An agreement signed June 29 allows people to travel freely between Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania and Burundi. This has good benefits for pastoralists, as they may travel to find pastures for their animals, or take them to markets.
Augustine Lotodo, a member of parliament in the East African
Legislative Assembly, told IRIN on 30 June.: "This Security in
Mobility initiative is one of the best things to happen to pastoralists
in a long time. During colonial times, pastoralism was respected and
they were allowed to move around freely but after independence, border
restrictions hampered their way of life."
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/FERB-86WHGT
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June 30, 2010
Basketball player Manute Bol dies
Sudanese tall man Manute Bol died on June 19, 2010.He was 7'7" tall and had played in the US based basketball league, the NBA, for the Washington Bullets. A Dinka man, his heart was for Sudan, where he helped build hospitals. He had been there to help with the elections in April, 2010. Manute contracted health problems, and delayed some of his health needs, which later lead to his death in Virginia, USA.
Read an article that describes his career, and character.
http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2010/s10060131.htm
Another article describes his motivation for helping in Sudan.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704853404575323043046894012.html
June 15, 2010
Economy- Is oil creating a spree?
A World Bank report challenges Sudan's spending over the past decade. Has the country gone on a spending spree that is wise?
Sudan must use its oil production, which has helped to quintuple the size of its economy in the past decade, to create more balanced and sustainable growth, the World Bank said.
With an independence referendum due in January in Southern Sudan, the source of most of the country’s oil, the government in Khartoum needs to invest in agriculture and other non-oil industries, and reduce the dominant role of the state, the bank said yesterday.
“While oil-led growth over the past 10 years has greatly improved the Sudanese economy, its sustainability is under threat,” the bank said in a statement announcing its latest Country Economic
Memorandum on Sudan.
Sudan’s rapid economic development has also created tensions that threaten to spark instability, the bank said. War has raged in the western region of Darfur for the past seven years after rebels took up arms, accusing the Khartoum government of neglecting the region.
“The unbalanced development of the country, with a large disparity between the center and periphery, remains a potential source for conflict and political instability,” the bank said.
President Umar Al Bashir’s government needs to allow a greater role for private companies and start “developing the agriculture sector as the next big alternative source of growth to the oil sector in the medium-term,” it said.
Economic Expansion
Sudan’s gross domestic product expanded to $53 billion in 2008 from $10 billion in 1999, the year oil exports started, the bank said. Annual per capita income increased to $532 in 2008 from $334 in 1999, it said.
“Oil wealth has enabled Sudan to roll-out a massive expansion of its physical and social infrastructure including a doubling of the road network and electricity generation,” the bank said.
About 70 percent of Sudan’s crude is pumped in the semi-autonomous region of Southern Sudan, central bank Governor Sabir Hassan said in a June 9 lecture in Khartoum.
Companies including China National Petroleum Corp., Malaysia’s Petroliam Nasional Bhd. and India’s Natural Gas Corp. pump the bulk of daily output of about 490,000 barrels. Sudan is sub-Saharan Africa’s third-biggest oil producer, according to the BP Statistical Review of World Energy.
“If Southern Sudan secedes, it could affect the economy negatively unless the government takes measures to counter it,” Hassan said.
http://www.sudanvisiondaily.com//modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=57878
.
Sudan must use its oil production, which has helped to quintuple the size of its economy in the past decade, to create more balanced and sustainable growth, the World Bank said.
With an independence referendum due in January in Southern Sudan, the source of most of the country’s oil, the government in Khartoum needs to invest in agriculture and other non-oil industries, and reduce the dominant role of the state, the bank said yesterday.
“While oil-led growth over the past 10 years has greatly improved the Sudanese economy, its sustainability is under threat,” the bank said in a statement announcing its latest Country Economic
Memorandum on Sudan.
Sudan’s rapid economic development has also created tensions that threaten to spark instability, the bank said. War has raged in the western region of Darfur for the past seven years after rebels took up arms, accusing the Khartoum government of neglecting the region.
“The unbalanced development of the country, with a large disparity between the center and periphery, remains a potential source for conflict and political instability,” the bank said.
