Tuesday, March 10, 2020

Sudan's PM Abdalla Hamdok says he survived ‘terror attack’ in Khartoum - “Professionally plotted” attack claimed by Sudanese Islamic Youth Movement

  • Convoy hit by gunfire near centre of capital.
  • PM Hamdok says he's in 'good shape'.
  • Abdalla Hamdok's motorcade was targeted by an explosion, claimed by Sudanese Islamic Youth Movement.
  • Three witnesses told Reuters the attack happened near the northern entrance to the Kober bridge, which crosses the Blue Nile from Khartoum North to the city centre, where Hamdok's office is located.
  • The convoy appeared to have been targeted from above, they said. State radio said it had been hit by gunfire and a projectile, while state television said it had been targeted by a car bomb.
  • Britain's ambassador to Sudan, Irfan Siddiq, called today's incident "a deeply worrying event (that) reaffirmed the fragile nature of this transition and the vital role being played by the PM".
  • After Monday's attack the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA), which spearheaded the anti-Bashir movement, called for further rallies to display unity and support for civilian rule. 
  • The protest movement that led the uprising against al-Bashir called the blast a “terrorist attack.” The statement by the Forces for the Declaration of Freedom and Change called on people to take to the streets to “show our unity and cohesion ... and protect the transitional authority.”
Read more in the following reports by Reuters, Daily Telegraph, Deutsche Welle, BBC, Associated Press - and tweets by PM Hamdok reassuring the world that he is in 'good shape' and back at his desk watching the news on TV. Note, the must-see disturbing film clip linked to in a postscript at the end of this post.

UPDATE 4-Sudan's PM survives assassination attempt in Khartoum
Report from Reuters by Khalid Abdelaziz (Additional reporting by Omar Fahmy in Cairo Writing by Aidan Lewis and Nadine Awadalla Editing by Mark Heinrich)
Dated Monday 09 March 2020

* Convoy hit by gunfire near centre of capital
* PM Hamdok says he's in 'good shape'
* Heads technocratic cabinet in fragile transition
* Military, civilians sharing power after Bashir ousted (Adds security council comment)

KHARTOUM, March 9 (Reuters) - Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok survived an assassination attempt targeting his convoy as he headed to work on Monday morning in the capital Khartoum, officials said.

Hamdok said he was in "good shape" and that what had happened would be "an additional push to the wheel of change in Sudan", where he heads a transitional government following the overthrow last year of long-time President Omar al-Bashir.

Hamdok's government is struggling to manage a severe economic crisis that triggered months of protests against Bashir and continued after his downfall in April.

Three witnesses told Reuters the attack happened near the northern entrance to the Kober bridge, which crosses the Blue Nile from Khartoum North to the city centre, where Hamdok's office is located.

The convoy appeared to have been targeted from above, they said. State radio said it had been hit by gunfire and a projectile, while state television said it had been targeted by a car bomb.

"I saw the moment of the explosion and the strike, and the strike came from a high building," one witness said.

Images broadcast on regional TV channels and social media showed a convoy including several damaged white SUVs and a badly damaged car.

Large crowds of onlookers gathered as police tried to secure the site. One member of Hamdok's entourage suffered light injuries, a government statement said.

An investigation was launched into who was behind the attack, said Information Minister Faisal Salih. 

 "Terrorist attempts and dismantling the old regime will be dealt with decisively. What happened not only targeted the prime minister himself but targeted the Sudanese revolution."

The Sudanese security council headed by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan condemned the attack and said it would seek the help of friendly countries to investigate it and bring suspects to justice, a statement said.

TENSE TRANSITION

Hamdok leads a government of technocrats under a power-sharing agreement between the military and civilian groups for a transitional period due to last until late 2022.

Relations between civilians and the military have been tense, and the government has encountered resistance as it tries to implement economic reforms.

Transitional authorities are also taking steps to disempower Bashir's supporters, including parts of the security services.

