UN Security Council Briefing on Peace and Security in Africa: Financing of AU-led peace support operations

THIS part of the below copied report sounds good, let's hope it becomes a reality in time to help Sudan where there is no time to waste: "in his remarks at the 36th AU Summit, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said that he “wholeheartedly support[s] the creation of a new generation of robust peace-enforcement missions and counter-terrorist operations, led by the African Union with a Security Council mandate under Chapter VII and with guaranteed, predictable funding, including through assessed contributions”. 

Report at What's In Blue

Dated Wednesday 24 May 2023 - full copy (SW Ed: beige highlight is mine):

Briefing on Peace and Security in Africa

Tomorrow morning (25 May), the Security Council will hold a briefing on peace and security in Africa. 

Switzerland, May’s Council President, is convening the meeting at the request of the A3 members (Gabon, Ghana, and Mozambique) to discuss the Secretary-General’s report on the financing of African Union (AU)-led peace support operations (AUPSOs), which was issued on 1 May. 

The expected briefers are Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo; AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security Bankole Adeoye; and Bitania Tadesse, Programme Director at Amani Africa, a think tank based in Addis Ababa that provides research and analysis on the work of the AU and its Peace and Security Council (AUPSC).

Tomorrow’s meeting builds on the momentum in the Security Council since July 2021 around the option of financing AUPSOs from UN assessed contributions. This has been a longstanding issue in the relationship between the UN and the AU in general, and between the UN Security Council and the AUPSC in particular, since 2007. 

Over the years, Council discussion on the issue has evolved, as Council members have increasingly acknowledged the AU’s proactive role on matters of peace and security in Africa, including its enhanced capacity to respond expeditiously to conflict and crises on the continent. 

Nonetheless, some Council members have strongly opposed adopting a product that would provide a clear commitment from the Council to finance AUPSOs from UN assessed contributions, as was the case with the draft resolution proposed in 2018 by then-Council members Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, and Equatorial Guinea. Among the complications that underlie AU access to UN assessed contributions are questions relating to the adherence of AUPSOs to accountability and compliance frameworks and to burden-sharing with the AU.

The year 2023 appears to be crucial for advancing the discussion on financing of AUPSOs. In a 12 May communiqué, the AUPSC requested the Security Council’s A3 members to “resume consultations with the relevant stakeholders towards the adoption of a UN Security Council resolution” on financing AUPSOs through UN assessed contributions. The US, which opposed the 2018 draft resolution, now appears more amenable to a serious discussion on the matter. (For more information, see our 26 April research report titled “the Financing of AU Peace Support Operations: Prospects for Progress in the Security Council?”.)

The Secretary-General’s 1 May report was submitted pursuant to a presidential statement (S/PRST/2022/6), adopted by the Security Council following a debate on peace and security in Africa held during China’s August 2022 Council presidency, which requested the Secretary-General to provide the Council, by 30 April 2023, a report on progress made by the UN and the AU to fulfil the commitments set out in resolution 2320 of 18 November 2016 on cooperation between the UN and regional and sub-regional organisations, and resolution 2378 of 20 September 2017 on peacekeeping reform. (For background, see our 30 August 2022 What’s in Blue story.)

At tomorrow’s meeting, DiCarlo is expected to brief on the main findings of the 1 May report, which builds on previous relevant reports submitted by the Secretary-General, particularly his May 2017 report on options for authorisation and support for AUPSOs. She might note that, in line with the commitments outlined in resolutions 2320 and 2378, there has been progress since 2017 in the development of the AU Compliance Framework (AUCF) for AUPSOs, which aims to ensure adherence to international human rights law, international humanitarian law, and UN conduct and discipline standards to prevent and combat impunity for sexual exploitation and abuse. DiCarlo may highlight the support provided by the UN and other partners—such as the EU—in developing the AUCF, while underscoring the need to achieve further progress for the AU to attain the highest standards of compliance.

The Secretary-General’s report also provides updates on progress in the operationalisation of the AU Peace Fund, established in 2002 to finance the AU’s peace and security activities, which by February 2023 had mobilised $337 million. 

Bankole may explain the AU’s recent decisions to provide support through the AU Peace Fund’s Crisis Reserve Facility (CRF) to the AU Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), which is facing a budget shortfall, and the East African Community Regional Force (EACRF), which has deployed in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). At a 12 May meeting, the AUPSC decided to increase the CRF’s ceiling from $5 million to $10 million to address pressing peace and security issues on the continent.