President Umar Al Bashir’s government needs to allow a greater role for private companies and start “developing the agriculture sector as the next big alternative source of growth to the oil sector in the medium-term,” it said.
Economic Expansion
Sudan’s gross domestic product expanded to $53 billion in 2008 from $10 billion in 1999, the year oil exports started, the bank said. Annual per capita income increased to $532 in 2008 from $334 in 1999, it said.
“Oil wealth has enabled Sudan to roll-out a massive expansion of its physical and social infrastructure including a doubling of the road network and electricity generation,” the bank said.
About 70 percent of Sudan’s crude is pumped in the semi-autonomous region of Southern Sudan, central bank Governor Sabir Hassan said in a June 9 lecture in Khartoum.
Companies including China National Petroleum Corp., Malaysia’s Petroliam Nasional Bhd. and India’s Natural Gas Corp. pump the bulk of daily output of about 490,000 barrels. Sudan is sub-Saharan Africa’s third-biggest oil producer, according to the BP Statistical Review of World Energy.
“If Southern Sudan secedes, it could affect the economy negatively unless the government takes measures to counter it,” Hassan said.
http://www.sudanvisiondaily.com//modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=57878
.
Keep peace: Church in Sudan
Rumbek — The Church has challenged the government to ensure that peace is maintained among Sudanese people.
In a communiqué issued at the end of a three-day regional peace conference for the people of Western Equatorial and Greater Bahr al Ghazal regions and organized by the Episcopal Church of Sudan, delegates said that they were deeply grieved that violent conflicts among the southern peoples continue to tear apart our communities and threaten our future.
"These five years of peace have been spoiled by the suffering and disunity of our people. We know that development cannot come to us until there is true peace, and we are concerned for our future," said the conference delegates in a communiqué issued at the end of the three-day regional peace conference (June 1-3).
"We have gathered together in Rumbek, the Episcopal Church of Sudan, the government, the chiefs, and the people of Western Equatoria and Greater Bahr al Ghazal, because of our deep desire to find a way to move forward in peace. Let us unite ourselves, and move forward hand in hand," the conference delegates further pointed out. And they observed that the Churches in Sudan have been vital to the peace process, both during and following the war. "We are called by Christ to be peacemakers, "Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called Children of God," (Matthew 5:9)."
"The Church does not belong to one tribe or one clan, the Church is universal, and will continue in its role as a light to the people, pointing the way to peace," added the Church communiqué.
During the three-day regional conference delegates were treated to lectures on peace and conflict resolution and received reports from the governors, archbishop and bishops.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201006111114.html
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June 2, 2010
Donors conference coming in December
Donors' Conference for East to Implement Projects at Cost of Three Billion Dollars
Khartoum — The first technical meeting for the Donors Conference for Rehabilitation and Development of Eastern Sudan Monday endorsed implementation of development and Investment projects that would be presented for the Donors Conference in Kuwait in next November, at the cost of three billion US dollars.The rapporeur of the preparatory committee, Engineer Abu-Obaida Mohamed Duj, said in a press conference he held at Fateh Tower Hotel Monday that the Donors Conference aims to attracting international assistance for the people of east Sudan.
The development projects included education, health, animal
resources, capacity building, poverty alleviation, roads and bridges,
water harvest and infrastructure for agricultural schemes, revealing
that a technical committee will arrive from Kuwait within two weeks to
assess the projects.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the delegation of the Kuwaiti
Fund for Arab Economic Development, Rudhwan Abdallah, said that the
fund has gone too far in endorsing the rehabilitation and development
projects, expressing his pleasure over Kuwait's hosting to the
conference with the participation of the UNDP and number of Kuwaiti
funds and private institutions.
Representative of the UNDP affirmed its commitment to provide all the requirements for the conference, which will provide a a good opportunity to exchange ideas and to develop east Sudan which needs rehabilitation of infrastructure. MF/MO Donors' Conference for East Sudan to Implement Projects at Cost of Three Billion Dollars.
