Algeria becomes the second Arab nation to declare official support for Palestine and to confront Israel

NOTE from Sudan Watch Editor: While searching the internet for the latest news on Sudan and South Sudan, I saw this news report and thought it best to post it here for future reference. Some say Sudan is, or will be, part of a coalition of countries led by Iran intent on annihilating Israel. I am doing my best not to post inflammatory news here. No doubt, the horrors and humanitarian catastrophe in Israel and Palestine will adversely affect the people of Sudan and South Sudan, the delivery of enough aid, and set back progress and hopes for long awaited peace, development and prosperity.

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Algerian parliament authorizes President Tebboune to support Gaza amid Israeli assaults

Report at Al Bawaba 'The Hub of Middle East Content'

By Mansour Al-Maswari

Dated Thursday, 2 November 2023; 07:50 GMT - here is a copy in full:

Demonstrators march with signs in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza during a rally in Algiers on October 19, 2023. AFP

Highlights

Algeria becomes the second Arab nation to declare official support for Palestine and to confront Israel.

(ALBAWABA) - In a significant move, the Algerian Parliament has officially authorized President Abdelmadjid Tebboune to enter the conflict in support of Gaza, with a unanimous vote of 100/100. 

This decision comes in response to the escalating Israeli massacres against the Palestinian population in the besieged Gaza Strip.

Algeria becomes the second Arab nation to declare official support for Palestine and to confront Israel. 

View original: https://www.albawaba.com/news/algerian-parliament-authorizes-president-tebboune-support-gaza-amid-israeli-assaults-1540187

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POSTSCRIPT from Sudan Watch Editor

Algeria is the largest country in Africa and the 10th largest in the world, it is a predominantly Muslim country of North Africa. Here are snippets from Encyclopaedia Britannica, maps of Africa, Algeria; recent news reports.

Map of Africa (Courtesy: Encyclopaedia Britannica)

Algeria

By The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Oct 31, 2023 - excerpts:

Algeria, large, predominantly Muslim country of North Africa. From the Mediterranean coast, along which most of its people live, Algeria extends southward deep into the heart of the Sahara, a forbidding desert where Earth’s hottest surface temperatures have been recorded and which constitutes more than four-fifths of the country’s area. The Sahara and its extreme climate dominate the country. The contemporary Algerian novelist Assia Djebar has highlighted the environs, calling her country “a dream of sand.”

The capital is Algiers, a crowded bustling seaside metropolis whose historic core, or medina, is ringed by tall skyscrapers and apartment blocks. Algeria’s second city is Oran, a port on the Mediterranean Sea near the border with Morocco. Less hectic than Algiers, Oran has emerged as an important centre of music, art, and education.

Map of Algeria (Courtesy: Encyclopaedia Britannica)

Land

Algeria is bounded to the east by Tunisia and Libya; to the south by Niger, Mali, and Mauritania; to the west by Morocco and Western Sahara (which has been virtually incorporated by the former); and to the north by the Mediterranean Sea. It is a vast country—the largest in Africa and the 10th largest in the world—that may be divided into two distinct geographic regions. The northernmost, generally known as the Tell, is subject to the moderating influences of the Mediterranean and consists largely of the Atlas Mountains, which separate the coastal plains from the second region in the south. This southern region, almost entirely desert, forms the majority of the country’s territory and is situated in the western portion of the Sahara, which stretches across North Africa.

Capital: Algiers

Population: (2023 est.) 46,116,000

Form Of Government: multiparty republic with two legislative houses (Council of the Nation [144¹]; National People’s Assembly [462])

Head Of State And Government: President: Abdelmadjid Tebboune, assisted by Prime Minister: Ayman Benabderrahmane

Official Languages: Arabic; Amazigh

Recent News

Oct. 26, 2023, 11:07 AM ET (Yahoo News)

Hamas-Israel conflict: Algeria offers to host Palestine's football matches – the bigger history

Oct. 10, 2023, 12:06 PM ET (AP)

Algeria forces Francophone schools to adopt Arabic curriculum but says all languages are welcome

View original: https://www.britannica.com/place/Algeria

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Related News

Algeria Intensifies Efforts to Stop the Fighting in Sudan

Echoroukonline report by Dalila Henache

Dated 30 October 2023 - excerpts:

Algeria is ready to intensify efforts with regional and international partners to stop the fighting between Sudanese parties, taking into account the supreme interest of their country and establishing a new era that meets the ambitions and aspirations of the Sudanese people, President of the National People’s Assembly, Ibrahim Boghali, announced.