Bankole may highlight key aspects of the Consensus Paper on Predictable, Adequate, and Sustainable Financing for AU Peace and Security Activities, which was adopted by the 36th AU summit in February. 

The paper, among other things, expounded on the AU’s 2015 decision to finance 25 percent of its peace support operations budget. This decision created the impression that the organisation is committed to sharing the burden of future AUPSOs that will be mandated and authorised by the Security Council, under the assumption that these operations will be granted access to partial funding from UN assessed contributions. According to the paper, however, that amount represents 25 percent of the AU annual budget to support the organisation’s overall peace and security efforts in Africa, that include, but are not limited to, peace support operations. It seems that the Secretary-General’s report tried to avoid the issue of burden-sharing by arguing that “the option of using United Nations assessed contributions to finance, at least in part, the budget of an African Union managed mission is one that remains largely aspirational given the need for guidance from the General Assembly”.

In its August 2022 presidential statement, the Security Council also requested the Secretary-General to provide recommendations on the financing of AUPSOs that reflect good practices and lessons learned from past experiences. Tomorrow, DiCarlo may refer to the experience gleaned from support provided by the UN to the Group of Five for the Sahel (G5 Sahel) through the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA); the experience of the UN-AU Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) and the joint UN-AU review on this unique hybrid mission; and the case of the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), which transitioned into the AU Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) in 2022, as well as the UN’s provision of a logistical support package through the UN Support Office for AMISOM (UNSOA) that later transitioned into the UN Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS). DiCarlo may stress the need for the Security Council to take into account the challenges and achievements of these experiences in its future decisions on the financing of AUPSOs.

One of the contentious issues during past discussions on the financing of AUPSOs was the role of regional mechanisms and their eligibility for access to financing from UN assessed contributions. The AU Consensus Paper argues that regional mechanisms, which are viewed as the building blocks of the AU, should benefit from such arrangements as first responders to conflict and crises in their respective regions. 

This corresponds with the growing calls by African countries and regions for robust regional and international engagement to address the serious security threats posed by terrorists and other armed groups on the continent. In his remarks at the 36th AU Summit, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said that he “wholeheartedly support[s] the creation of a new generation of robust peace-enforcement missions and counter-terrorist operations, led by the African Union with a Security Council mandate under Chapter VII and with guaranteed, predictable funding, including through assessed contributions”. This is particularly relevant to the West Africa and Sahel region, which has been facing serious security challenges.

In his 1 May report, the Secretary-General presented a refined version of the joint planning and mandating process for authorising AUPSOs, which was originally outlined in his May 2017 report. This process now involves not only the AU but also the regional mechanisms, based on the recognition that some regional forces later transition into an AUPSO and then into a UN peacekeeping operation. The refined process, therefore, intends to give regional mechanisms an entry point in case they eventually seek UN financing when they decide to deploy a force, which means that they will have to notify the Security Council in advance and involve the UN in the planning process from the outset.

The Secretary-General has already outlined in 2017 various options for the financing of AUPSOs, which include a subvention in exceptional emergency situations, joint financing of a jointly developed budget, establishment of a UN support office, or joint financing of a hybrid mission. 

As stated in the AU Consensus Paper and the Secretary-General’s 1 May report, both the AU and the UN are of the view that two of these options—hybrid missions and a UN support office—are more feasible and provide predictable and sustainable financing for AUPSOs. 

Lessons learned from the experience of UNAMID indicate that hybrid missions require an alignment of political engagement and a budget that covers the mission’s entire financial requirements. 

Therefore, the Secretary-General’s report seems to lean towards the UN support office option, which is considered flexible and practical in tailoring support to AUPSOs in accordance with specific needs and circumstances, while emphasising that this option should be implemented as part of a coherent political strategy.

View original: https://www.securitycouncilreport.org/whatsinblue/2023/05/briefing-peace-and-security-in-africa.php

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UNMISS chief Haysom warns against losing sight of South Sudan peace process amid Sudan crisis

Report at Toronto City News online
By Deng Machol, The Associated Press
Dated Wednesday 24 May 2023 - full copy:

UN warns against losing sight of South Sudan peace process amid Sudan crisis

JUBA, South Sudan (AP) — The United Nations Mission in South Sudan has warned the country’s leaders not to lose sight of the pending implementation of the peace deal that could “make or break” the country” amid the ongoing crisis in neighboring Sudan.

The head of UNMISS, Nicholas Haysom, on Wednesday said even though South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir was mediating in the Sudan crisis, he should also focus on the peace deal in his own country.

