The Birth of Africom

US President GW Bush annnounced on Tuesday he had given approval for the new command, Africom, which will be based initially in Stuttgart, Germany, but later move to an African location yet to be determined.

See ComingAnarchy.com on The Birth of Africom plus this comment posted by lirelou Feb 8, 2007:

So, Africom has been spun out of Eucom, which had planning responsibility for Africa outside of Centcom's area prior to this. They'll waste a lot of money if they move to an African location. Back in the early 80's, when we were looking to base a single (SF) battalion in Africa, the only country who showed any real interest was Somalia, which was officially Marxist. Whoever decided to forego that offer showed wisdom and/or foresight. Note that what they are doing here is creating more planning staffs, but not more troops on the ground. (What increases are planned are targeted to the GWOT and OIF) More generals, more staffs, more paper, more pressure to "prove their worth" by getting pro-active. They could have passed the mission to Southcom and saved the money. Our defence dollars need to be spent more wisely.

Iranian president to visit Sudan on 12th February

Khartoum (Sudanvisiondaily) 1 Feb 2007 - excerpt

The Sudanese Foreign Minister Dr Lam Akol met his Iranian counterpart Monjuhar Moutaki met yesterday and they discussed the bilateral relations between their two countries. Meanwhile it was announced that the Iranian President Ahmed Nijadi will visit Sudan on February 12th. The Ministry of foreign Affairs Spokesperson, Ali Al-Sadig told SUNA that the two Ministers discussions stressed the bilateral relations with regard to investment, basic infrastructure and other economical projects.

(hat tip clarification of fact blog)

Map of Chinese leader's Africa tour

Black Looks has posted a graphic.

Defining the African Diaspora

Annie at Black Looks thinks the African diaspora cannot survive.

US's Natsios: "The term genocide is counter to the facts of what is really occurring in Darfur"

Feb 8 2007 report by Mariam Khan (The Georgetown Voice) Natsios describes on-going Sudanese crisis. Excerpt:

The on-going Darfur crisis is no longer a genocide situation, according to U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan Andrew Natsios. Natsios, a Professor in the School of Foreign Service, spoke on Wednesday in Gaston Hall.

Natsios did note, however, that genocide had previsouly occured in Darfur, amidst the ongoing conflict between inhabitants of the Sudanese region and government-backed Janjaweed militias.

Darfur has been a hot button issue since 2003. 2.5 million people have been displaced and over 400,000 people have died as a result of the conflict, according to Natsios.

"The place is littered with mass graves," he said. Over 2,000 villages were destroyed from the beginning of the war in 2003 to the present, according a United Nations count cited by Natsios.

Natsios pointed to property issues as a major aspect of the conflict, explaining that the Arab Janjaweed militia has been destroying homes and taking the land and animals.

"Without property in Darfur, you will die," he said. "You cannot go back to your homes because you have nothing to live off of."

Natsios called Darfur a catastrophe, but said that he is opposed to continuing to use the word genocide, which President Bush and the State Department use to describe the situation in Darfur.

"The term genocide is counter to the facts of what is really occurring in Darfur," he said.

- - -

UPDATE: Via CFD Feb 16 2007 - Correction From The Georgetown Voice: While we stand by our account that Natsios is opposed to using the word "genocide" to continue to describe the current situation in Darfur, the article should have included a sentence stressing that Natsios still believes that, at its height, the crisis constituted a "genocide."

Ceasefire Joint Commission meets in Al Fashir for the first time - chaired by Acting Head of AMIS Madame Monique Mukaruliza

I hope this is all true. Via Sudanese Media Center:

Tuesday 6 February 2007
Khartoum (Sudanvisiondaily)

The Ceasefire Joint Commission will hold its fifth meeting today in the town of Al Fashir North Darfur for the first time following holding of former meetings in the Ethiopian Capital Addis Ababa. The meeting will be chaired by Acting Head of the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) Madame Monique Mukaruliza AMIS Spokesman Nourelddine Mezni told Sudan Vision that the commission's' meeting in Al Fashir comes in implementation of the Darfur Peace Agreement.