In mid-January, armed security agents linked to Bashir fought soldiers in Khartoum for several hours, after a dispute linked to severance packages.

Soon after Bashir's overthrow, authorities said they had thwarted several coup attempts by military officers.

"The attempted assassination of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok is the new episode in a series of coup plots against the revolution," Khalid Omer, a leading member of the civilian coalition that backed last year's uprising, said on Twitter.

Hamdok is an economist and former senior United Nations official who is well connected with the international community.

Britain's ambassador to Sudan, Irfan Siddiq, called Monday's incident "a deeply worrying event (that) reaffirmed the fragile nature of this transition and the vital role being played by the PM".

Thousands of anti-military protesters have held demonstrations in recent weeks to support Hamdok and his government.

After Monday's attack the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA), which spearheaded the anti-Bashir movement, called for further rallies to display unity and support for civilian rule. 

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Sudan's prime minister survives assassination attempt in Khartoum
Report from The Daily Telegraph.co.uk
AFRICA CORRESPONDENT
Dated Monday 09 March 2020 • 4:50pm

Sudan's prime minister survives assassination attempt in Khartoum
Abdalla Hamdok's motorcade was targeted by an explosion, claimed by Sudanese Islamic Youth Movement
Photo: Security measures are taken at the site after a roadside bomb explodes near Sudanese prime minister's convoy in Khartoum CREDIT: Mahmoud Hjaj/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Sudan’s reformist prime minister has pledged to press ahead with his country’s “democratic revolution” after narrowly surviving an assassination attempt on Monday.

A motorcade carrying Abdalla Hamdok was struck by an explosion and sustained gunfire as it approached Cooper Bridge in the capital Khartoum shortly after 9am, government officials said.

Mr Hamdok’s armoured vehicle was damaged in the attack but he himself escaped unharmed.

There were no reports of fatalities although a police outrider was wounded.

The assassination attempt, responsibility for which was claimed by a little-known group calling itself the “Sudanese Islamic Youth Movement”, will be seen as an attempt to thwart Mr Hamdok in his efforts to lead Sudan towards civilian democracy after decades of military dictatorship....

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Sudan's leader survives attempted assassination
Report from Deutsche Welle.com
By kmm/ng (Reuters,dpa,AP)
Dated Monday 09 March 2020

Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok was traveling in convoy through the capital of Khartoum when there was an explosion. Hamdok survived and was taken to a "safe place" but it isn't known who carried out the attack. 
Photo: Sudan's prime minister survived an attack on his convoy in the capital Khartoum on Monday morning, reported state news agency SUNA.

Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok was in "good health and in a safe place" following an explosion that targeted his convoy as he traveled to work.

No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.

Tweeting pictures of himself seated behind a large desk after the incident, Hamdok assured the Sudanese people that he is well and "completely healthy."

"What happened will not stop the path of change, it will be nothing but an additional push in the strong waves of the revolution," he said on Twitter.

What happened in the attack?
The attack targeted Hamdok's convoy on Monday morning in the northeast Kober district of the city. Sudan's information minister, Faisal Salih, said that the attack was carried out using both explosives and firearms.

Images on state television showed at least two damaged vehicles at the blast site that was cordoned off by police.

Salih, said: "Terrorist attempts and dismantling the old regime will be dealt with decisively," quoted Reuters news agency. A search is underway to find the attackers.

Hamdok has headed an interim military-civilian government after a huge pro-democracy movement swept the country, ousting longterm ruler Omar al-Bashir in April 2019. Hamdok's government is in charge over a three-year transition period, intended to pave the way for democratic elections.

