South Sudan’s Oil and Power investment drive is a path towards lasting peace, stability and prosperity (22.11.2018)

The success of the South Sudan Oil & Power 2018 conference, which was attended by over 750 participants is a step in the right direction.

JUBA, South Sudan, November 22, 2018 – The African Energy Chamber (EnergyChamber.org) is encouraged by the progress made in South Sudan’s oil sector after the peace agreement. The success of the South Sudan Oil & Power 2018 conference, which was attended by over 750 participants representing upstream, midstream and downstream sectors of the oil sector from Africa, Europe, North America and the Middle East is a step in the right direction.

We are also encouraged by the Ministerial delegations from many countries like Equatorial Guinea, Sudan, Somalia, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Russia, Uganda, etc. The success is an indication of South Sudan’s increased attractiveness for African and international investors, as the East African nation works to ensure a stable peace and has doubled efforts to ramp up production and drill more wells.

“The presence of several international oil companies in Juba this week is very encouraging and shows that South Sudan is doing its best to restore the trust of the international investment community and should be encouraged by all parties,” declared Executive Chairman NJ Ayuk form Juba.

The Chamber supported South Sudan’s efforts to build a lasting peace, which resulted in a new peace agreement signed last month between rival factions. “The local and international oil community has an obligation to support both peace talks and the South Sudanese leadership to promote peace and reconciliation. We also call on the government to continue its efforts in encouraging an enabling environment, promoting local content and prioritizing the role of women in the oil sector” said NJ Ayuk.

We commend H.E. President Salva Kiir for meeting with H.E. Azhari Abdel-Gadir Abdalla, Minister of Petroleum and Minerals of the Republic of Sudan; H.E. Gabriel Obiang Lima, Minister of Mines and Hydrocarbons of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea; Hon. Lokeris Peter, Minister of State for Energy and Minerals Development, Republic of Uganda; and H.E. Mahaman Gaya, Secretary General of the African Petroleum Producers’ Organization (APPO) to encourage collaboration on oil and gas matters.

H.E. President Kiir and the Minister of Petroleum of South Sudan, H.E. Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth’s continuous efforts to work with other Africans, OPEC and Non-OPEC nations in balancing and stabilizing the oil market is very encouraging to our members as we all work to prevent another supply glut in the oil sector. The Chamber continues to support all efforts to do balance the oil markets including trimming supplies as it is good for African producers, its citizens and the investors.

South Sudan remains under-explored, despite being East Africa’s oldest and biggest oil producing nation. Although, production is being ramped up, South Sudan’s latest oil & gas entrant, Oranto Petroleum, started exploration on Block B3 a year ago.

South Sudan: CSTAMVM Report (No.1) To RJMEC Plenary 19 November 2018 Addis Ababa (19.11.2018)

 

South Sudan: Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission reconstituted (20.11.2018)

JOINT PRESS RELEASE

FROM THE OFFICES OF JMEC AND IGAD

Tuesday, 20, November, 2018, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission reconstituted

The Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC) was reconstituted at a meeting convened on Monday 19 November 2018 by H.E. Dr Ismail Wais, the IGAD Special Envoy to South Sudan.

The Special Envoy commended the IGAD Council of Ministers for their support of the Revitalized Peace Agreement as well as the Government of South Sudan and the Parties for their commitment to the peace process.

JMEC Interim Chairman Ambassador Lt. Gen. Njoroge told the members of the reconstituted JMEC: “This august body is now reconstituted, made more inclusive, and bestowed with significant power and responsibility to monitor the Parties’ and stakeholders’ adherence to the implementation of the revitalized Peace Agreement. I can assert that we have the attention of the region as well as the people of South Sudan, and we must do our utmost to deliver.”

The meeting was attended by the Parties to the Agreement and other stakeholders, comprised of faith-based leaders, eminent personalities, and representatives of women’s groups, the business community, civil society, youth, and academia. Also present were the Regional Guarantors and the International Partners and Friends of South Sudan.