During his meeting, on Monday, with the Ambassador of the Republic of Sudan to Algeria, Nadia Mohamed Khair Othman, to review bilateral relations and ways to raise them to the level of the aspirations of the two peoples, Boughali explained, in this regard, “the keenness of the President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, to resolve crises by giving priority to the language of dialogue and refusing to resort to force and foreign interventions,” according to a statement by the NPA’s Council.

Full story: https://www.echoroukonline.com/algeria-intensifies-efforts-to-stop-the-fighting-in-sudan

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Five new realities after four weeks of Israel-Gaza war

BBC News report by Jeremy Bowen, International editor, in southern Israel

Dated Friday, 3 November 2023 - excerpts:

One of the first things to understand about the reportage, analysis and commentary that has poured out since the Hamas attacks of 7 October is that no-one has the full story. Not only is it, as ever, hard to penetrate the fog of war to work out what is happening on the battlefield. The new shape of the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians has not yet emerged.

Events are still moving fast. Fears that the war could spread are very real. New realities in the Middle East are out there somewhere, but their shape and the way that they will work depend on the way this war goes for the rest of the year, and probably beyond.

Full story: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-67306902

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UPDATES - Sat 4 Nov 2023 14:08 GMT; 15:14 GMT:

UK Urges Iran to Use Influence to Prevent Escalation of Israel-Hamas Conflict

Report at Asharq Al-Awsat English by Rabi’ Al-Thani

Dated Saturday, 4 November 2023 - excerpts:

British foreign minister James Cleverly has urged Iran to use its influence with groups in the Middle East region to prevent an escalation of Israel's conflict with Hamas. 

Britain's Foreign Office said Cleverly spoke to Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on Friday, telling him "Iran bore responsibility" for the actions of groups, such as Hamas and Hezbollah, that it has supported for many years. 

Cleverly also reiterated that Iranian-backed threats against people in the United Kingdom were unacceptable and must stop, a Foreign Office spokesperson said.

Full story: https://english.aawsat.com/world/4647391-uk-urges-iran-use-influence-prevent-escalation-israel-hamas-conflict

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Algeria Will Again Send an Ambassador to Spain After 19-Month Diplomatic Crisis

Report at Asharq Al Awsat English

Dated Sat, 4 Nov 2023 - excerpts:

A breakthrough in the strained relations between Algeria and Spain is looming after reports that Algiers plans to send a new ambassador to Madrid, ending a 19-month diplomatic crisis.

Senior Algerian political sources said the two countries are in the process of resolving their crisis, adding that their relations are about to return to normal.

Full story:

https://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/4647561-algeria-will-again-send-ambassador-spain-after-19-month-diplomatic-crisis

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Iran, Qatar Coordinate Efforts to Support Palestine

Report from Tasnim News Agency, Iran

Dated 15 October 2023 - 10:39 - excerpt:

TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The foreign ministers of Iran and Qatar weighed plans for cooperation among Muslim nations to assist the people of Gaza and force the Israeli regime to end its brutal strikes on Palestinians.

Full story: 

https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2023/10/15/2971951/iran-qatar-coordinate-efforts-to-support-palestine

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Emmanuel Jal's conference call with Satan and God

Here's Emmanuel Jal in his amusing post at Facebook Fri, 27 Oct 2023.

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World's witnessing major humanitarian catastrophes

CEASEFIRES NOW. CHOOSE LOVE. GOD IS LOVE. PEACE AND LOVE x

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South Sudan: In 2023 UNMISS faced kidnaps in Malakal Upper Nile, 42 dead in attacks on aid workers

Report at China View - Xinhua
Editor: Huaxia
Dated Friday, 3 November; 01:49:30 - here is a copy in full:

UN ramps up security patrols after kidnapping of aid worker in South Sudan

JUBA, Nov. 2 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) said Wednesday it has stepped up security patrols around the Protection of Civilians (PoC) site in Malakal town of Upper Nile state, north of South Sudan.