“This is not the time to take our eyes off the ball,” Haysom said. “What we can learn from Sudan is how quickly matters can unravel if neglected.”

Local media had reported that there were concerns that the conflict in Sudan was undermining the peace process in South Sudan, with Kiir now focused on mediation as opposed to implementing the peace deal.

South Sudan’s civil war started in 2013 and ended in a peace deal in 2018 leaving nearly 400,000 people dead and more than four million others displaced.

Sudan is a guarantor of the South Sudan peace process.

The UNMISS head said there was no room for inaction. 

“We still see 2023 as a ‘make or break’ year for this nation, if it is to fully implement the peace agreement, which is to suggest that matters cannot be deferred to 2024,” Haysom said.

Under the political roadmap extended in August 2022, the parties agreed to hold elections in December 2024.

But the government has yet to reconstitute the constitution making process, pass electoral legislation or establish the necessary institutions and structures.

“The constitution-making process is, in our estimate, 10 months behind schedule, elections planning is eight months behind schedule, and several aspects of the transitional security arrangements are simply hanging,” said Haysom.

He added that several aspects of the transitional security arrangements remained incomplete.

According to the senior UN official, time is running out to prepare for credible elections. He added that the issue of a conducive political and civic space remains a challenge.

“You cannot really have a viable free, fair, and credible election or a free, fair, and viable constitution-making process, if people cannot talk to each other, if there is no freedom of expression, and if there is not a sort of robust dialogue between South Sudanese themselves,” Haysom unveiled.

But Haysom says they are also encouraging all those involved to address the issue of creating a free environment in which this election can take place.

“There is still some way to go. We are certainly committed to helping South Sudan meet the conditions that are required,” he said.

South Sudan’s political process remains fragile with the president and his former rival turned Vice-President Riek Machar unable to agree on issues, most recently the president’s dismissal of Machar’s wife from the defense ministry.

View original: https://toronto.citynews.ca/2023/05/24/un-warns-against-losing-sight-of-south-sudan-peace-process-amid-sudan-crisis/

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Sudan crisis: Zalingei, Central Darfur no telecoms. Heavy fighting by SAF and RSF in El Fasher, N. Darfur

In depth report from #Zalingei, #Darfur. Main points: Zalingei is cut off from phone/internet. #RSF-backed militias attacked on 17 May, targeting SAF base, govt/NGO facilities, banks and homes, people fleeing from west to east Zalingei to escape conflict+ pic.twitter.com/DQQYacG3Gv

— Eddie Thomas (@eddiethomas88) May 24, 2023

Zalingei witnessed RSF/SAF battles on 15 April, 23 killed, 80 wounded, widespread looting, before local leaders organized a truce. But on 22 May, Zalingei Resistace Committee reported that RSF-backed militias attacked on 400 motorbikes and looted, burned hospital 

banks and govt offices. Motorbikes were banned before, because militias use them to loot and terrorize, but now they're back and people fear a collapse - like what's happening in #Geneina, W Darfur 

Central Darfur was at the heart of the 2003/04 Darfur war, has 400,000 #displaced in 36 camps. But civil politics go on - conflicts are controlled by political/security class, and local people don't engage in 'ethnic' conflict. Few have joined RSF or SAF 

giving cause for hope that the breakdown in Geneina - pitting RSF-backed militias against displaced people in bitter battles over land under threat from climate catastrophe - won't happen in Zalingei 

But #agriculture is at risk: rainy season begins in June, farmers get no harvest finance, they must sell crops or trade just now to finance harvest, but looting/slump means that they will struggle to bear harvest costs, threatening famine 

Zalingei people caught outside Khartoum are beside themselves with worry. 

View original: https://twitter.com/eddiethomas88/status/1661393236504485891

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Thank you @eddiethomas88 for the translation. https://t.co/mj9zNlEMeH

— Béera (@beeradikko) May 24, 2023

_____________________________

Report at Radio Dabanga

Dated Wednesday 24 May 2023 - excerpt:

Humanitarian crisis in Darfur increases as attacks rattle Zalingei

Zalingei, capital of Central Darfur, witnessed various attacks in the past days, the Darfur Bar Association (DBA) reported. In the South Darfur capital Nyala, fighting left multiple dead. Several bodies were found in the market. Communication breakdowns limit access to detailed information.

The DBA said in a statement yesterday that Zalingei witnessed attacks during the past few days, and that no detailed information was available due to the weak communication services.

Sources from the area reported that “armed men” launched attacks on Zalingei on Tuesday, resulting in four deaths and the abduction of four others. The situation seems to have calmed for now, but the aftermath is dire.

