UNMISS welcomes ratification of International human rights convenants in South Sudan (07.06.2019)

UNHCR warns of growing climate-related displacement in Somalia (05.06.2019)

An estimated 5.4 million people are likely to be food insecure by September.

GENEVA, Switzerland, June 5, 2019 -This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at today’s press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

Ahead of World Environment Day tomorrow, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is calling for urgent additional support to help people affected and displaced by drought in Somalia.

Below average rains during the “Gu” (April-June 2019) and “Deyr” (October – December 2018) rainy seasons have caused worsening drought in many parts of the country. An estimated 5.4 million people are likely to be food insecure by September.

Some 2.2 million of these will be in severe conditions needing immediate emergency assistance unless aid is urgently scaled up.

The drought has also forced more than 49,000 people to flee their homes since the beginning of the year as they search for food, water, aid and work mostly in urban areas. People who are already displaced because of conflict and violence are also affected by the drought, at times disproportionally.

More than 7,000 people were displaced last month alone.

Three main regions of Somalia – South Central, Puntland and Somaliland – have been affected, despite marginal to average rains and flash flooding in some regions. The worst affected areas include the Sanaag, Sool, Awdal, Bari, Nugaal, Mudug, Galgadud, Hiran regions of the country.

The latest drought comes just as the country was starting to recover from a drought in 2016 to 2017 that led to the displacement inside Somalia of over a million people. Many remain in a protracted state of displacement.

UNHCR and humanitarian partners fear that severe climatic conditions combined with armed conflict and protracted displacement could push the country into a far bigger humanitarian emergency. Decades of climatic shocks and conflict have left more than 2.6 million people internally displaced.

To avert a humanitarian crisis, aid agencies launched a Drought Response Plan on 20 May, appealing for US$710.5 million to provide life-saving assistance to 4.5 million people affected by the drought. To date this is 20 per cent funded.

UNHCR has been working with partners and government agencies to assist those affected and displaced by the drought by providing emergency assistance in some of the most affected areas.

Worldwide, weather-related hazards, including storms, cyclones, floods, droughts, wildfires and landslides displaced 16.1 million people last year alone.

With climate change amplifying the frequency and intensity of sudden disasters, such as hurricanes, floods and tornados, and contributing to more gradual environmental phenomena, such as drought and rising sea levels, it is expected to drive even more displacement in the future.

UNHCR is calling for more international action to prevent climate-related disasters, scale up efforts to strengthen resilience and to protect people affected by climate change using all available legal frameworks.

IMF: South Sudan is in a deep economic crisis!

The International Monetary Fund has today released their press release on the economic and financial crisis, which is there. The IMF is really stating the facts, the dire needs of the state and the need for reform. Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU) really has a lot of work to fix this. South Sudan needs peace to fix this and not more civil war. However, what the IMF is stating is really vital to fix the economy.

The Republic of South Sudan needs some serious revamp of the economy when the IMF state it like this. Clearly, the government has more than enough on its plate, but they surely has to focus to get this in order. That shows the pressure on the state to get it fixed.

Take a look!

South Sudan is in a deep economic crisis. Economic conditions have deteriorated rapidly since the beginning of the civil conflict in late 2013. Real GDP is estimated to have declined by 2.4 percent in 2017/18 adding to a cumulated decline of about 24 percent in the last three years. Overall, real disposable income (adjusted for terms of trade) is estimated to have declined by about 70 percent since independence in 2011, contributing to an increase in poverty headcount ratio from 50 percent in 2012 to about 82 percent in 2016” (…) “Fiscal policy has been weakened by the loss of fiscal discipline, deteriorating public financial management, and contracting of non-transparent oil advances, which have increased corruption vulnerabilities” (…) “The banking sector is yet to recover from the adverse effects of the civil conflict, high inflation and strong currency depreciation. Consequently, many domestic banks are heavily undercapitalized and face rising non-performing loans” (International Monetary Fund – ‘IMF Country Report No. 19/153 REPUBLIC OF SOUTH SUDAN 2019 ARTICLE IV CONSULTATION—PRESS RELEASE; STAFF REPORT; AND STATEMENT BY THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH SUDAN’ 04.06.2019).