May 20, 2010
Hamishkoreb voting rerun
Officials announced that voting in the area where a ballot box stuffing was taped on video will be redone.
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/LDE64F0D6.htm
The video can be seen online. We linked to it in an earlier post here on adroub.blogspot.com
http://adroub.blogspot.com/2010/04/election-stuffing-votes-caught-on-video.html
.
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/LDE64F0D6.htm
The video can be seen online. We linked to it in an earlier post here on adroub.blogspot.com
http://adroub.blogspot.com/2010/04/election-stuffing-votes-caught-on-video.html
.
Small dam near Keren
A micro-dam with a capacity of holding over 100,000 cubic
meters of water is under construction in the Derequ administrative area,
Keren sub-zone.
The Administrator of the area, Mr. Samuel Niguse, indicated that 70% of the project has been finalized and that it would make major contribution in easing potable water supply problem in the locality. He further explained that the micro-dam is expected to irrigate the nearby 5 hectares.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201005190640.html
.
The Administrator of the area, Mr. Samuel Niguse, indicated that 70% of the project has been finalized and that it would make major contribution in easing potable water supply problem in the locality. He further explained that the micro-dam is expected to irrigate the nearby 5 hectares.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201005190640.html
.
May 12, 2010
Needed: Cash for demining
United Nations programme to demine areas near Kassala (and elsewhere in Sudan) are threatened because $12 million is needed for funding.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201005110811.html
.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201005110811.html
.
May 11, 2010
Musa Ahmed on ESPA
Home News: Presidential Advisor Briefs Eritrean Delegation on East Sudan Peace
Posted on Tuesday, May 11 @ 10:13:58 BST by admin
SUNA
The Assistant of the President of the Republic, Musa Mohammed Ahmed, Sunday briefed the visiting Eritrean delegation, headed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Osman Salih, on the latest developments in Sudan and the implementation of East Sudan Peace Agreement.
Musa affirmed in a statement to SUNA after the meeting the important role being played by Eritrea as a mediator of the Eastern Sudan Peace Agreement. Ahmed said that the meeting reviewed outcome of the elections in Sudan as well as Eritrea's contribution to the unity of Sudan and the plans for the coming period. He said that the meeting touched on the progress of the relations between Sudan and Eritrea and means of consolidating them further.
http://www.sudanvisiondaily.com//modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=56737
.
The Assistant of the President of the Republic, Musa Mohammed Ahmed, Sunday briefed the visiting Eritrean delegation, headed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Osman Salih, on the latest developments in Sudan and the implementation of East Sudan Peace Agreement.
Musa affirmed in a statement to SUNA after the meeting the important role being played by Eritrea as a mediator of the Eastern Sudan Peace Agreement. Ahmed said that the meeting reviewed outcome of the elections in Sudan as well as Eritrea's contribution to the unity of Sudan and the plans for the coming period. He said that the meeting touched on the progress of the relations between Sudan and Eritrea and means of consolidating them further.
http://www.sudanvisiondaily.com//modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=56737
.
May 8, 2010
Beja Congress accepts election results
Khartoum, May. 4 (SUNA) - The Beja Congress has expressed its full support to the elected President of the Republic, Field Marshal Omer Al-Bashir, In a statement it issued Tuesday in Haya town, the Red Sea State, the Beja Congress congratulated the President of the Republic and the President of the Government of South Sudan (GoSS), Salva Kiir Mayardit, as well as the members of the Legislative Authority on their election.
April 28, 2010
Voting in east Sudan.
A short film captures the voting action in different towns in east Sudan. Silent for the first 20 seconds. A complete description accompanies the video on the you tube site.
April 22, 2010
Election- International Commentary
Here's a collection of articles reporting on the Sudan election. They describe the general sense of how well the elections went.
http://groups.google.co.za/group/sudan-john-ashworth/msg/3580b50700f35666
http://groups.google.co.za/group/sudan-john-ashworth/msg/3580b50700f35666
April 20, 2010
Election- stuffing votes caught on video?
UPDATE- Friday, April 23. Sudan has blocked youtube.com from Sudan, and these videos below are no longer available to be viewed in Sudan.
