Office of Tony Blair
November 05, 2009
Tony Blair Africa Governance Initiative to create development through good governance becomes charity
The Tony Blair Africa Governance Initiative has become a registered UK charity after creating a unique 'hands-on' approach to development and poverty eradication over the past eighteen months.

The Charity Commission approved the application from this relatively new organisation, which is underpinned by the belief that good governance and sustainable development are key to poverty eradication in the long term.

Tony Blair, founder of the Africa Governance Initiative (AGI), said:

"I'm extremely proud of our excellent project teams who are working in partnership with the governments of Rwanda and Sierra Leone to reduce poverty and develop new opportunities for growth.

"It is a privilege to work with leaders as talented and as committed to their people as President Koroma and President Kagame who represent a new generation of leaders in Africa with a commitment to building a new future for their people.

"The developed world needs to keep up its commitment to Africa expressed at the 2005 G8 Summit in Gleneagles. But lasting change in Africa will only come in the end from African solutions. By building the capacity to create sustainable long-term development through good governance and providing high level advice, we have already started to help deliver that change.

"And it won't stop here. Whilst developing our work in Sierra Leone and Rwanda, we want to launch new projects with other countries, sharing our knowledge, experience and expertise. We want more countries to develop sustainably, paving the way to a prosperous future.

"This work has reinforced my optimism about Africa's future, as well as my conviction that governance and growth are the key ingredients to effectively reduce poverty across the continent."

Commenting on Tony Blair and the work of the Africa Governance Initiative, Ernest Koroma, President of Sierra Leone, said:

"Mr. Blair has demonstrated an enduring commitment to Sierra Leone and its people. The work comes at a critical stage in Sierra Leone's development. I believe together we have an opportunity to ensure that Sierra Leone puts in place the policies, people and institutions to achieve real and lasting change."

Commenting on the work of AGI, President Paul Kagame of Rwanda said:

"What I would like people to know is that the type of partnership we have with Tony Blair is totally different from the type of consultancy people are used to. We work in very strong partnerships whereby not only gaps are filled where they exist, but there's also the notion of transfer of skills, mentoring, actually doing things that are measurable such that over a period of time, we will be able to know what kind of impact was made."
Cross-posted to:
China Tibet Watch
Congo Watch
Egypt Watch
Ethiopia Watch
Kenya Watch
Niger Watch
Uganda Watch
Africa Oil Watch

Wednesday, November 04, 2009

UN SRSG Qazi: DDR critical to creating conducive environment for the upcoming elections in Sudan

The Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) programme recently achieved the milestone of reaching 15,000 demobilized. Meanwhile, Reintegration counselling and referral has been rolled out to seven states and will be countrywide by the early 2010.

The Sudan DDR Programme under the CPA targets up to 180,000 participants from both SAF and SPLA. They will be demobilised and provided with opportunities for alternative livelihoods such as agriculture, micro-business, vocational training or formal education.

Norway announced an additional pledge of NEK29million (approximately US$5million) to support adult and child DDR.

Source: United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS)
DDR partnership hails progress
Date: 04 Nov 2009 (via ReliefWeb)
Meeting in Kadugli on 3 November 2009, the DDR Roundtable Partnership acknowledged significant progress since the launch of the Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) in February this year, under the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, but admitted that much was still left to be done.

"We have made considerable progress in the implementation of the DDR programme," the Special Representative of the Secretary General, Ambassador Ashraf Jehangir Qazi affirmed at the roundtable, citing among other achievements, the establishment of several assembly areas and demobilisation sites in The Three Areas and in Southern Sudan.

"The momentum built up thus far is impressive and continues to grow as new sites will become operational in the Three Areas and Southern Sudan," Ambassador Qazi declared, adding that the UN has started to work with its Sudanese partners to extend DDR operations to Al-Fula and Abyei.

Speaking on behalf of the UN family in Sudan, SRSG Qazi observed that the DDR process "has given hope to ex-combatants and their communities as they see something concrete being done to promote peace." The SRSG further noted that the DDR was "critical to creating a conducive environment for the upcoming elections."

On the demobilisation of child soldiers, he lamented the current funding shortfall being faced by UNICEF. "It is important we regain momentum on the release and reintegration of children associated with armed forces to prevent children from returning to life in the barracks," the SRSG urged.

The DDR recently achieved the milestone of reaching 15,000 demobilized. Meanwhile, Reintegration counselling and referral has been rolled out to seven states and will be countrywide by the early 2010. Especially in the Three Areas, DDR is making a significant contribution to CPA implementation by fostering trust on both sides, ameliorating security threats and giving ex-combatants, potential spoilers in the future, a solid stake in peace.

Opening the roundtable conference, H.E. Governor Ahmed Haroun hailed the achievements to date and the importance of DDR to restoring stability in Southern Kordofan in particular. The Governor nonetheless insisted that the programme "needs to be expanded."

The DDR Roundtable partnership is a forum major stakeholders of the DDR programme meet at the highest level to review policy and implementation and to ensure the DDR process is on track to meet its goals.

H.E. Ambassador Yuichi Ishii from Japan, a major donor to DDR, spoke on behalf of the donor community. "Today, we witness the collaborative work of the Sudan DDR partners through this Roundtable meeting, and also North and South cooperation here in Southern Kordofan for the future," the Japanese envoy remarked. "We strongly hope that this occasion will provide leverage for the progress of the DDR programme and show concrete steps."

H.E. General Bakri Hassan Saleh, Chairman of the National DDR Coordination Council, urged increased financial support to the programme observing, "Although the war is behind us, we still have a lot of challenges ahead, which is why we request support to give a better life to our combatants."

At the meeting, the representative from Norway announced an additional pledge of NEK29million (approximately US$5million) to support adult and child DDR.

After the meeting, a weapons destruction ceremony was held. A pile of weapons collected from the PDF were lit on fire to symbolize the role of DDR in the transition from war to peace and in reducing violence in communities.

The Sudan DDR Programme under the CPA targets up to 180,000 participants from both SAF and SPLA. They will be demobilised and provided with opportunities for alternative livelihoods such as agriculture, micro-business, vocational training or formal education. The North and South Sudan DDR Commissions implement the programme with support from the Integrated UN DDR Unit, comprised of UNMIS, UNDP, UNICEF, WFP and UNFPA.

The roundtable in Kadugli was attended, among other dignitaries, by H.E. Governor Ahmed Haroun of South Kordofan, the Chairperson of the National DDR Coordination Council, H.E. General Bakri Hassan Saleh, H.E. Minister Elias Nyamlel, General Osman Nouri, the Ambassadors of Japan, South Africa and South Korea, UNMIS SRSG Ashraf Qazi and UNICEF Representative Nils Kastberg as well as representatives of the donor community, North and Southern Sudan DDR Commissions and the UN.

For further information, contact:
Napoleon Viban, phone: +249 (0) 914 549 072, e-mail: viban@un.org
Monique Tummers, +249 (0) 914 108 772, e-mail: tummers@un.org