According to Mezni the committee will review at its meeting in Al Fashir the report by the African Union Forces Commander and Chairman of the Ceasefire Commission Major General Aprezi on the security situation in Darfur and the ten ceasefire violations that recently took place.

Mezni was further reported to have said that the meeting of the tripartite committee for implantation of the UN support packages to AU has been adjourned from today to February 14th due to the participation of the mechanism members in the ceasefire commission meetings.

Mezni said its expected that UN Envoy to Sudan Ian Elission and the AU Envoy Dr. Salim Ahmed Salim will visit Sudan within the coming few days to reactivate the peace process in Darfur. Mezni said the date of the two envoys visit will be specified later.

Sudan's Bashir denies Chinese pressure on Darfur

Sudanese President is convinced China has never been, will never be tool for US pressure on Sudan - see Middle East Online today: Beshir denies Chinese pressure on Darfur - excerpt:

"The Chinese president did not convey any US demands on the situation in Darfur during his recent state visit to the Sudan," Beshir told the independent Al-Sudani daily.

Beshir said that during their meeting last Friday, Hu had asked him to "continue implementing the Abuja agreement and working to improve the situation on the ground".

Hu :renewed his commitment to offering full support to my government to enable it to implement its declared Darfur programme, particularly after he was briefed on our position which advocates dialogue and a peaceful settlement".

"Our conviction is that China has never been and will never be a tool for US pressure on Sudan," Beshir told Al-Sudani.

Washington -- which accuses the Sudanese regime of genocide in Darfur -- sent envoy Andrew Natsios to Beijing last month to seek increased diplomatic coordination with Khartoum's key ally.

Sudan's FVP Kiir rules out renewed war in south

KUNA news report (via ReliefWeb) 4 Feb 2007 - excerpt:

[Sudan's first VP] Mayardit emphasized that his movement believes in Sudan's volitional, rather than compulsory, unity, opining that "unity is better than separation as far as public interest is concerned." He called on all Sudanese political forces to work together to find a way out of the Sudanese crisis by means of implementing the comprehensive peace deal between south and north Sudan.

Concerning his peace initiative, he said it focused on all-out interest among the region's tribes, urging tribal leaders and Darfur dignitaries to step up efforts to make his initiative successful.

World Bank launches initiative to promote Sudan's civil society action

World Bank is delaying the long overdue help that was pledged for South Sudan. Via ST today:

The World Bank Sudan Country office launched "Sudan Development Marketplace (DM) for 2007" initiative to identify innovative development ideas for delivering results, engage directly with stakeholders working at community level, create a forum of knowledge sharing and dissemination and build partnerships with and between other development actors.

How long will it take them to sort that out? See two comments at Sudan Watch entry - EU blames World Bank for delaying South Sudan reconstruction:

2 Comments:

ELIE SMITH REPORT11 said...
It is kind of strange that, the World bank is still bugged down with her bureaucracy. I thought that, with the appointment of Paul Wolfowizt as her New boss things were going to change. However, I am also certain that, poor Wolfowizt may be having a tough time to change the old communist style of work at the World bank. The sad thing is that, people in Sudan and South Sudan in particular are suffering.

January 20, 2007
Anonymous said...
From what I've been told the real problem has been the refusal of the World Bank to deploy senior people to Juba to run this MDTF fund. Every decision on funding a project has to be relayed to regional centres and then to World Bank headquarters. Not surprising that it's been so slow to disburse money. The only developments in Juba at the moment seem to ones directly funded by the government of southern Sudan... that's if you exclude the extremely plush Joint Donor Office which the donors have built themselves... easily the most stylish construction in southern Sudan. Interesting priority.

If anyone has a photo of the Joint Donor Office, please email me, I'd like to share it here for posterity. Thanks.

Sudan names ex Darfur rebels in executive posts and parliament

In a new move towards the implementation of the Darfur Peace Agreement, the Sudanese president has named one former rebel as state minister and another one in a leading position in Darfur administration.

This move indicates a shift in the policy of the Sudanese government which delayed the implementation of the DPA saying the signatories factions have to wait that holdout rebel groups join the deal. - ST 5 Feb 2007.

