Burundi: World Bank to finance the [Insignificant] NKURIZA

On Friday 20th September 2019, the World Bank forwarded an advance to start the Nkuriza or the Advance Agreement for Preparation of Proposed Investing in Early Years and Fertility Project Project Preparation Advance No. V2270-BI. The letter of the advance was sent to Minister of Finance, Budget and Development Planning Domitien Ndihokubwayo.

Clearly, the World Bank has been planning this project with the authorities for over a long time. Where they want to help the people of Burundi and the get the fertility rate down. Also, secure the food and nutrition in the 6 provinces of the Republic. What is also striking, the minimal advance of $350,000 USD is going to see the progress of the project and the International Development Association (IDA) going to later give a grant of $30m USD.

The World Bank knows how this regime is going about. So the WB is dropping funds and granting funds to them, as they are going into elections and having a project, which isn’t that viable. The idea and the possible plans of is ideal, but the own documentation proves that they don’t believe it themselves.

Expectation from the World Bank:

This overall project is classified as a category “B” given that activities are not expected to produce any large-scale, significant, and/or irreversible impacts” (World Bank, 30.08.2019).

Where and what:

The main project beneficiaries will consist of children under-two and women of reproductive age in 6 provinces (Bubanza, Cankuzo, Cibitoke, Kirundo, Makamba and Muyinga) to reach them in the critical 1,000day window of opportunity, as most cognitive and physical development occur between conception and two years of age. Interventions related to FP will focus on both women of reproductive age and men. Other beneficiaries will include adolescent girls to reach women early and to improve their health and nutrition status prior to entering their reproductive health years. The poorest households will benefit from improvements in access to water, hygiene, sanitation and small-scale agriculture interventions” (World Bank, 30.08.2019).

What it will do:

(a) Carry out a program of technical assistance to: (i) develop Project related safeguards

instruments; (ii) study the determinants of chronic malnutrition and high fertility in project areas; (iii) develop a food composition database; (iv) undertake institutional and capacity building needs

assessments; and (v) prepare a Project implementation manual.

(b) Workshops between religious leaders and the Ministry of Health and Fight against HIV/AIDS” (World Bank, 20.09.2019).

So, its not that expect anything out of it. The project itself is positive and the needs for it surely there. However, I get automatically sceptical, when the organization donating to it, doesn’t think it will give any results. That is why you can wonder, why does the IDA grant possibly these funds and why will the WB give an advance in the first place?

Shouldn’t the same organization give funds to other projects, which is classified in another bracket, where they actually think it will have effect and get results. I understand, also that this sort of projects is hard to establish the possible results or the change in society. However, if they believe in this sort of activity. I would be as sceptical anywhere, because this seems like they are testing out something random and hoping they are able to make a difference.

In addition, they will be lucky if that happens. Since, they are not anticipating this to be the remedy. So, in one way it giving money down a wishing well, hoping someone see their prayer. Peace.

Burundi: Mouvement pour la Solidarite et la Democratie (MSD) – Communique (18.09.2019)

Statement of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General David Shearer Briefing to the Security Council on South Sudan, 18 September 2019 (18.09.2019)

Uganda-Rwanda Tensions Part XII: Communique (16.09.2019)

IGAD: Encouraging Progress in South Sudan (12.09.2019)

(September 12, 2019, JUBA, South Sudan) The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) is pleased with the positive progress in the implementation of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan.

The face – to – face meeting between H.E President Salva Kiir Mayardit and the First Vice President-Designate, H.E Dr. Riek Machar Teny that resulted in a way forward on pending Security Arrangements issues, is a significant step in the right direction.

“The remaining critical tasks of the agreement can only be completed with unity and compromise. The mood in Juba is very encouraging. It is feasible to form a unity government in November 2019,” said Ambassador Ismail Wais, the Special Envoy of IGAD for South Sudan.

“We call on the non-signatory groups to come in from the cold and join the nation-building and solutions,” Ambassador Wais added.

IGAD reiterates its commitment and support of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS).

We call on the International Community and the friends of South Sudan to support the positive momentum and expedite their support for the completion of the remaining critical tasks.

IGAD commends President Salva Kiir Mayardit for his leadership to broker a peace deal between the rebels and the government in the Republic of Sudan. It is clear demonstration of the potential role South Sudan can play in the security of the region.

Uganda-Rwanda Tensions XI: Deportation in Respect of 32 Rwandans INV/357/19 (12.09.2019)

The Judiciary: Re-arrest of Kaweesi murder suspects was high-handed (12.09.2019)

Uganda-Rwanda Tensions Part X: Meeting of the Ad Hoc Commisson for the Implementation of Memorandum of Understanding of Luanda between Republic of Uganda and Republic of Rwanda (12.09.2019)

African Council of Religious Leaders – Revive faith in the peace process: One year on from peace deal, African religious leaders urge East African leaders to take action for peace (12.09.2019)

South Sudan: One year after peace deal, violence and humanitarian needs haven’t decreased (11.09.2019)

A statement from James Reynolds, ICRC’s head of delegation in South Sudan, on the situation in the country one year after the signing of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan.

JUBA, South Sudan, September 11, 2019 – One year after the signing of the peace deal, violence is still pervasive in South Sudan, as clashes between communities threaten lives and the fragile stability.

Surgical teams from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) continue to treat a large number of patients with gunshot wounds, while needs of the most affected communities remain high. Redoubled efforts are needed to bring a durable peace.

The number of patients with injuries from violence admitted to our surgical units have increased since the signing of the peace deal. From October 2017 to June 2018, 526 patients were admitted, mostly with gunshot wounds. The same period a year later (October 2018 to June 2019) we had 688, an increase of nearly 25 percent. In only one week in April, the ICRC evacuated by air 39 patients with weapon wounds to a hospital we support, forcing us to increase the number of beds in the unit by a third to accommodate the needs.

Violence is also impacting health centres. ICRC teams have collected information on 24 incidents in which facilities were looted or staff threatened since the signing of the peace deal, and this data may only reflect part of the incidents affecting health structures and personnel. In a country where so few health care facilities are functioning after decades of war and under-development, the closure of even one clinic means entire communities go without care, turning preventable, treatable diseases deadly.

The last year has also seen little improvement for most South Sudanese. There are more people facing food insecurity today in the country than at any point since the armed conflict between government forces and the opposition started more than five years ago. People are living in limbo, and recent clashes in some parts of the country, such as Equatoria, continue to displace thousands of people who are then unable to harvest their crops and instead rely on humanitarian aid.

Families have been torn apart by decades of conflict. Today, the ICRC is searching for more than 4,200 South Sudanese whose relatives have reported them as missing. Tragically, with four million South Sudanese still displaced inside the country and across its borders, the number of people who do not know where their loved ones are is likely much higher. Knowing the fate of their missing relatives would offer many South Sudanese the opportunity to move on.

The ICRC has been in South Sudan since its independence in 2011. We also served the needs of South Sudanese during the Sudan’s long war. We can say through firsthand experience that it is impossible to exaggerate the toll that decades of war, violence and uncertainty have had on communities.

It is our hope that the peace deal holds. The return to full-scale conflict in South Sudan could mean that civilians are again exposed to deliberate attacks and displacement, despite being protected under international law.

However, even if today’s current conditions hold, the levels of violence in South Sudan between communities, made possible by the easy access to guns in the country, will continue to threaten the peace and stability that South Sudanese need to recover and rebuild a country that has largely only known war.