Inside the city, families are facing a catastrophic situation, with severe shortages of food and medicine.

Homes, offices, and the University of Zalingei have been looted. The Zalingei Teaching Hospital is said to be out of service.

Yesterday, members of resistance committees in Zalingei reported that paramilitaries of the RSF surrounded the city, raising fears of imminent attacks.

Violence in Nyala

The DBA reported that in Nyala, South Darfur, multiple bodies were found in the market, presumably caught in the crossfire last week. Authorities are working to identify the deceased and inform their relatives.

Vandalism have ravaged vital infrastructure, including that of telecommunications provider Sudatel. This severed crucial connections between institutions and banks in Darfur and Chad.

Yesterday, Radio Dabanga reported heavy gunfire and shelling in El Fasher, capital of North Darfur, in battles between the army and the RSF.

Full story: https://www.dabangasudan.org/en/all-news/article/humanitarian-crisis-in-darfur-increases-as-attacks-rattle-zalingei

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Sudan ceasefire: SAF and RSF claim violations

Cartoon by Omar Defallah (Radio Dabanga) 

Report at Radio Dabanga

Dated Wednesday 24 May 2023 - excerpt:

Sudan ceasefire: SAF and RSF swap accusations of violations

The army says that it “has notified the sides that have mediated the agreement that the rebel militia has not responded to any of the demands of the ceasefire”.

According to the office of the spokesperson of the SAF, the RSF occupied the currency printing press and currency mint on Tuesday.

The army claims that “out of its national and constitutional responsibility,” it “intervened to repel those continuing violations and expelled the enemy from the currency printing press and currency mint. The armed forces also fought enemy attacks in El Geneina and Zalingei on Wednesday and inflicted heavy losses in troops, weapons, and equipment.”

Full story: https://www.dabangasudan.org/en/all-news/article/sudan-ceasefire-saf-and-rsf-swap-accusations-of-violations

Sudan crisis: Egypt’s Shoukry meets with UN’s Griffith

Report at Ahram Online 

Dated Wednesday 24 May 2023 - full copy:

Egypt’s FM heads to Geneva for consultation over Sudan, Syria

Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry is heading to Geneva, Switzerland, to consult with several international organizations on bilateral cooperation and regional issues, read an official statement on Wednesday.

Shoukry is set to meet with UN Deputy Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffith, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, as well as Amy Pope, the new director-general of the International Organization for Migration, the statement added.

Discussions will address ways to enhance cooperation on pressing regional and international issues.

The agenda of Shoukry's meetings will encompass the Sudanese crisis and its repercussions, and means of providing urgent humanitarian support to the Sudanese people.

Shoukry will also meet with UN Special Envoy to Syria Geir Pedersen to coordinate on the Syrian crisis. 

“Discussions are meant to boost international endeavours to end the crisis and alleviate the suffering of the Syrian people," the statement noted.

Original: https://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/1234/501540/Egypt/Foreign-Affairs/Egypt’s-FM-heads-to-Geneva-for-consultation-over-S.aspx

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Sudan crisis: Sudanese singer Shaden Gardood killed

Report at BBC News

By Zeinab Mohammed Salih in Khartoum, Sudan

Dated 13 May 2023 - full copy:

Sudan crisis: Sudanese singer Shaden Gardood killed in crossfire

IMAGE SOURCE, SHADEN GARDOOD/FACEBOOK

One of Sudan's most prominent singers, Shaden Gardood, has been killed in crossfire in the Sudanese city of Omdurman.

Gardood died amid clashes between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on Friday.

The 37-year-old's death came only one day after the warring parties signed a deal to alleviate civilian suffering.

Fighting erupted in Sudan in April over a vicious power struggle within the country's military leadership.

Gardood lived in the al-Hashmab neighbourhood, where RSF presence has increased in recent days.

Her niece, Heraa Hassan Mohammed, confirmed her death on Facebook and said: "She was like a mother and a beloved to me, we were just chatting, may God give her mercy."

She then wrote the Islamic phrase used when a person dies: "inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un".

In a video which circulated on social media, Gardood said she was trying to hide from the shelling and asked her son to close the windows.

She could be heard saying: "Go away from the doors and the windows… in the name of Allah, we are going to die ready wearing our full clothes... you should wear this, we will die in a better shape."

Gardood regularly made live videos on Facebook talking about the clashes and shelling in her neighbourhood, and she wrote intensively against the war.