 Watch video 02:22 Sudanese celebrate power-sharing agreement
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Sudan PM Abdalla Hamdok survives assassination attempt
Report from BBC News 
Dated Monday 09 March 2020
Photo: The area has been cordoned off by the police
Sudan's prime minister has survived an assassination attempt after his convoy was attacked in the capital, Khartoum. "I would ...Read more: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-51800278
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Sudan PM says he survived 'terror attack' in capital
By Samy Magdy, Associated Press (AP)
Dated Monday 09 March 2020 (7:23 a.m.) - excerpts:

The country’s top prosecutor, Taj al-Ser Ali al-Hebr, said in a statement that prosecutors have embarked on their investigation into the “professionally plotted” attack.

A statement from the prime minister's office said the attackers used explosives and firearms, and that a security officer was lightly wounded. The statement was read by Faisal Saleh, Sudan’s information minister and interim government spokesman. He said the convoy was hit near the Kober Bridge.

Footage posted online showed two white, Japanese-made SUVs typically used by Sudan’s top officials parked on a street, damaged with its widows broken. Another vehicle was badly damaged in the blast. Several dozen people were seen at the site of the attack, chanting: “With our blood and soul, we redeem you, Hamdok.”

The protest movement that led the uprising against al-Bashir called the blast a “terrorist attack.” The statement by the Forces for the Declaration of Freedom and Change called on people to take to the streets to “show our unity and cohesion ... and protect the transitional authority.”

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Photo: Sudanese policemen stand around vehicles that were part of Prime Mister Abdalla Hamdok's motorcade in Khartoum, Sudan. Credit: https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/w/sudans-pm-survives-assassination-attempt
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Agence France-Presse (AFP) Photo: KHARTOUM: Sudanese rescue teams and security forces gather next to damaged vehicles at the site of an assassination attempt against Sudan’s Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, who survived the attack with explosives unharmed, in the capital Khartoum yesterday. – AFP

POSTSCRIPT - IN HASTE - FROM SUDAN WATCH EDITOR
Last night, I spent 4+ hours following links and tweets leading to and from the following tweet. The tweet features a really disturbing film clip. In disbelief, I viewed the clip, plus a few lengthier versions, six times. Each time felt more scary than the last. The background music adds to the film's seriousness, intensity and creepiness. I am not sure what to make of it all, need more time to think. In my view, the film footage appears to be genuine. Here is the tweet linking to the must-see film clip (hat tip and thanks to Eric Reeves).
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Monday, March 09, 2020

Sudanese Pound hits record lows against world currencies - Committee to investigate El Fakhir

The rate of the Sudanese Pound (SDG) is trading at all-time lows on the streets of Khartoum. There is no end in sight for the ongoing economic malaise in the country – largely a legacy of the corruption and mismanagement by the deposed Al Bashir regime – that has led to unrelenting price hikes for consumer goods, and widespread shortages of bare essentials such as bread. Read more.

Sudanese Pound hits record lows against world currencies
Report from and by Radio Dabanga.org
Dated Thursday 27 February 2020
Photo: A man waits for his money at currency exchange brokerage in Khartoum (Photo: ASHRAF SHAZLY / AFP)

(KHARTOUM) - On Wednesday [Feb 26], traders in Khartoum were asking SDG 107 for one US Dollar (USD) the highest cost for the greenback to date. By comparison, today’s official daily middle US Dollar rate quoted by the Central Bank of Sudan (CBoS) is SDG 54.63.

According to dealers who spoke to Radio Dabanga, Pound Sterling (GBP) reached SDG 136.74 on the parallel market, while the price of the Euro reached SDG 114.48. Saudi Riyal (SAR) reached SDG 28.26 on, while the Emirati Dirham (AED) reached SDG 29.04, and the Qatari Riyal (QAR) trades for SDG 29.07.

The head of the Flour and Fuel Distribution Unit in South Darfur announced that the quantities of flour available in the state do not exceed 3,000 50 kg sacks, which is not enough for a day.

He attributed this to the departure of three of the five companies that supplied flour to the state.

In a meeting with the flour distribution mechanism on Tuesday, the acting governor of the state, Maj Gen Hashim Khaled, harshly criticised the mechanism for not notifying him earlier of the seriousness and exacerbation of the state’s bread flour crisis.