Statement by AU Ceasefire Commission on killing of AMIS Civpol monitor

Reprint of 1 Feb 2007 AU press statement (via The DARFUR Blog):

AFRICAN UNION UNION AFRICAINE
UNIAO AFRICANA
Headquarters Ceasefire Commission African Union Mission in SudanEl-Fasher SudanFax: +249-731-831457, e-mail: aucfc2005@yahoo.com

Press Statement by the AU Ceasefire Commission on the killing of an AMIS Civpol monitor

The AU Ceasefire Commission is shocked by the news of the killing of an AMIS CIVPOL monitor who was shot dead today 1 February 2007 by unknown gunmen who snatched the AMIS vehicle in which the officer with two other colleagues were riding in.

The Ceasefire Commission condemns the shooting of the officer who was unarmed and performing his normal patrol duty in an IDP camp at the time.

It is to be recalled that on 10 December 2006 an AMIS military officer was abducted along with his vehicle by unknown persons and has not been found to date. Also, on 22 December 2006 and on 26 January 2007 AMIS vehicles were hijacked by unknown persons.

AMIS is calling on the perpetrators to desist from such ruthless acts and is strongly appealing to them to handover the officer unconditionally and return the vehicles they have snatched without further delay.

Once again the AU Ceasefire Commission would like to remind the perpetrators that AMIS is here to help Sudan make peace and is not part of the conflict in Darfur.

El Fasher, 1 February 2007

UN: Darfur using child soldiers

Child soldiers are increasingly being used in Darfur, says a United Nations official, even when their use is on the decline elsewhere in Sudan. - News24 (SA) 2 Feb 2007.
- - -

Reuters: SUDAN: Conscription of children, sexual abuse unabated in Darfur - UN envoy

Sudan Tribune: Sudan commits to reinforce child protection - excerpt:

Ms. Salah reiterated the commitment of UNICEF to supporting national authorities in addressing the protection and wellbeing of all children in Sudan, saying that "the children of this country dream of being free from a culture of war and fear and we are ready to walk hand-in-hand with the people of Sudan to achieve this goal."

For further information, please contact: Luca Solimeo, Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary General for Children and Armed Conflict – Cell (+249) 912 178 250

Laurence Gerard, Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary General for Children and Armed Conflict, New York. Phone: +1 212 963 0984 - gerardl@un.org - Website: www.un.org/children/conflict

Radhia Achouri Spokesperson United Nations Mission in Sudan – Khartoum Office: (+249) 187 086 029 - Cell: (+249) 912 392 270 - achouri@un.org

Scottish bagpipes greet Chinese president in Sudan

Photo: Sudan's presidential guard plays military anthems with bagpipes (a legacy of British colonial times) to greet visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao in Khartoum on Friday Feb 2 2007. Chinese President Hu Jintao urged his Sudanese counterpart Omar al-Bashir on Friday to work harder to bring more Darfur rebels into the peace process, a Sudanese official and the state-run SUNA news agency said. Hu raised the issue during a closed-door meeting during the Chinese leader's landmark visit, the first ever by a Chinese president to Sudan. (AP Photo / Alfred de Montesquiou)

Note, Wikipedia tells us:

"European militaries contributed to the development of Sudanese music by introducing new instruments and styles; military bands, especially the Scottish bagpipes, were renowned, and set traditional music to military march music.

In 1999, Sudan was one of the most ethnically and linguistically diverse countries in the world. It had nearly 600 ethnic groups speaking over 400 languages and dialects. "

Photo: Chinese President Hu Jintao (L) and his wife Liu Yongqing wave apon arrival at the airport in Douala, Cameroon, on 31 January 2007. (AFP/Xinhua)



Photo: Chinese President Hu Jintao (L) shakes hands with his Sudanese counterpart Omar al-Bashir. (AFP/Isam Al-Haj)



Photo: Chinese oil workers at a joint Chinese-Sudanese refinery greet China's President Hu Jintao on Friday in Aljaili on Friday Feb 2 2007. (AP Photo/Alfred de Montesquiou)



Photo: Sudan President Omar al-Beshir (L) shakes hands with United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon during the African Union summit on January 29. Ban has urged patience to end the bloodshed in Darfur and voiced hope that Sudan would keep a pledge to allow a joint African Union-United Nations force in the war-torn region. (AFP/File/Don Emmert)

Africa Bloggers Appreciation

See The Benin Epilogue Part I: Africa-Ready for Business: Africa Bloggers Appreciation.