In one of her last posts on Facebook, she said: "We have been trapped in our houses for 25 days… we are hungry and living in an enormous fear, but are full of ethics and values," referring to looting across Khartoum, the capital of Sudan.

IMAGE SOURCE, SHADEN GARDOOD/FACEBOOK

Image caption, Shaden Gardood was a prominent singer in Sudan

Gardood lived near the national television and radio building, which has been a battlefield from the first day of the war.

The RSF was guarding the building and they came under constant shelling by fighter jets, with on-the-ground clashes between the two forces.

One resident living in the same neighbourhood as Gardood said: "Last night, the clashes were violent and intense, which lasted for long hours with fighter jets hovering over all night last night.

"But what I observed is that the clashes were a bit less immediately after Shaden was injured, then we continued to hear the sound from afar."

The resident said that Gardood later died of her wounds.

Gardood is survived by her 15-year-old son, Hamoudy, and her mother and sister.

The fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF has been taking place in Khartoum for almost four weeks.

The conflict erupted in mid-April, when the RSF refused to be integrated into Sudan's army under a planned transition to civilian rule.

More than 600 civilians have died and more than 4,000 injured, closing down about 80% of the hospitals with severe food, water and electricity shortages

Gardood was originally from South Kordofan state, a war zone area since 2011, before she resided in Khartoum with her family.

She sang for peace and security in her region and promoted the culture of her marginalised community, al-Bagara, in South Kordofan, playing the role of Hakama - traditional poets in western Sudan who encourage men to go for fighting - for peace.

As well as being a singer, Gardood was a researcher in the al-Bagara Melodies and presented papers on the legacy of the Hakamas in the past and present.

A number of public figures were killed in Khartoum in the past few weeks, among them Sudan's first professional actress, Asia Abdelmajid, who died in crossfire at the age of 80.

Former footballer Fozi el-Mardi, 72, was also killed only a few days after the death of his daughter who was killed in a crossfire in Omdurman.

Four days after the start of the war, constant ceasefires were announced under the request of regional powers, but none were upheld.

The clashes have not stopped as the fighter jets continue hovering over the entire city.

View original: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-65585746

Condolences. God bless. Rest in Peace. + + +

US Secretary Blinken's video message for the people of Sudan: Civilians must define Sudan’s path forward

NOTE from Sudan Watch Ed: In the following video, transcript and report featuring a message for the people of Sudan from US Secretary of State Mr Antony Blinken, I hope he's saying what I think and hope he's saying. 

Maybe I'm wrong but this idea kept going through my mind over past 2 weeks: why don’t Sudanese civilians in Resistance and Neighbourhood Committees go ahead and start forming a civilian-led government for Sudan.

Or maybe I’m overtired and reading too much into the message from Secretary Blinken or it’s just wishful thinking on my part. Whatever, his message clearly says: "civilians must define Sudan’s path forward".  

Surely if Sudanese civilians form a government now, they'll be ready soon. Here is the video of Mr Blinken's message for the people of Sudan plus a transcript I made, and a report at Radio Dabanga (beige highlight is mine).

Note, Mr Blinken says ceasefire will be backed by a remote monitoring mechanism. Perhaps it's satellite technology to monitor 24/7 and prove to a court, such as the International Criminal Court, who did what, where, when.

People across the world will support the Sudanese civilians endeavour. No doubt if they convey what they need via social media and mainstream news reports, it will be given. God bless Sudan and South Sudan.

Transcript of video message for the people of Sudan from US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken dated Tuesday 23 May 2023:

"This message is for the people of Sudan. 

The violence committed by the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces over the past month has been tragic; senseless, and devastating. The whole world has been united in calling for an end to this conflict and insisting on a negotiated solution. 

The seven-day ceasefire that goes into effect today is designed to allow for the delivery of humanitarian assistance and repair of essential services and infrastructure. Agreement by the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces to this short-term ceasefire agreement was the result of intensive diplomacy and the close partnership of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States. 

It will be backed by a remote monitoring mechanism supported by the United States. If the ceasefire is violated, we’ll know. And we will hold violators accountable through our sanctions and other tools at our disposal. 

We facilitated this ceasefire but it’s the responsibility of the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces to implement it. The Jeddah talks have had a narrow focus - ending violence and bringing assistance to the Sudanese people. A permanent resolution of this conflict will require  much more. 

I want to be clear that Sudans civilians must be the ones to define Sudan’s path going forward. You should lead a political process to restore Sudan’s democratic transition and form a civilian government. 

Sudan’s political future belongs to you the people of your great great nation. Your military should withdraw from governance and focus on defending the national from external threats. 