Rising commodity prices

Members of the Sudanese Professionals Association of the Ministry of Finance in Kassala accused the state government of causing the price of 50 kg bag of sugar to rise from SDG 1,850 ($33.86*) to SDG 3,100 ($56.74).

In a statement, she stated that the state’s Ministry of Finance has sold a large amount of subsidised sugar, estimated at 32,000 sacks to merchants, expecting increase in sugar prices due to this procedure and demanded the governor of the state to direct the return of the sugar sold to the merchants immediately so that it can go to the target citizen in the specified manner and the specified price, threatening to follow the legal means to return it.

They also demanded the formation of an investigation committee to find out those responsible administratively for this administrative corruption that occurred and hold them accountable immediately.

As reported by Radio Dabanga on February 13, Sudan’s Minister of Industry and Trade Madani Abbas, has apologised to the Sudanese people for the lack of a solution to the bread shortage. He affirmed the state’s commitment to continue subsidising bread until the end of the transitional period. The government currently subsidises a sack of flour by more than SDG 1,600 ($30).

Economists

In recent days, independent economic experts have cited the instability of the Dollar exchange rate and subsidies as major factors in Sudan’s economic crisis.

In an interview with Radio Dabanga, Professor Hamid Eltigani, economist and Head of the Department of Public Policy and Administration at the American University in Cairo.

He describes the economic situation as “dangerous”. He warns against “an explosion in the country” in case the economic crisis is not dealt with. He calls for a gradual lifting of subsidies on petrol and diesel, and normalisation of the exchange rate between the Sudanese Pound and the US Dollar.

In an interview with Radio Dabanga this week, former banker and civil society activist Hafiz Ismail, who is a leading member of the Sudanese panel of experts, says that “the current economic crisis is attributable to the lack of vision and the absence of an economic plan to manage the crisis”.

Ismail warns of economic collapse in the country due to the rapid deterioration in value of the Sudanese Pound “around the clock”. He expressed concern that the economic failure would “neutralise the public towards the government and increase the growing rejectionist trend“.

The analyst told Radio Dabanga that the Sudanese economy suffers from two distortions, namely commodity subsidy and multiple [Central Bank of Sudan, customs, and unofficial] exchange rates, and calls “for the development of policies to mitigate harm to the most affected groups through social security networks in preparation for the lifting of subsidies”.

In a separate interview with Radio Dabanga, Professor Hamid Eltigani, economist and Head of the Department of Public Policy and Administration at the American University in Cairo.

He describes the economic situation as “dangerous”. He warns against “an explosion in the country” in case the economic crisis is not dealt with. He calls for a gradual lifting of subsidies on petrol and diesel, and normalisation of the exchange rate between the Sudanese Pound and the US Dollar.

* USD 1 = SDG 54.63 at the time of publishing this article. As effective foreign exchange rates can vary in Sudan, Radio Dabanga bases all SDG currency conversions on the daily middle US Dollar rate quoted by the Central Bank of Sudan (CBoS).

NEWS HEADLINES

March 8 - 2020 KHARTOUM
Sudan: FFC, SSC and the cabinet working together to address the economic crisis
Further, the committee is authorised to form a fact-finding committee to investigate the El Fakhir company, which is reportedly monopolising the gold market in the country with large amounts of cash and the purchase of gold at unreasonable prices.

March 7 - 2020 KHARTOUM

March 7 - 2020 SIRBA

March 6 - 2020 KHARTOUM

March 6 - 2020 ZALINGEI / TURR

March 5 - 2020 KHARTOUM
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Sunday, March 08, 2020

Sudan: Economist: Plunging Sudanese Pound leading to economic collapse

A leading economic analyst has called for a programme to stabilise commodity prices and the US Dollar exchange rate in Sudan, warning of economic collapse and loss of public confidence in the transitional government. Read more.

