Sudan's president rejects any government intervene in sports

President of the Republic, Field Marshal Omer Al-Bashir, has given a directive preventing any government body to intervene in the sports' activity in the country and to leave it to the democracy of sports work.
He affirmed when he received the Minister of Youth and Sports, Abdul-Karim Musa, Wednesday in his office at the Republican Palace the commitment of the state to sponsoring and guaranteeing the independence of the sports' activity.
In a press statement after the meeting, the Minister of Youth and Sports said that the President of the Republic has called for concern with football and to enhance it in a manner that comply with the bright history in football.
The minister indicated that he informed the President of the Republic on progress of work in establishing the Sports' Town, adding that they also deliberated about the issue of illegal immigration and the challenges facing youths in this connection, referring to the efforts of Sudan in combating this phenomenon at the regional and international levels.

SUNA

Sudan Establish Criminal Court for Combating Corruption and Violations on Public Money

The Chief Justice, Prof. Haidar Ahmed Dafalla, Wednesday issued a decision on establishment of a criminal court to combat corruption and violations of public money, and consider cases related to corruption, exploitation of influence, encroachment on public money and the destruction of the national economy, which are referred to it from specialized prosecutions.
The court is also concerned with ruling in the cases that are referred to it by the Chief Justice.
The decision explained that the premises of the court will be in Khartoum State and could be held in any other state.

SUNA

Hatim Bakhiet Chairs Preparotary Meeting for Foundation Summit of the Horn of African Economic Community

The State Minister at the Presidency and Director of the President's Offices, Hatim Hassan Bakhit, Wednesday chaired the coordinating meeting for foundation of Summit of the Economic Community of the Horn of Africa, which is scheduled to be held in Khartoum on April 12.
The State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Mohamed Abdalla Idris, said that the meeting discussed preparation for the summit which will held at the level of experts during April 9 - 10, followed by meetings at the level of Foreign Ministers before the summit that will begin on April 12.
He sai that the purpose of the Economic Community, which includes Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djioubuti and Somalia, is to achieve economic integration and partnership between the member states in the sectors of trade, investment and exchanging information and expertise.
The Ambassador affirmed that a draft of the statute on foundation of the community was formulated, indicating that the President of the Republic has invited his counterparts in the five member countries to participate in the summit in its three levels.

SUNA

White House extends US national emergency on South Sudan

The United States on Tuesday declared a national emergency on South Sudan, saying the situation in and in relation to the young nation compels the US to extend the April 2014 national emergency order.

In a letter to the Speaker of United States House of representatives Paul Ryan, US President Donald J. Trump, says ‘Section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)) provides for the automatic termination’ of the US national emergency and that he decided to extend it before it expires.

“In accordance with this provision, I have sent to the Federal Register for publication the enclosed notice stating that the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13664 of April 3, 2014, with respect to South Sudan, is to continue in effect beyond April 3, 2018,” he said.

The American leader argues that South Sudan situation still poses a threat to the foreign policy and national security of the United States.

“The situation in and in relation to South Sudan, which has been marked by activities that threaten the peace, security, or stability of South Sudan and the surrounding region, including widespread violence and atrocities, human rights abuses, recruitment and use of child soldiers, attacks on peacekeepers and humanitarian aid workers, and obstruction of humanitarian operations, continues to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States,” Trump explains.

“For this reason, I have determined that it is necessary to continue the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13664 with respect to South Sudan,” he added.

Washington did not give other reasons as to why it decided to extend its national emergency on South Sudan. The United States was the architect of the 2005 peace agreement that laid the groundwork for the split of South Sudan from Sudan.

SSNA

Abiy Ahmed Elected Chairperson of EPRDF

Abiy Ahmed, chair of the Oromo Peoples Democratic Organiation (OPDO), elected as chairperson of the ruling coalition, the Ethiopian Peoples’ Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF).

The Council has been deliberating since last Tuesday on various issues including the report of the Executive Committee and other documents prior to the election.

The Council elected new leadership as the outgoing chairperson, Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, who served as chairperson of the party for five years, has decided to resign from both posts.

IGAD says South Sudan rebel Machar should be freed from house arrest

The East African bloc IGAD has said South Sudanese rebel leader Riek Machar should be released from house arrest in South Africa as soon as possible on condition he renounces violence, amid signs of mounting diplomatic pressure on the Juba government. 

Machar, who has been held in South Africa since late 2016, should “be allowed to relocate to any country outside the region and not neighboring South Sudan”, read a statement issued after a meeting on Monday of officials from the eight countries in the bloc.

IGAD said it had designated officials to decide on a third country. It was unclear why a third country that does not border South Sudan would be preferable to South Africa.

There was no immediate comment from South Africa’s foreign ministry.

South Sudan government spokesman Michael Makuei Lueth said Juba had no problem with the bloc’s decision, but that Machar should not be allowed to take part in peace talks in Addis Ababa.

A spokesman for Machar’s SPLM-IO rebel group said it was reviewing IGAD’s statement and would respond later.

Civil war broke out in oil-rich South Sudan in 2013, when troops loyal to President Salva Kiir clashed with forces loyal to Machar, then the vice president.

Tens of thousands have been killed since. Oil production has been slashed. About a third of the population of 12 million have been forced from their homes.

The warring parties signed a ceasefire in December in the Ethiopian capital, but it was violated within hours. A new round of talks is scheduled for late next month.

The bloc also announced that it wanted to impose targeted sanctions on individuals violating the latest peace deal or otherwise disrupting it, but referred the matter to the African Union.

Last month, the head of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, said it was open to imposing sanctions on leaders violating the ceasefire in South Sudan.

His comments followed a chorus of other calls for action against those stoking the conflict.

The United States imposed a unilateral arms embargo last month but has been unable to convince the 15-member U.N. Security Council to impose one. 

(Reuters)

Sudanese President receives Qatari Minister for Transport

Sudanese  President , Omar Bashir, on Sunday received the visiting Qatari Minister for Communications and Transports, Jasim Bin Saif Al Silaiti, in the presence of the Sudanese Minister for Transports, Roads and Bridges, Makawi Mohamed Al Awad, and the Qatari ambassador to the Sudan, Rashid Bin Abdul Rahman Al Naimi.

The visiting minister in statements following the meeting said he conveyed to President Bashir greetings of his brother, the Emir of Qatar, and that the meeting discussed efforts underway to rehabilitate the Port of Suakin.

He revealed that a number of agreements have been reached on the issue.

The Qatari official said the seven Qatari ships will arrive to the sea port in regular trips as of next month between the Hamad Sea port and Port Sudan sea port

The minister for transports of the Sudan, Makawi, said two yards have are being rehabilitated to receive the fifth generation of ships at a capacity of 100 thousand tons.

He said the project is of three phase starting with 500 million dollars and culminating with 4 billion dollars and that they would serve the two countries and other neighboring countries in the region.

Sudan News Agency