The Unites States of America supports a democratic government that represents the full diversity of the Sudanese people, including populations from the periphery who have long been marginalised and women whose voices have long been ignored.

Only a civilian government can succeed in delivering stability and security, and fulfilling your aspirations for freedom, for peace, for justice. 

We have always been a partner to the people of Sudan as you bravely resisted military dictatorship and demanded civilian rule and you can count on us to remain by your side until you achieve this goal."

Source: https://youtu.be/6HgWvUzYGQA

Description posted at the video:

May 23, 2023  #StateDepartment #DepartmentofState #Diplomacy

Secretary Blinken's video message to the Sudanese people.

Under the leadership of the President and Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State leads America’s foreign policy through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance by advancing the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity. On behalf of the American people we promote and demonstrate democratic values and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world.

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Report at Radio Dabanga -dabangasudan.org

Dated Tuesday 23 May 2023 - full copy:

SA Secretary Blinken: ‘Civilians must define Sudan’s path forward’

US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken (Photo: US Gov) 

Secretary Blinken's video message to the Sudanese people

(WASHINGTON) -  US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, has encouraged the warring Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to abide by the seven-day humanitarian ceasefire that took effect last night. In a video message to the people of Sudan, he highlights that Sudan’s civilian population must define the way forward.

The USA is a co-broker with Saudi Arabia of the Jeddah talks that led to the short-term ceasefire agreement on Saturday. In light of frequent violations of previous truces by both sides, Blinken reminds parties that the agreement includes monitoring by a remote US-Saudi-international monitoring mechanism. “If the ceasefire is violated, we’ll know. And we will hold violators accountable through our sanctions and other tools at our disposal,” Blinken warns.

In his video message, Secretary Blinken notes that “the violence committed by the SAF and RSF over the past month has been tragic, senseless, and devastating. The whole world has been united in calling for an end to this conflict and insisting on a negotiated solution.

‘If the ceasefire is violated, we’ll know. And we will hold violators accountable…’

He explains that the seven-day ceasefire is designed to allow for the delivery of humanitarian assistance and repair of essential services and infrastructure. Blinken highlights that the agreement by the SAF and the RSF to this short-term ceasefire was the result of intensive diplomacy and the close partnership of USA and Saudi Arabia.

“We facilitated this ceasefire but it’s the responsibility of the SAF and RSF to implement it,” he says. “The Jeddah talks have had a narrow focus – ending violence and bringing assistance to the Sudanese people. A permanent resolution of this conflict will require much more.”

‘Sudan’s civilians must be the ones to define Sudan’s path going forward…’

Addressing the Sudanese public directly, Blinken emphasises: “I want to be clear that Sudan’s civilians must be the ones to define Sudan’s path going forward. You should lead a political process to restore Sudan’s democratic transition and form a civilian government.

‘Your military should withdraw from governance and focus on defending the nation from external threats…’

“Sudan’s political future belongs to you, the people of your great nation. Your military should withdraw from governance and focus on defending the nation from external threats. The USA supports a democratic government that represents the full diversity of the Sudanese people, including populations from the periphery who have long been marginalised and women whose voices have long been ignored.

“Only a civilian government can succeed in delivering stability and security, and fulfilling your aspirations for freedom, for peace, for justice. We have always been a partner to the people of Sudan as you bravely resisted military dictatorship and demanded civilian rule and you can count on us to remain by your side until you achieve this goal,” Blinken’s message concludes.

$245 million US aid

In a separate statement from Washington today, the US Dept of State says that last week, the USA announced $245 million in humanitarian assistance to Sudan and neighbouring countries countries experiencing the impacts of the ongoing humanitarian crisis. These funds include nearly $143 million from the Department of State’s Bureau for Population, Refugee and Migration and $103 million in additional humanitarian assistance from the US Agency for International Development’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance.

“With this funding, our humanitarian partners can respond to the new needs arising from the current conflict, which has displaced approximately 840,000 people within the country and forced another 250,000 to flee since April 15,” the US State Dept says.

According to the statement, this announcement brings total US humanitarian assistance for Sudan and neighbours Chad, Egypt, South Sudan, and the Central African Republic to nearly $880 million in the 2023 financial year.

Sanctions

On May 2, US President Joe Biden called the violence in Sudan a ‘tragedy’, and signed an executive order paving the way for the USA to impose sanctions on “certain persons destabilising Sudan and undermining the goal of democratic transition”. The order extends existing sanctions but does not impose any specific additional sanctions at this time.