CAR signs peace deal with rebels

Feb 3 2007 BBC report excerpt:

Central African Republic Justice Minister Paul Otto and the leader of the opposition Democratic Front, Abdoulaye Miskine, signed the peace accord in the Libyan town of Sert.

Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi and some diplomats were also present.

The opposition leader of the other main rebel movement, Abakar Sabon, is expected to sign this peace accord from his prison cell in the west African country of Benin, where he is currently being held, the BBC's Rana Jawad in Sert says.

This latest peace deal is seen as a significant step for the Central African Republic's national reconciliation process, but it remains to be seen whether it will be implemented on the ground, our correspondent says.

China, Sudan ink seven cooperation accords

President Omar al-Bashir and Chinese President Hu Jintao attended the signing of seven agreements between the two countries in the various fields of economic and technical cooperation at the Friendship Hall in Khartoum on Friday.

The two sides also signed agreement on implementation of two schools in the rural areas in Sudan and another one for establishment of a centre for agricultural technology. - ST



Photo: President Hu Jintao and his Sudanese counterpart, Omar Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir, inspect an honor guard at Khartoum airport yesterday. Hu pledged a new level of cooperation between China and Sudan at the start of the Chinese leader's two-day visit to the country.

Feb 3 2007 Shanghai Daily: Hu greets Sudan with aid, new deals

Feb 3 2007 Shanghai Daily: President Hu puts forward principle on Darfur issues

President Hu invites Sudan's Salva Kiir to visit China

The Chinese President Hu Jintao met Friday with the Sudanese First Vice president Salva Kiir at the Hilton Hotel in Khartoum. Hu Jintao at the end of the meeting invited Salva Kiir to visit Beijing to discuss who China can contribute to Southern Sudan development. - ST



Photo: Chinese president shakes hands with Sudanese FVP Kiir (Source: ST)

China's Hu pledges a new presidential palace to Sudan's Al-Bashir

Chinese President Hu Jintao pledged Friday to have a new presidential palace built for Sudan's President Omar al- Bashir as part of a series of economic deals.

These also include grants and loans for infrastructure projects including schools and roads for its main oil supplier. - DPA 2 Feb 2007.

Tutu dedicates Gandhi Prize in India to Darfur, Burmese leader

Archbishop Desmond Tutu has dedicated the receipt of India's highest international honour, the Gandhi Peace Prize, to "the people of South Africa, to the freedom of Darfur and to Aung Sans Suu Kyi", the Burmese leader held under house arrest. - Ecumenical News International 1 Feb 2007.

Gunmen kill AU peacekeeper in Darfur's Kassab refugee camp, N Darfur

Barbarians. AP report (via IHT) Feb 1, 2007 - excerpt:

Gunmen shot dead an African Union peacekeeper as he was driving through a Darfur refugee camp on Thursday, the peacekeeping force said in a statement.

"We deeply condemn this attack against our force, who came to protect the people of Darfur," AU spokesman Noureddine Mezni said.

In New York, the United Nations said it too condemned the attack and was "particularly alarmed at the fact that the killing happened inside an Internally Displaced People's camp."

The AU said unidentified gunmen ambushed three peacekeepers as they were patrolling in a car. The gunmen killed the one peacekeeper, a police officer of the unarmed Civpol unit, and hijacked the car.

The other two peacekeepers were not wounded, but the AU statement did not explain how they managed to escape injury.

The victim, whose name and nationality were withheld pending notification of his family, was the 11th peacekeeper to be killed in action since the AU force deployed in Darfur in June 2004.

Located next to the town of Kutum, Kassab lies in one of Darfur's most violent areas where rebels, soldiers and members of the pro-government janjaweed militia have clashed repeatedly in recent months.