Economist: Plunging Sudanese Pound leading to economic collapse
Report from Radio Dabanga.org
Dated Tuesday 25 February 2020

Former banker and civil society activist Hafiz Ismail, who is a leading member of the Sudanese panel of experts, says in a new interview with Radio Dabanga, that “the current economic crisis is attributable to the lack of vision and the absence of an economic plan to manage the crisis”.

Ismail warns of economic collapse in the country due to the rapid deterioration in value of the Sudanese Pound “around the clock”. He expressed concern that the economic failure would “neutralise the public towards the government and increase the growing rejectionist trend”.

The analyst told Radio Dabanga that the Sudanese economy suffers from two distortions, namely commodity subsidy and multiple [Central Bank of Sudan, customs, and unofficial] exchange rates, and calls “for the development of policies to mitigate harm to the most affected groups through social security networks in preparation for the lifting of subsidies”.

Ismail expressed concern that social security in Sudan is being obstructed by what he described “a corruption machine”, and stressed the need to start fighting corruption, while identifying clear mechanisms to implement the programme.

He calls for a unified currency exchange rate to curb the accelerating deterioration of the Pound. He called on the government to accelerate the changes of bank managements and the departments of Ministry of Finance at all levels, in addition to comprehensive tax reform to prevent tax evasion.

The former banker also stressed the need “to focus on investment in agriculture as a sustainable resource”, and “the need for the state to dominate the gold sector as a public resource, legalise prospecting, and allocate 50 per cent of production to the state with an appropriate proportion to be allocated to exploration areas”.

As reported by Radio Dabanga on February 9, Sudan’s Anti-Corruption Committee has dissolved the administrative board of the Central Bank of Sudan (CBoS) and 11 other banks and dismissed nine bank managers with alleged links to the deposed Al Bashir regime. The decision also dissolves nine administrative boards of directors of corporations, and removal of a number of directors of other institutions.

Sudan’s Anti-Corruption Committee (The Empowerment Elimination, Anti-Corruption, and Funds Recovery Committee) has issued a decision to form sub-committees in all states to be chaired by the governor of each state.

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Sudan: Bread subsidy to continue during the transition - 1 person killed by security forces in Kosti

BBC News report by Mary Harper,
Africa editor, BBC World Service
Dated Wednesday 12 February 2020
Sudan: Bread subsidy to continue

Sudan says it will continue to subsidise the price of bread during the transition period.

Trade Minister Madani Abbas Madani said the country had sufficient wheat reserves to last until May.

On Tuesday, there were large protests in the capital, Khartoum, and other towns against shortages of bread and fuel.

There are reports that one person was killed by the security forces in the town of Kosti.

Demonstrations in 2018 about the rising cost of bread and other essentials escalated into the mass political protests that led to the downfall of President Omar al-Bashir last April.

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Saturday, March 07, 2020

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.

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South Sudan: De Mabior, Shearer discuss South Sudan’s IDPs return to home areas

NOTE from Sudan Watch editor: Further below is a copy of three amusing comments posted at the following report, love their way with words! 

Note, South Sudan's Vice President Rebecca Nyandeng De Mabior is the widow of the late John Garang de Mabior, ex-rebel and short-lived president of South Sudan who was killed in a helicopter crash. It is good to see a woman helping to lead South Sudan. Ms Mabior is knowledgeable of Sudan's history. Read more about her at Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebecca_Nyandeng_De_Mabior

De Mabior, Shearer discuss South Sudan’s IDPs return to home areas
Report from and by Sudan Tribune.com
Dated Saturday 29 February 2020 

(JUBA) - South Sudanese Vice President Rebecca Nyandeng De Mabior and the head of the UN mission David Shearer discussed the situation of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the Protection of Civilians (POC) sites.

There are 188528 IDPs in the POCs including 115,479 in Bentiu, 27,924 in Malakal, 29,948 in Juba, 1,934 in Bor, and 13,243 in Wau according to a report released on 26 February.