In a statement following the signing, Biden called the current conflict in Sudan “a betrayal of the Sudanese people’s clear demand for civilian government and a transition to democracy.”

Biden’s order expands the scope of the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13067 of November 3, 1997 (blocking Sudanese government property and prohibiting transactions with Sudan), and expanded by Executive Order 13400 of April 26, 2006 (blocking property of persons in connection with the conflict in Sudan’s Darfur region), finding that “the situation in Sudan, including the military’s seizure of power in October 2021 and the outbreak of inter-service fighting in April 2023, constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the USA.”

View original: https://www.dabangasudan.org/en/all-news/article/sa-secretary-blinken-civilians-must-define-sudans-path-forward

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Tragedy in Sudan brings back old burial tradition

From Ahram Online english.ahram.org.eg

By Yasmine Farag

Dated Monday 22 May 2023 - full copy:

Tragedy in Sudan brings back old burial tradition

Ongoing violence in Sudan has revived an old burial tradition used before in times of crises, bringing with it bitterness and sorrow. 

A photo posted on social media of burying the two Egyptian doctors in their house s garden in Khartoum. 

Hundreds of civilians have been killed in the fighting that began on 15 April between the Sudanese army led by General Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti. 

Fearing for their lives and with a lack of access to cemeteries, some Sudanese have been forced to bury the dead inside their family homes, workplaces and other public spaces.

Sudanese journalist and political analyst Ammar Awad Al-Sharif told Ahram Online that this has its roots in the cultural traditions among the people of southern Sudan, specifically the Dinka tribes, who until recently buried their dead in their homes according to their beliefs about spirits and the afterlife.

This measure spread to the rest of Sudan after a devastating famine that struck in 1888/1889, known as "Year Six" in the country's history.

According to Al-Sharif, the famine was one of the worst in Sudan's history, and it was so severe that people were forced to bury their dead in their homes due to the sheer number of corpses and the extreme weakness and emaciation of the living, who were unable to carry their loved ones to burial grounds.

On 4 May, the well-known Sudanese actress, Asia Abd al-Majeed, was killed in a crossfire in northern Khartoum. Her family buried her in a kindergarten she had been working in recently, as transporting her body to the cemetery was deemed too risky. In the early days of the conflict, a student was killed at the University of Khartoum after being hit by a stray bullet. His colleagues were forced to bury him inside the campus also due to the ongoing clashes in the area surrounding the university.

On 6 May, two doctors, Egyptian anesthetist Dr. Magdolin Youssef Ghali and her sister, dentist Dr. Majda, were killed when their home was hit by shelling during fighting in Khartoum. Snipers on rooftops and ongoing shelling made it difficult to transport the bodies to the cemetery. So, the authorities allowed their burial in the home garden under medical supervision. A video of the burial of Dr. Magdolin in her home garden went viral on social media in Sudan, sparking outrage and demands to stop turning residential areas into battlegrounds.

According to reports, bodies littered the streets of Khartoum in the early days of the conflict. Some residents were unable to bury their relatives due to the impossibility of moving around the city. This has raised concerns about the risk of decomposing corpses in the open, which could become a health disaster.

Millions of Sudanese around the capital have since hidden in their homes with dwindling food, water and electricity. Even before the war, more than 15 million people faced severe food insecurity in Sudan, according to UN's World Food Programme.

The turmoil has seen hospitals shelled, humanitarian facilities looted and foreign aid groups forced to suspend most of their operations.

Burhan and Daglo seized power in a 2021 military takeover that derailed Sudan's transition to democracy, established after President Omar Bashir was ousted following mass protests in 2019. But the two generals later fell out, most recently over the planned integration of the RSF into the regular army.

View original: https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/501216.aspx

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Alert ICRC South Sudan: Torit prison inmates starving

Report from RadioTamazuj.org

Dated Wednesday 17 May 2023 - full copy:

Torit prison inmates starving

Inmates at the Torit Central Prison. (ICRC photo)

The Eastern Equatoria State government has said at least 646 inmates currently housed at the Torit Central Prison are starving as the state cannot feed them.

The revelation was made during an emergency meeting convened by the state government and attended by humanitarian partners on Tuesday to find ways of feeding the prisoners.

Oringa John Godfrey, the press secretary in the office of Governor Louis Lobong Lojore, said the prison used to receive food from the national government which stopped supplies without prior notice.