This follows the kidnapping of Emmanuel Obayi, a nutrition officer working with the International Medical Corps in Malakal PoC on Oct. 27.

"UNMISS soldiers and police increased perimeter security patrols around the PoC site. We also reached out to various stakeholders, including the state government, humanitarian partners, and local armed groups, to gather information and verify the whereabouts of the individual in question," Ben Malor, the chief public information officer of UNMISS, told Xinhua in Juba, the capital of South Sudan.

He revealed that the kidnapping incident was reported to the Mission leadership on Oct. 27 through its Malakal field office, stressing that UNMISS is ready to retrieve the kidnapped humanitarian worker.

"In 2023, there were two similar incidents. In October, a UNMISS national staff member was reported missing in western Bahr El Ghazal State; officials took urgent steps to find him, and he was released soon after," he said. In June, a UN police officer was similarly reported missing in the Malakal PoC and was later found.

"It's important to note that UNMISS has faced numerous attacks on humanitarian workers, resulting in the tragic loss of approximately 42 lives in 2023," Malor said.

View original: http://www.chinaview.cn/africa/20231103/41652fd5a5dc436a823f942d36508675/c.html

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Conflict in Sudan is world’s largest displacement crisis

ABOUT 19 MILLION SUDANESE CHILDREN are awaiting schools to re-open. For children, education is about more than the right to learn. Schools can protect children from the physical dangers around them – including abuse, exploitation, and recruitment into armed groups. Should the conflict result in schools remaining closed, this will have devastating impacts on children’s development and psychosocial well-being. Read more.

News and Press Release 

Source OCHA 

Posted 2 Nov 2023 

Originally published 2 Nov 2023

Sudan: Humanitarian Key Messages (November 2023)

● More than six months since fighting erupted on 15 April, Sudan is experiencing a humanitarian crisis of epic proportions. Civilians are paying the price of the ongoing fighting. About half of the population – 24.7 million people, including 14 million children – needs humanitarian aid and protection assistance.
About 5.8 million people are displaced inside Sudan or have fled to neighbouring countries, half of whom are children. Women make up 69 per cent of the internally displaced persons (IDPs), including those in war zones, and data from Chad indicates that 90 per cent of the refugees crossing the borders are women and girls. Similarly in Egypt, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has recorded that most of the registered households upon crossing the borders were female-headed ones. The conflict – and surging hunger, disease and displacement – threatens to consume the entire country. It is time to silence the guns.

● Millions of people – especially in Khartoum, Darfur and Kordofan – lack access to food, water, shelter, electricity, education, health care and nutrition. As the humanitarian situation deteriorates, the communities’ coping capacity has weakened. Hunger and malnutrition were already at record levels before the fighting, now, an estimated 20.3 million people – 42 per cent of the population – face acute food insecurity. Of these, 6.3 million people are at emergency levels of hunger, only one step away from famine. Over 18 million people lack access to improved sanitation and around 8 million people practice open defecation. About 3.5 million children under five years are acutely malnourished, of whom 700,000 suffer from severe acute malnourishment and are at 11 times higher risk of death compared with their healthy peers. This adds to the burden of care on women and girls and exposes them to multiple risks in the context of the armed conflict.

● Parties to the conflict must put an end to harming civilians and respect international humanitarian law, as agreed under the Jeddah Declaration of Commitment to Protect the Civilians of Sudan. The parties must allow civilians safe passage. People fleeing conflict – especially women, children and those with special needs – must be able to do so safely. Attacks on hospitals, schools and other essential civilian infrastructure must stop. Access to critical items and services must be guaranteed. All health facilities occupied by parties to the conflict must be vacated. De-escalation, dialogue and a cessation of hostilities are essential to resolve the crisis.

● The spread and escalation of fighting is deeply concerning, especially as the conflict reaches new areas. Hostilities have started to spill over into Aj Jazirah State, Sudan’s breadbasket, which could have grave consequences for the harvest season and agricultural productivity. Shortages of critical inputs like seeds and fertilizers coupled with erratic weather patterns threaten both planting and harvesting. A below average harvest in the coming months would push more people into hunger and others into more severe levels of hunger.

