IGAD Revitilisation Forum for South Sudan Registers Some Progress

19-05-2018, Addis Ababa (Ethiopia): The ongoing Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD)-led High Level Revitalisation Forum (HLRF), for the implementation of the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (ARCSS) signed in August 2015, has entered its third day in Addis Ababa.

On top of the plenary sessions where all stakeholders to the crisis as well as Facilitators and observers are in attendance, the ongoing Continued Phase II of the HRLF includes inter-South Sudanese consultations during which parties discuss outstanding issues on Governance and on Security Arrangements.

These consultations are conducted in two separate and inclusive working groups along Governance and Security Arrangements issues that have been outstanding since the last HLRF session of February 2018.

These inter-South Sudanese consultations that are being led by the South Sudan Council of Churches were set up upon request from the parties. These South Sudanese led consultations enhance the level of national ownership of the process.

Progress made by the parties during these separate working and negotiations groups is reported to the Leadership Group which is comprised of all parties and stakeholders leaders for further discussions and finalisation before going to the plenary.

The South Sudan Council of Churches (SSCC) in its statement at the plenary session of this afternoon on the progress made so far declared: “Some progress has been made and the spirit is positive, even as the committee members begin tackling issues. The parties have committed to silence the guns while the process and momentum are maintained”.

Furthermore, the South Sudan Council of Churches appealed to “all parties to avoid Negative Statements and to strictly abide by the Agreement on Cessation of Hostilities, Protection of Civilians and Humanitarian Access”.

                                                        

The SSCC expressed the need for the group works on Governance and on Security Arrangements to keep on proceeding, and alluded to the possibility of wanting to extend the HLRF beyond the 21^st if need arose.

Bashir names new oil, foreign ministers in Sudan reshuffle

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on Monday appointed new oil and foreign ministers in a major cabinet reshuffle that saw four other ministers changed amid a worsening economic crisis, state media reported.

The cabinet overhaul was approved by Bashir's ruling National Congress Party at a meeting late on Sunday, the official news agency SUNA reported.

In a presidential decree on Monday, Bashir replaced his oil, interior, agriculture, youth and sports and justice ministers and also announced a new foreign minister replacing Ghandour, SUNA reported.

The reshuffle saw Al-Dierdiry al-Dhikheri named as the new foreign minister, Ibrahim Hamid as interior minister and Azhari Abdallah as oil minister.

Dhikeri, former Sudanese ambassador to Uganda, had been a member of Khartoum's team that negotiated the separation of south from the north in 2011.

Hamid, an aide to Bashir, had previously headed the interior ministry from 2008 to 2015

On Monday, Bashir also changed five ministers of state and eight governors, SUNA reported.

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US says Kiir government lost credibility, no longer inclusive

The United States is giving up on the government of South Sudan, saying the current government led by President Salva Kiir has lost credibility.
“The Government of South Sudan has lost credibility, and the United States is losing patience,” the White House declared in a statement on Tuesday.
The Trump administration said the current unity government in Juba is no longer inclusive, pointing out that the forced exile of key leadership representatives who signed the 2015 peace agreement further demonstrates the Kiir government’s rejection of the peace process.
The United State further said the promotion of UN-sanctioned individuals to senior government positions, such as Jok Riak to SPLA Chief of Defense Forces, demonstrates the South Sudanese government’s disdain for international norms.
“To that end, the United States will condemn any unilateral effort of the current Government of South Sudan to extend its power through sham elections, the legislature, or continued military offensives,” partly reads the statement.
“Only an inclusive, negotiated agreement is acceptable as a means to extend the South Sudanese Government’s term… The people of South Sudan deserve a government that is able and willing to lead the country to a stable future,” adds the statement.
The US said it is beginning a comprehensive review of its aid programs to South Sudan over the country’s lack of progress toward resolving its civil war.
 “Included in this review will be the U.S. support for the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Mechanism (JMEC) and other mechanisms intended to support the 2015 peace agreement known as the Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (ARCSS),” the White House said.
The United States government stressed that it will not continue in a partnership with leaders who are only interested in perpetuating an endless war characterized by ethnically-motivated atrocities.
“The United States remains committed to working with regional leaders to bring peace and stability to South Sudan, and we commend Ethiopia’s efforts,” it said.
South Sudan government officials could not immediately be reached for comment.
 The United State is South Sudan’s largest donor of humanitarian aid. It imposed an arms embargo on South Sudan in February, and sanctioned government officials and oil companies over the ongoing crisis in the youngest nation.