“It is very important to convene this meeting with humanitarian agencies on what they can do in terms of short and long-term plans. The short-term plan is how to supply food items to those in need in prisons because they are going hungry and I hear it is all over the country,” he said. “It is very hard for a government to work alone and that is why the emergency meeting was called so that we share how we can help. There are a lot of pledges that we have seen.”

According to Oringa, the state government is looking at long-term plans of giving the prisons seeds and tools so that prisoners can grow their food.

“There should also be vocational training to help them and many partners have pledged support,” he added.

The press secretary also said that the state is preparing to receive returnees from Sudan and that the state government and humanitarian partners will transport them to their places of origin when they arrive.

“Preparations have been put in place and the state government is trying to see if it can transport the returnees to their places of origin with the help of humanitarian agencies by delivering food items and non-food items so that they can reintegrate into their communities,” Oringa said.

Meanwhile, Okuma Augustine, the chairperson for the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC) in Eastern Equatoria State, confirmed the dire food situation of the prisoners in Torit.

“We decided that there must be immediate intervention through the provision of food to these people in prison and the humanitarian agencies said they will check with their head offices on how to help. We have 646 inmates,” he said. 

“Also, we have long-term interventions so that they (prisoners) can be productive for themselves, the state, and the nation.”

“There is going to be an assessment about skilling them to help later when they are out of the prison,” Okuma added.

View original: https://radiotamazuj.org/en/news/article/torit-prison-inmates-starving

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Undated audio message claiming to be Hemeti

This cartoon is a reply posted at this undated audio message on Hemeti's Twitter a/c. I've heard Hemeti's voice, it goes up and down and can sound feminine, immature, menacing in tone. This audio doesn't sound like him, too flat and monotone. Maybe he can't do video because he's hiding, injured, dead or has been disappeared. Here's a transcript, no mention of sacking.

Proof of life. A well-crafted message with something to please everyone: RSF is fighting extremists and terrorists; Burhan repeating the violence of the last regime; Hemedti trying to restore the transition to democracy; SAF disinformation is extending the war. Too bad its all💩. https://t.co/l51ZmlWT0R

— Cameron Hudson (@_hudsonc) May 22, 2023

Report at Eastern Herald
By Arab Desk
Dated Monday 22 May 2023 - full copy:

A New Audio Recording Of The Commander Of The Rapid Support Forces, Hamidti

Quick Support pages on Facebook and Twitter posted the audio message on Monday, but it was unclear when it was recorded.

And the voice recording from the Rapid Support Commander said:

Greetings to the Sudanese people, and we regret the state of the country in which you find yourself because of the two coups and the terrorists. Greetings to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States for their efforts on behalf of the Sudanese people, and thanks to brotherly and friendly countries for their solidarity with the Sudanese people. We congratulate Saudi Arabia on the success of the summit in Jeddah and we welcome the results of this summit. Greetings to all Arab politicians for their interest in Sudanese affairs. I pay tribute to brotherly African countries, the African Union and IGAD. We congratulate the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese people for the recent victories in Northern Bahri, the Air Defense Forces, the Chemical Forces and a number of other places. We command all our valiant forces to redouble their efforts to fight the outlaws, control security, and stop the gangs of looting and vandalism. We affirm our concern for the security of our country and our people, and that the current war has been imposed on us. We affirm that the leaders of the defunct extremist regime, together with the leaders of the coup, planned to block the way to democratic transformation. We affirm that the Rapid Support Forces have no enmity with the armed forces, and that the main problem is with those who took away the decision of the armed forces. Salutations to the political forces and national civil society organizations that condemned the coup. We call on the Sudanese people to unite, to renounce differences and not to respond to the calls of extremists and terrorists. We affirm RSF’s commitment to restoring democratic transition and ending the vicious circle that has destroyed Sudan. We condemn the bombardment of civilians, hospitals, factories and infrastructure with aircraft and heavy artillery, and we sympathize with the innocent lives we have lost. We call on the Sudanese people to pay heed to the remnants’ plans and disinformation campaigns that aim to widen the circle of war. We will not back down until the end of this putsch, the trial of all those who have committed crimes against the Sudanese people, and the return to the democratic path. We affirm our respect for all international laws relating to the protection of human rights, so we treat the prisoners of the putschists in a manner befitting humanity. We condemn the attack on the churches by the putschists and the attempt to trap the RSF. Total chaos is part of the plans for both coups, as evidenced by the release of prisoners from all prisons in Khartoum state, including leaders of the defunct regime.

View original: https://www.easternherald.com/2023/05/22/a-new-audio-recording-of-the-commander-of-the-rapid-support-forces-hamidti/