The meeting discussed the return of the IPDs in the POCs across the country, said De Mabior told reporters according to a statement issued by the presidency.

They "agreed to speed up the process of the returned of the IDPs before the start of the rainy season," further said the statement.

For his part, Shearer indicated that the meeting also discussed the preparation to face the global coronavirus outbreak.

The international official further stressed the UN readiness to support the government efforts to return the displaced people to their areas of origin.

De Mabior who was nominated by the FDs group is the Vice President for Gender and Youth.

COMMENTS

29 FEBRUARY 10:04, BY jubaone 
Great, ensure that all jienge settlers, idlers, drifters and brigands in and
around Nimule get out and return to their ancestral lands. Feace has
come and visitation time is over. Our fellow Madis and Acholis want to
return to their places but still can’t do that as long as jienges are still
squatting and spreading filth in these areas. Peace4Land.

29 FEBRUARY 11:51, BY Eastern 
jubaone,
That’s an excellent advisory...Now that feace ’has come’, jenge from Bor,
Garang’s backyard, should think of home. The ir perennial fear of the
murle is misplaced.

FEBRUARY 11:51, BY Trouble 
Juba Kara, who r u crying to? And who will grant your request for Dinkas
to leave equatoria. Why don’t u equatoria try where’s your super powers
u claim just bark like dog. South Sudan is for all south Sudanese & any
one has right to live wherever they want stop this hate ya makako

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Friday, March 06, 2020

South Sudan: Machar 'feels like a prisoner' after deal - South Sudan split over who takes what ministry

Machar 'feels like a prisoner' after deal, says wife
Report from BBC News, Kampala
By Catherine Byaruhanga
Dated Wednesday 26 February 2020
Photo: President Salva Kiir (L) and his deputy Riek Machar have formed the unity government to end a long-running civil war

The wife of South Sudan’s newly sworn-in Vice-President Riek Machar says her husband feels "he is a prisoner".

Angelina Teny, who is herself a former government minister, told the BBC that restrictions put in place by the regional body, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (Igad), on her husband’s travel within and outside South Sudan were still in place.

The restrictions were intended to stop the fighting and get Mr Machar to negotiate a peace deal. They also restrained him from speaking to the public or media.

Igad's Special Envoy for South Sudan Ismail Wais said the restrictions elapsed when Mr Machar took up his new role in the new unity government [ https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-51562367 ] on Saturday.

But Ms Teny said Mr Machar's group had not received official communication to that effect. She said they were concerned that he could not fulfill his duties.

According to Ms Teny, her husband cannot freely travel around South Sudan and meet his supporters.

However, a spokesperson for President Salva Kiir denied the claim, adding that Mr Machar should hold the public meetings with the president as a show of unity.

View Original: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/c302m85q54lt/south-sudan
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South Sudan split over who takes what ministry
Report from The East African - www.theeastafrican.co.ke
By Fred Oluoch
Dated Sunday 01 March 2020

The formation of the transitional government in South Sudan could be unduly delayed following disagreements over portfolio balance between President Salva Kiir and first Vice President Riek Machar.

Meetings in Juba on February 27 could not reach a compromise after Dr Machar’s Sudanese People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) complained that President Kiir’s side has not only taken all the key ministries, but has been offering ministries to other signatories without consultations.

President Kiir’s side wants to retain the Finance, Petroleum, Defence and Interior, and Foreign Affairs dockets.

James Oryema, the SPLM-IO representative in Kenya said that his movement is going to hold on to their position and that the formation of the transitional government of national unity (TGoNU) could take some time if the other side remains intransigence.

“We are demanding that four ministries be divided into two while claiming the Petroleum and Interior dockets then we can select the rest of the remaining seven ministries. These were the ministries we had in 2016,” said Mr Oryema.