Original post.
Reuter news agency reported on a video that showed the stuffing of ballot boxes in the Red Sea State.
Examples were given of situations where there was no overnight control of the ballot boxes. Counts were then very high for the NCP, even exceeding the number of votes cast.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-QQne7xXhs
The video has been seen 13,000 times in the first day.
A second video shows the process more clearly.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrmU9pk0vCc
A third video also shows what is going on.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6Oq9DoQn_o
Reposted here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFSJnE_jt9I
KHARTOUM, April 20 (Reuters) - A video appearing to show elections officials stuffing ballot boxes in Sudan has been posted on the Internet and the opposition said on Tuesday it proved their case that the ruling party had rigged the polls.
The National Elections Commission dismissed the video as a fake and said it had received no complaints.
The video, entitled "Sudan's elections debacle in the Red Sea state" appears to show elections officials, in regulation orange vests and traditional eastern Sudanese clothes, stuffing ballots into boxes locked with distinctive orange seals.
Read it all.
http://bit.ly/b7196d
Original post.
Reuter news agency reported on a video that showed the stuffing of ballot boxes in the Red Sea State.
Examples were given of situations where there was no overnight control of the ballot boxes. Counts were then very high for the NCP, even exceeding the number of votes cast.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-QQne7xXhs
The video has been seen 13,000 times in the first day.
A second video shows the process more clearly.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrmU9pk0vCc
A third video also shows what is going on.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6Oq9DoQn_o
Reposted here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFSJnE_jt9I
KHARTOUM, April 20 (Reuters) - A video appearing to show elections officials stuffing ballot boxes in Sudan has been posted on the Internet and the opposition said on Tuesday it proved their case that the ruling party had rigged the polls.
The National Elections Commission dismissed the video as a fake and said it had received no complaints.
The video, entitled "Sudan's elections debacle in the Red Sea state" appears to show elections officials, in regulation orange vests and traditional eastern Sudanese clothes, stuffing ballots into boxes locked with distinctive orange seals.
Read it all.
http://bit.ly/b7196d
Election- Al Mirghani speaks out
The DUP has considerable strength in regions across Sudan. One regional base is in Kassala.
The DUP failed to make any gains in areas considered to be its strongholds with large
populations of the Al-Khatmiya religious sect who are followers of Al-Mirghani, fuelling
suspicions that the votes were rigged.
"The fears of the party were confirmed over the non-readiness and partiality of the NEC and its
branches in the different states.... the electoral commission is not neutral," Al-Mirghani said.
DUP leader Mohamed Osman Al-Mirghani today issued a
strong statement calling for holding of new elections at all levels saying that the current process
"is exposed to fraud and rigging".
Al-Mirghani said that the elections held in the country "did not reflect the [will of] the Sudanese
people, and it is far from being free and fair elections".
In his statement today, Al-Mirghani said that the DUP was aware of the difficulties and
impediments facing the elections but that it believed that its participation would be a step
towards democratic transformation and peaceful exchange of power.
As monitored in UNMIS media monitoring reports, April 19, 2010, from a Sudan Tribune article.
The DUP failed to make any gains in areas considered to be its strongholds with large
populations of the Al-Khatmiya religious sect who are followers of Al-Mirghani, fuelling
suspicions that the votes were rigged.
"The fears of the party were confirmed over the non-readiness and partiality of the NEC and its
branches in the different states.... the electoral commission is not neutral," Al-Mirghani said.
DUP leader Mohamed Osman Al-Mirghani today issued a
strong statement calling for holding of new elections at all levels saying that the current process
"is exposed to fraud and rigging".
Al-Mirghani said that the elections held in the country "did not reflect the [will of] the Sudanese
people, and it is far from being free and fair elections".
In his statement today, Al-Mirghani said that the DUP was aware of the difficulties and
impediments facing the elections but that it believed that its participation would be a step
towards democratic transformation and peaceful exchange of power.
As monitored in UNMIS media monitoring reports, April 19, 2010, from a Sudan Tribune article.
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