The reconstituted JMEC resolved as follows:

• Welcomed the reconstitution of the reconstituted JMEC by IGAD and expressed deep appreciation to H.E Dr. Ismail Wais, the IGAD Special Envoy for South Sudan for his personal contribution that led to the success of the revitalization process;

• Congratulated the Interim Chairman Ambassador Lt. Gen. and all the representatives nominated to the reconstituted JMEC;

• Endorsed the statement of the reconstituted JMEC Interim Chairperson on the status of implementation of the Revitalized Peace Agreement;

• Commended the Parties for the positive steps taken in the implementation of the Revitalized Peace Agreement, in particular nominations of representatives to the various institutions and mechanisms of the Peace Agreement and for the ongoing confidence building, and encouraged further progress;

• Endorsed the reconstituted JMEC Rules of Procedure 2018;

• Took note of the reports of the UNMISS, National Constitutional Amendment Committee (NCAC) and Ceasefire and Transition Security Arrangements Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM), and thanked the SGSR H.E Mustafa, and the Chairperson of NCAC Mr. Gichira Kibara for the good work and called for the immediate implementation of their recommendations;

• Called upon all parties and stakeholders to observe the permanent ceasefire in all parts of the country without exception and to guarantee unimpeded humanitarian access;

• Commended the outgoing Chairperson of CTSAMVM Maj. Gen. Ibrahim Abduljelill for his contribution to the peace process in his tenure and welcomed the new CTSAMVM Chairperson Maj. Gen. Desta Abiche;

• Appealed to the international partners and friends of South Sudan to support implementation of the Pre-Transitional activities of the Revitalized Peace Agreement;

• Called upon the IGAD Office of the Special Envoy to ensure the immediate establishment of the Joint Defense Board, International Boundaries Commission and Technical Boundaries Committee;

• That next reconstituted JMEC meeting should be convened on 12th December 2018 in Juba.

South Sudan: Sudan Catholic Bishops Conference – Message of Peace (12.11.2018)

South Sudan – JMEC Progress Report No. 3: On the Implementation Status of the R-ARCSS 2018 (05.11.2018)

South Sudan: SPLM/A-IO – “Re: Relocation of the Headquarters of the National Committee for Humanitarian Affairs to Juba” (11.11.2018)

OPM Refugee Scandal: It is verified that it was 352k Ghost Refugees!

Minister Hillary Onek and Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda can make any excuses in the books of civil service. Not that they will be true for that matter, because earlier this year. It was revealed that in several of the refugee camps and settlements in the Republic of Uganda. The Government of Uganda had inflated the numbers, so they to could gain international recognition and also monetary gains for the needed people seeking refuge there.

This was ghosting refugees and the ones fleeing wars in Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan. Where the majority of the refugees comes from. This was a real scandal, that shown how the authorities are using the misfortune of others to eat donor pledges and multi-national organizations supply of foreign currency. To facilitate food, shelter and other needed services for the ones living in the refugee camps and settlements.

Take a look at this:

The Government of Uganda has one of the most progressive refugee policies, allowing refugees and asylum-seekers to live in gazetted refugee settlements and exercise freedom of movement and settlement within the country. As a routine practice, the government has provided a grace period of two months within which any registered refugee and asylum-seeker who missed the exercise, can approach OPM for verification. Taking this into consideration, the above verification numbers are preliminary. A more detailed analysis will be undertaken after the grace period. The difference between the initial verification target stands at 352,643 individuals. Among those, 255,490 individuals were verified as inactive and closed for the following reasons: a) 158,533 individuals whose whereabouts are unknown as reported by family members; b) 34,174 were reported by their families to have returned to their countries of origin; c) 9,481 were identified to have registered more than once; e) 3,931 were reported deceased; f) 1,489 were closed as they were Ugandan nationals; and (g) a verification exercise by OPM in April 2018 confirmed the urban refugee population to be 55,812” (UNHCR – ‘Joint statement by UNHCR and OPM on preliminary results of refugee verification exercise’ 08.11.2018).

So, the OPM and the National Resistance Movement (NRM) played this game with the lives of refugees and with the donor nations. Hoping to score more funding for non-existing refugees, getting funds and grants for people who never existed. That shows the devastation and extortion of the situation. When the ones in dire need and the ones in camp together with forged numbers are used in a scheme.

That is why the UPM and UNHCR had to do this exercise in the first place, as the lack of trust in the numbers. As they sky-rocketed and ballooned into ridiculous levels.

The OPM Refugee scandal of this years shows the value of oversight and due diligence, as the need to verify the numbers and the stats. That is why there is missing or ghosting over 352,000 people as refugees in Uganda. That shows how corrupt and how the state used the ability of refugees to take money from others.

Therefore, these sort of joint actions should happen often. To secure that the GoU and the OPM isn’t rigging the numbers in their favor. Peace.

South Sudan: SPLM/A-IO letter to Maj. Gen. Matata Frank Alikana – “Subject: Suspension from your duties as Governor of Yei River State and constitution of an Investigation Commitee to investigate your involvement in an alleged illegal act” (21.10.2018)

South Sudan: SPLM/A-IO – Dr. Riek Machar Statement on the Occasion of Peace Celebration in Juba (31.10.2018)

South Sudan: CTSAMVM Technical Committee Third Meeting, Khartoum, Sudan (24.10.2018)