





SPLM/A-IO: The Resolution of the SPLM/SPLA(IO) Political Bureau Meeting September 20-23, 2016, Khartoum, Sudan.












“Africa’s youngest nation is in turmoil. Tens of thousands of South Sudan’s citizens are living in refugee camps, fleeing from a conflict instigated by their leaders. Tens of thousands lie dead in different parts of this young nation. In contrast, many of South Sudan’s leaders and their families live in comfort in the capital cities of surrounding countries. South Sudan’s journalists could be telling the world these and other important stories about their country, but many of them have fled as well, fearing the state oppression that came with the war. Our cameraman Elijah Kanyi spoke to a few of them who made it out of South Sudan to Uganda” (Africa Uncensored, 2016).
“Ethiopia has issued warnings with regards to former South Sudan first Vice President Riek Machar visit. It says Machar’s only welcome to the country on a temporary basis. The Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalgen was quoted in an interview saying, Ethiopia will not entertain leader of an armed struggle. According to Hailemariam, Machar, will only be allowed to pass through Ethiopia in his travels. The former South Sudanese first Vice president was recently replaced by Taban deng Gai. This came after he left Juba following violence in July. He is currently in Sudan” (CCTV Africa, 2016)

21 September 2016 – Addressing the United Nations General Assembly, the Vice-President of Kenya today implored the UN Security Council to align the mandate of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) to the threat levels in that neighbouring country, and to provide adequate, predictable funding and other support for the Mission.
“For the last two and half decades, the region has been seized with the situation in Somalia,” Vice-President William Ruto said. “Throughout this time, Kenya has stood with Somalia, provided a safe haven for refugees, joined peacekeeping missions, and invested resources in combating al-Shabaab and its affiliates.”
This solidarity has helped to substantially weaken the al-Shabaab militant group, liberated large swathes of land in Somalia and provided the space for its Government to begin the journey of rehabilitation and reconstruction, he explained.
On its part, Kenya has committed to $10 million in new funds to support the safe, dignified and orderly repatriation of the more than 400,000 Somali refugees in Kenya. “Sadly, the efforts of the region and Somalia’s neighbours have not been matched by the international community,” he stated.
Instead of supporting regional activities, the European Union this year cut support for AMISOM by 20 per cent. Despite repeated appeals, the UN Security Council has failed to provide adequate, predictable funding, as well as force multipliers for AMISOM.
“I once again implore members of the Security Council to take this matter seriously and align the mandate of AMISOM to the threat levels in Somalia on land, air and sea,” he said.
On South Sudan, Vice-President Ruto said that Kenya, as a guarantor of the 2005 comprehensive peace agreement and the 2015 Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict, has been spearheading the search for sustainable peace, continues to invest significantly in efforts to build peace.
Echoing an earlier statement made by Ghana’s President, Mr. Ruto said that Africa accounted for only three per cent of global trade. Meanwhile, Africa’s population is set to surpass that of India and China combined by 2050. “Unless the trade imbalance is reversed as a matter of urgency, this will accentuate vulnerability, poverty, risk of insecurity and instability for both Africa and the rest of the world,” he said.
In the pursuit of sustainable solutions to global challenges, Kenya hosted the UN Environmental Assembly in May, the 14th session of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in July, and the Sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD VI) in August. Kenya will also host the second high-level meeting of the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation in Nairobi later this year.
As the current chair of the UN Peacebuilding Commission, Kenya has been at the forefront of advocating for a new peacebuilding architecture for sustainable peace throughout the world, he said, drawing attention to a pledging conference Kenya will co-host later today to boost the Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund.
“For us the message is clear: If we are ever to enjoy a peaceful world for all, we cannot invest any less in peacebuilding than we do in peacekeeping,” he said.

