Ethiopia, Sudan Re-affirmed their Commitments to Cooperate on Bilateral and Regional Issues

Addis Ababa June 01/2018 Ethiopia and Sudan re-affirmed their commitments to work in cooperation on issues of bilateral and regional concerns.

Foreign Minister Workneh Gebeyehu conferred with the newly appointed Sudanese Foreign Minister Al-Dirdiri Mohamed Ahmed here in Addis today.

Both ministers briefed journalists on the wide range of issues they have discussed during their meeting held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Foreign Minister, Workneh  Gebeyehu told journalists that the Foreign Ministers of the two countries discussed on various bilateral issues related to the Nile, issues of regional concerns, people to people relations and other issues of bilateral significances.

Among other things, the ministers discussed on efforts underway to bring about lasting peace in South Sudan and Somalia and on how the agreements signed several times between the warring parties could be effectively be implemented.

Moreover, the ministers took up deliberations on how to further strengthen the ongoing political, economic and people to people relations between both countries.

Workneh appreciated for the principled position that Sudan has adopted regarding the issues around the construction of GERD.

He also expressed his gratitude for President Omar Hassan Al- Bashir for his rapid response to the request made by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on releasing prisoners who were detained in Sudan for various reasons.

“The swift response made by Sudan in releasing Ethiopian prisoners indicates the strong bilateral cultural, social and political relations between the peoples and governments of the two countries,” he added.

Sudan’s Foreign Minister, Al-Dirdiri Mohamed Ahmed said that he had discussed with Workneh on wide range of bilateral issue including the Nile and IGAD concerns.

Both ministers agreed to work together on issues of peace in the region and on ways and means of strengthening IGAD and the African Union.

He added that the two countries will continue to cooperate on the issues of Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

More than 1,400 Ethiopians detained in Sudan for various reasons were release during the recent official visit paid by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to Sudan.

ENA

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.

Parliament Approves the Appointment of Ministers

The House of Peoples' Representatives unanimously approved the appointment of 16 ministers presented by Prime Minister Doctor Abiy Ahmed today.

Among the 16 appointees, 10 of them are newly promoted while another six ministers were reshuffled to new positions.

Earlier, the House approved proclamation 1084/ 2018 which provided for the formation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Resources.

Prime Minister Abiy told the House that his cabinet was selected with a major objective of swiftly addressing the demands from the public in an organized manner and to ensure economic and reasonable utilization of public finance and other resources.

The reshuffle of federal government ministers is part of the reform process to overcome the public grievance through fighting corruption and nepotism, Prime Minister Abiy said.

He said that the newly appointed ministers are expected to immediately start their duties in their respective ministries by consulting with their management and operational staff.

Here is the list of ministerial appointments - approved by the parliament today:

1. Shiferaw Shigutie Minister of Agriculture and Livestock resource
2. Sirag Fegessa Minister of Transport
3. Dr. Hirut Woldemariam- Minister of Labor and Social Affairs
4. Teshome Toga - Minister of Public Enterprises
5. Umer Hussien - Authority of Customs and Revenue Director-General (with the rank of minister)
6. Uba Mohamed – Minister of Information and Communication Technology
7. Dr. Ambachew Mekonen- Minister of industry
8. Motuma Mekassa - Minister of Defense
9. Fozia Amin - Minister of Culture and Tourism
10. Ahmed Shide - Minister of Government Communication Affairs Office
11. Jantirar Abay - Minister of Housing and Urban Development
12. Melese Alemu - Minister of Mines, Petroleum and Natural Gas
13. Birhanu Tsegaye - Attorney General (with the rank of minister)

     14 Yalem Tsegay-  Women and Children Affairs Minister

15. Melaku Alebel - Minister of Trade
16. Dr. Amir Aman - Minister of Health

 ENA

Finance: Sudan could not benefit from revoking sanctions, because of terrorism list

The State Minister for Finance has underlined that delay in lifting the name of Sudan from terror sponsoring list, has negatively impacted benefits expected from revocation of the economic sanctions

Dr Abdul Rahman Dhirar, told the Legislature that Sudan has remained for a long time from dealing with the international banking system a matter requiring restoration for confidence which in turn is time bound until the normal situation is restored.

The minister said the Sudanese banking system survived and is displaying strength albeit the long economic siege, and that the banking system was able to play its economic and social role in the best possible manner.

He said no Sudanese bank was bankrupt and that the coordination between the Ministry of Finance and the Central, the Bank of Sudan, is exemplary on issues related to financial and monetary policies as well as provision of foreign cash for import of life saving drugs.

The minister attributed the unprecedented hike in the foreign currency exchange to black market dealing in hard currencies and to smuggling while at the same time huge amount of local currency is offered in the markets, coupled with a media warfare that targeted the national economy. He said the government strong intervention has restored the situation to normalcy.

Members of the parliament have meanwhile called for revisiting the economic and financial policies adopted by the ministry of and the central bank recently and that the livelihood of the ordinary people be given priority in all planning
SUNA

Sudan and Kenya Agree on Confronting the Organized and Transnational Crimes

Khartoum – The Sudanese/Kenya talks concluded yesterday as the two countries agreed to cooperate in confronting the organized and transnational crimes including

terrorism, illegal migration, human trafficking and smuggling.
The two sides agreed to work for exchange of experiences between the two countries in respect of inventing local solutions to problems of the region and that the two sides got informed of Sudanese experiment of national dialogue and democratic practice in Kenya.
The Vice-President of Kenya, William Ruto has visited to Sudan during April 9-11 at invitation of the First Vice-President of the Republic and National Prime Minister, 1st Lt, Gen. Bakri Hassan Saleh during which he was accompanied by a high-ranking delegation and where the two sides held talks over a host of issues of common concern.
According to the Final Communiqué issued yesterday the two sides discussed international and regional issues of common interest and underscored common understanding over such issues as well as political and diplomatic coordination at international forums to confront challenges facing the region and Africa.
The communiqué indicated to existing references and frameworks representing the joint ministerial committee and the political consultation committee between Foreign Ministries in of the two countries, which work for boosting bilateral relations and cooperation in addition to implementation of agreements protocols signed between the two countries.
The communiqué said the two sides agreed to cooperate in confronting the organized and transnational crimes, encountering terrorism, illegal migration, human trafficking and smuggling.

The two sides tackled situations in the region and expressed readiness to work together for finding sustainable solutions.
For his part FVP, 1st Lt. Gen. Bakri Hassan Saleh affirmed Sudan’s seriousness in realizing peace and security in South Sudan and the region in general pointing out to Sudan’s membership in the AU, IGAD and COMESA, adding that the trade exchange with Kenya amounted to US$240 million.
The Vice-President of Kenya, William Ruto described Al Bashir order to release the political detainees as a step that paves the way for boosting freedoms.
He added that he also discussed with President Al Bashir the ways of boosting the bilateral relations between Sudan and Kenya in all aspects.
Ruto pointed out to his visit to Kenana Sugar Company to stand on Sudan’s experience in sugar production, adding that Kenya will benefit from Sudan in this field.
He lauded the lifting of US sanctions on Sudan describing it as a step towards upgrading the Sudanese economy and supports the trade cooperation between Sudan and the neighbouring countries including Kenya.
He pointed out to his meeting with the officials of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) to implement several projects in Kenya in food processing and health.
He announced the readiness of his country to provide the technical experiences and training the cadres on permanent constitution-making

Sudan Vision