According to the September 2018 agreement, the country is supposed to have 35 Cabinet ministers, with President Kiir’s SPLM in government getting 20 ministries, SPLM-IO nine ministries; South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) three; and Former Detainees two and Other Political Parties one ministry each.

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Thursday, March 05, 2020

South Sudan Trust is hoping to reverse the extinction of the Northern White Rhino

Bold expedition to find 'extinct' Northern White Rhino in war-ravaged South Sudan
Report from The Daily Mirror - www.mirror.co.uk
Dated 25 February 2020, 22:26

South Sudan Trust is hoping to reverse the extinction of the Northern White Rhino. 

 Locals have reported sightings and believe the 'biologically extinct' species could exist in the country. A one-hour BBC special, The Last Unicorn, will track the bold search

The BBC is hoping to find the “extinct” Northern White Rhino with a bold ­expedition to war-ravaged South Sudan in Africa.

Locals have reported sightings and believe the “biologically extinct” species could exist in the country.

The civil conflict has made it too dangerous to film there for years and the Northern White was declared extinct in 2018 when the last male died.

Only two females remain – both are too old to reproduce – and they live under armed protection in Kenya.

Doug Hope, executive producer for the BBC’s Natural History Unit, said: “It is a long shot, but there are rumours of them out there, and in a place that is so remote, so unexplored.
Photo: These are the last remaining female Northern White Rhinos - Najin and Fatou (Image: BBC)

“From what our sources are telling us, it remains prime rhino habitat, so surely there is still a chance? And until this search is carried out we can’t close the book on the Northern White Rhino.”

A one-hour special, The Last Unicorn, will track the journey of Paul Naden, of charity Saving the Survivors, cameraman Vianet Djenguet, vet Johan Marais and high security expert Aldo Kane.

BBC2 boss Patrick Holland said: “Natural World has always covered the most urgent stories in conservation and this project could not be more timely.”
Photo: Vianet with the last white rhinos (Image: BBC)

Hundreds of thousands of people were killed and millions displaced in South Sudan’s civil war, which began in 2013 and was declared ended this month.

Once classified as the most dangerous place on the planet, the country has no permanent roads, electricity, phone networks or internet.

Scientists are planning to flood the black market with fake rhino horns in an attempt to thwart poachers.
Photo: Sudan, the legendary male Northern White Rhino who died (Image: SWNS.com)

A timeline of decline
1907 The Northern White is officially identified as a distinct species of rhino.
1960 Estimated numbers of over 2,000 in the wild made them more abundant than the Southern White Rhino.
1970 The numbers of Northern White Rhinos have halved in the past decade and are declining at an alarming rate.
1975 The continued decline in the species sees a Czech zoo import five as a precautionary measure.
1981 The Northern White rhino is declared critically endangered.
1984 It is reported that only 15 known Northern White rhinos are left in the wild. This number rises to 31 but poaching continues to thwart conservation efforts.
2008 The last official sighting of the Northern White Rhino in the wild with just six remaining in zoos.
2009 Four rhinos are shipped from the Czech zoo to Ol Pejeta in Kenya where it is hoped their natural environment will encourage them to breed.
2015 With the remaining rhinos in zoos dying, only three remain in Kenya.
2018 The last male Northern White dies, with only two infertile females remaining. The species is declared functionally extinct.

To view a video click here: https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/bold-expedition-find-extinct-northern-21576298 

View Original: https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/bold-expedition-find-extinct-northern-21576298
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South Sudan: Desert locusts reported in South Sudan



Getty Images
Desert locusts (Schistocerca gregaria) live in dry grasslands and deserts

Desert locusts reported in South Sudan
Catherine Byaruhanga
BBC News, Kampala
Dated 18 February 2020

The UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation in South Sudan has confirmed the first detection of desert locusts in the country since the latest upsurge in East Africa.

The swarm was sighted in Magwi County, in the south-east of the country, and is believed to have flown in from northern Uganda.


Source BBC South Sudan topics: 
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