We are seeing now what is at stake for the government in Juba to fix and ensure that they get to stabilize the economy, as well as finalizing the peace-agreements. So, that the public get enough peace to get the banking sector working, the financial markets running and possibly stop the economic crisis. Which has only been made worse by high inflation, strong currency depreciation and grand corruption. All of this has to get in order and get corporate governance, and financial statutes to safeguard the economy.

This will not happen over night, but the IMF is really warning in their press release and in their staff report. I just showed the gist of it. But it wasn’t positive.

To end with a few final statements from the Executive Board Assessment: “Directors observed, however, that the country is facing a deep economic and humanitarian crisis, and underscored the importance of decisively implementing key reforms to restore macroeconomic stability, strengthen economic buffers, improve governance, and rebuild credibility with the international community” (IMF, 04.06.2019). Peace.

Somalia: Galmudug State Calls for Urgent Meeting of Presidents of the Federal Member States of Somalia (04.06.2019)

Community of Bur and herdsmen resolve to share pastures and water in dry seasons (31.05.2019)

The feuding communities resolved to share pastures and water points and buried their differences.

JUBA, South Sudan, May 31, 2019 –  We have agreed together to hold anyone that will cause conflict between us accountable, like thieves of goats and cattle,” said Oburak Alex, the landlord of Bur who oversees all traditional rituals and land ownership disputes in the area.

The Bur community in Eastern Equatoria has frequently voiced concerns over aggressive behaviours displayed by pastoralists from Torit East. Incidents of rape, elopement, adultery and destroying crops by letting cattle graze on farm lands, are among the transgressions that have upset the people of Bur.

With indications that violence may have been about to escalate, the Civil Affairs Division of the United Nations in South Sudan decided to support an inter-communal forum aimed at resolving conflicts and strengthen traditional mechanisms to address disputes.

At the end of the two-day get-together, the feuding communities resolved to share pastures and water points and buried their differences, but with a few caveats.

“We are ready to receive them again and give them land to graze for their cattle to graze, but they [the herdsmen] have to come with their wives,” said John Okori Obi, one of the youth representatives in Bur, stressing the importance of immediately implementing the resolution agreed on to put an end to adulterous behaviour.

It was also decided that ambulating pastoralists will communicate their intended movements and appoint someone to speak on their behalf should crimes be committed.

“What you have done is commendable, so we encourage you to implement the resolutions,” said Leah Chan, a representative of the UNMISS civil affairs division in Torit.

South Sudan: UN Arms embargoed renewed, but will it make a difference?

Well, I beg to question if the United Nations Security Council Arms Embargo on the Republic of South Sudan is functional enough or even good enough implemented. As there are already well known facts that a foreign force is on its soil, without the needed mandate. This being the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF). The same army known for exporting arms, training SSDF/SPLA or the government army itself.

That is why I have little faith in the Arms Embargo. Not that I don’t want to see peace and prosperity in the Republic. To the contrary, that is what I want to see, but with the War-Lords, the tensions and the postponement of implementation of the recent Peace Agreement. You can wonder if this is yet another false-flag operation. Since there are little or no movement into peaceful territory.

There been some ceasing of violence, killings and rapes, but its still there. There is still questionable attacks on IDPs and others. Therefore, the army itself and the militias are still pursuing supremacy. It is just a matter of time, before something blows up. Like it did in the last go-around when tanks started moving in the middle of Juba and Dr. Riek Machar had to flee to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

That is why I am sceptical of a renewed arms embargo, as the porous borders to Chad, Uganda and Ethiopia gives way to further import questionable arms and ammunition. As long as there is possible use of petrodollar for that. It will happen, even if we wished it otherwise. To be spent on roads, schools and hospitals. Alas, that is not the case.