● Protection remains an urgent priority, with an increasing number of reports of sexual and genderbased violence, enforced disappearance, arbitrary detention, and grave violations of human and children’s rights. Parties to the conflict should not use rape as a weapon of war and those accused of it should be held accountable. As inter-communal tensions mount, the ability to access protection services and support systems reduces. Civilians are at risk of explosive hazards, though the extent and level of new contamination is unknown. Parties to the conflict must protect civilians, including children, from grave violations of their rights.

● The war in Sudan is now the world’s largest displacement crisis. As more refugees flee across Sudan’s borders, host communities in neighbouring countries are struggling. A protracted conflict in Sudan could tip the entire region into a humanitarian catastrophe. Humanitarian partners are working closely with governments in neighbouring countries to respond. New arrivals need protection and assistance.
Moreover, host communities in remote border areas, where services and infrastructure are scarce or non-existent, were already suffering due to climate shocks and food scarcity.

● Outbreaks of diseases pose a growing threat, particularly in overcrowded shelter sites and sites with poor water, sanitation and hygiene. Sudan is already facing outbreaks of cholera, dengue, measles, and malaria. Even in relatively safe locations hosting displaced populations, living conditions are deteriorating. Displacement sites have been flooded during the rainy season, raising the risk of further spread of deadly diseases. Partners must step up to contain ongoing disease outbreaks and mitigate the risks of potential outbreaks. Projections based on Johns Hopkins’ Lives Saved Tool modelling indicate that at least 10,000 children under five years may die by the end of 2023 due to an increase in food insecurity, and disruptions to essential services.

● About 19 million children are awaiting schools to re-open. For children, education is about more than the right to learn. Schools can protect children from the physical dangers around them – including abuse, exploitation, and recruitment into armed groups. Schools serve as centres for multiple services. Children can be reached with life-saving information, food, water, immunizations, healthcare, and hygiene supplies. Teachers and other education personnel can support children’s mental health, providing children with stability and structure to help them cope with the trauma they experience every day and referring children for any necessary additional support. Should the conflict result in schools remaining closed, this will have devastating impacts on children’s development and psychosocial well-being.

● Humanitarians continue to face immense obstacles to assist people in need. Bureaucratic and administrative impediments must be lifted so that aid workers can move supplies more swiftly. Visas, travel permits, and other procedures required to move staff and assistance inside the country delay the delivery of assistance. Looting and attacks against humanitarian personnel, facilities and supplies further compromise the ability of partners to deliver aid and services. The parties to the conflict must adhere to international humanitarian law and guarantee unhindered access for humanitarian personnel and supplies. Aid convoys face threats, roadblocks, restrictions and bureaucratic impediments, while intensified airstrikes and shelling in Khartoum make safe access almost impossible.

● Despite the challenges, humanitarian agencies in Sudan have made strides in accessing people across Sudan, including in hard-to-reach areas. Through both crossline and cross-border movements, convoys have reached East Darfur, North Darfur, South Darfur, West Darfur, North Kordofan states, Jabal Awlia in Khartoum, and other areas. More than 3.7 million people have received lifesaving food, emergency shelter, health, nutrition, protection, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and other assistance since 15 April. An estimated 5.2 million people received livelihood assistance. Aid must be scaled up and sustained to reach more people in desperate need. To expand assistance to people in hard-to-reach areas, innovative approaches to working with communities are critical.

● Additional resources are urgently required to support a humanitarian response that was already significantly underfunded prior to the current conflict. Humanitarian actors require US$2.6 billion to provide life-saving multi-cluster assistance and protection services to 18.1 million people through the end of this year. So far, only 33.6 per cent has been received. Additional funds are urgently needed to meet immense needs, including critical funding to national NGOs on the frontlines of the response.

Disclaimer

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

To learn more about OCHA's activities, please visit https://www.unocha.org/

View full story and map: https://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/sudan-humanitarian-key-messages-november-2023

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Infographic: Sudan Key Figures (1 November 2023)

Source OCHA 

Posted 2 Nov 2023 

Originally published 2 Nov 2023

Download Infographic(PDF | 518.65 KB)

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