KISMAAYO, 19 September 2016 – Jubbaland authorities, the United Nations and other key international partners have agreed to form a joint committee to address the humanitarian needs of returnees from the Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya.
The Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia Peter de Clercq led a delegation consisting of representatives of UN agencies, the World Bank and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation who met today with Jubbaland’s second deputy President Abdulkadir Haji Mohamud-Luga Dhere to discuss the reintegration of returnees. The meeting also addressed durable solutions for internally displaced persons living in Kismaayo town.
“We just spent a very important mission here, to discuss with the Jubbaland authorities the return and reintegration of refugees from Dadaab, but at the same time, also durable solutions that include the internally displaced persons, as well as the host communities that have to bear the burden of these big challenges that are coming at them. We have had very good discussions, we will have continued co-operation.We will have a coordination committee that will be based here in Kismaayo, where we will discuss concrete programmes that we will go to the donors with, to increase our co-operation with Jubbaland authorities, to increase activities around the reintegration of displaced persons and of refugees,” said Mr. de Clercq.
The Jubbaland second deputy President expressed satisfaction with the talks, which he said also discussed the initiation of development projects in Jubbaland.
“We are very pleased with the outcome of our discussions. I thank the United Nations for their assistance to the people of Jubbaland. I welcome any other organizations working on humanitarian aid in Jubbaland region to work with us. Jubbaland is ready to develop its people and to improve on the security situation, develop policies that impact positively on our people,” Mr. Dhere stated.
Earlier, Mr. de Clercq handed over two vehicles to the Jubbaland Minister of Justice, Constitution and Religious Affairs, Mr. Adan Ibrahim Aw-Hersi, that were donated by the United Nations Development Programme.


The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) notes with concern recent accusations made by the SPLA of UNMISS of supposedly fostering criminal activity and harbouring armed elements in the UN protection of civilians (PoC) site in Juba.
The Mission would like to clarify the circumstances surrounding one incident which took place on Friday 16 September. At approximately 6 o’clock in the morning small arms fire could be heard coming from the vicinity of a checkpoint, manned by South Sudan National Police Service (SSNPS), located North West of the protection site. On being informed by the SSNPS that the checkpoint was under attack, UNMISS deployed a Quick Reaction Force to prevent the perpetrators from entering the POC site. The attackers withdrew from the checkpoint and, later in the morning, SPLA forces deployed to secure the area.
In the early hours of the morning on Friday 9 September, a similar incident occurred and again, following notification by the SSNPS, UNMISS responded. On this occasion, medical assistance was rendered to a wounded SSNPS officer.
UNMISS acknowledges and appreciates the professionalism of the SSNPS and SPLA forces who engaged constructively with UNMISS during these recent incidents to ensure security in this area. UNMISS continues to coordinate proactively with those at the checkpoint to deter and prevent any future insecurity.
UNMISS rejects the allegations of impropriety in our operations, and in keeping with the UN mandate on protection of civilians, and the impartial nature of our actions; we would like to report that Thursday afternoon two SPLA soldiers in plain clothes entered POC3, where they were assaulted and held captive overnight. When UNMISS UN police were notified, a formed police unit deployed immediately and conducted a successful rescue operation. The individuals informed UNMISS they had entered into PoC3 at their own free will, and after receiving medical assistance by UNMISS force; the two were handed over to National Authorities.
The mission conducts regular cordon and search operations in all of its PoC sites, in keeping with its arms free policy, and have clear entry and exit procedures. Since the July clashes, search operations have been increased in the Juba PoC site and have yielded positive results.
UNMISS condemns the continuing violence, and calls on all parties to respect the ceasefire agreement, to allow the country to move forward and put personal and political differences aside.
The UN can only work with the cooperation of the Transitional Government to reinforce the protection of civilians.



“The number of South Sudanese refugees sheltering in neighboring countries has passed the 1 million mark. With this milestone, South Sudan joins Syria, Afghanistan and Somalia as countries which have produced more than a million refugees. Most of the recent arrivals have crossed into Uganda. Aid agencies are finding it difficult to provide assistance for the hundreds of thousands in need, including the 1.61 million internally displaced. UNICEF is now warning that without funding and support, it will continue to provide assistance only to the needy” (CCTV Africa, 2016)