We can play around with fun and games, but when IGAD, CSTAM, JMEC and AMISOM are all there, but still not able to find the way through the hurdles. There are so many organizations and people eager for the spoils. You can wonder if they are playing for themselves or for their communities. You can wonder if they really believed in this peace process or only see it again, as a temporary cease-fire. Which I am afraid it might be, because the interests and the parties involved are very slow in implementing the vital parts of the agreement. Even trying to use US Lobbyist to not pursuit it even.

That is why the UN Arms Embargo is good in theory, but not in practice. Because, it seems splendid on paper, but as long as the UPDF get a hold and get products across borders. As long as there are options from elsewhere. The unregistered arms will end up in the battlefield. Because, someone wants to profit of the hurt. Peace.

South Sudan: Letter to all Hotel Managers in Juba – “Ref: Revising the letter of Notification for Termination of NPTC Members Accommodation” (27.05.2019)

Somalia: Puntland Government Policy Statement on Failed Political Negotiations in Somalia (21.05.2019)

South Sudan: The Upper Nile Regional Conference – Communique (26.05.2019)

UNMISS and partners aim to de-militarize civilian facilities; improve conditions for returns in Upper Nile (24.05.2019)

South Sudan People Defense Forces evacuating Kodok Secondary School 20th May 2019. “I hand it officially to the ministry of education witnessed by the Acting governor, head of Child Protection in UNMISS and other organizations and my colleagues, said happily the Division II Commander Majior General Akol Majok on May 20th 2019 at Kodok State. Adding that “this school is for all of us, it’s for our children and citizens. As far as education is concern, we must make sure that our children has gone back to school, because school is one of the pillars of the country.” UN Photo: Isaac Billy

Some community members in the Upper Nile area have said they do not feel safe to return to their home areas.

JUBA, South Sudan, May 24, 2019 –  The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and partners are working with military commanders and government officials to create a safe and secure environment for displaced people to return home, including by demilitarizing civilian installations such as schools and hospitals in the Upper Nile area.

“We are now looking at key areas and activities. On Monday we are going to Kodok, looking at demilitarizing the places the military occupied during the fighting in the last five years,” said Hazel De Wet Head of the UNMISS Field Office in Malakal.

“This will contribute to building trust and understanding for displaced people, that it’s now safe to return to their places of origin,” said Ms De Wet. some community members in the Upper Nile area, especially those living in the UN protection site, have said they do not feel safe to return to their home areas, which are currently occupied by the military.

Recently, several representatives of the displaced people from the UN protection site were taken by UNMISS to the Shilluk King in Fashoda on a “go and see” visit so that, on return to the site in Malakal, they can inform their peers about the conditions in their home areas, which they have not been able to visit for the last five years.

“They are going to stay with the king from the 16th to the 20th of May, and we will be able to facilitate another transportation for them so that they come back to Malakal,” said Braima Keikura from UNMISS’ Relief, Reintegration and Protection Section, who led the team to the king, explaining the significance of the visit.

Creating a safe and secure environment is a major element for returns, and a solution-based working group headed by UNHCR – the UN refugee agency – and key substantive components of UNMISS have developed principle guidelines for this.

“This is the first organized visit to the king. The king is in support and the last time I saw him, he requested support for his subjects to come back,” said Ms. Dewet.

Ms. Dewet pointed out that displaced people had raised concerns about the absence of the services they have been receiving in UN protection sites in their places of origin.

However, she said humanitarian partners were looking at that and they had taken intent surveys and held focus-group discussions on how to scale up their services in the various places that communities have identified as target areas of return.

“Managing expectations of each household in terms of return and what they can expect once they return is a difficult task,” said Ms. De Wet.

She appealed to the international community, including donors, to help returning communities with early recovery intervention efforts to make them self-reliant.