


South Sudan: On the Interview with H.E. Festus Mogae, Former President of Botswana and Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission on BBC Focus on Africa and Miraya FM Dated 10.01.2017 (13.02.2017)







They expressed deep alarm that more than 84,000 individuals have fled South Sudan since the beginning of January and that many continue to be displaced internally.
WASHINGTON D.C., United States of America, February 13, 2017 -The members of the Security Council strongly condemned continued fighting across South Sudan, particularly incidents in the Equatoria and Upper Nile regions of South Sudan and called on all parties to cease hostilities immediately. The members of the Security Council also condemned in the strongest terms all attacks directed against civilians and expressed serious concern that, once again, there are reports of killing of civilians, sexual and gender-based violence, destruction of homes, ethnic violence, and looting of livestock and property. The members of the Security Council urged the Transitional Government of National Unity to take measures to ensure that those responsible for the attacks are held accountable. They expressed deep alarm that more than 84,000 individuals have fled South Sudan since the beginning of January and that many continue to be displaced internally.
The members of the Security Council stressed the primacy of the political process and that there is no military solution to the conflict and reminded all parties in South Sudan that implementation of the ceasefire is critical for the success of any genuine, inclusive political process, including national dialogue, and that such a process should be based on the framework provided by the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (the Agreement) and aimed at achieving national reconciliation and enhancing the trust among parties in South Sudan. They reiterated their call on all stakeholders to commit to full implementation of the Agreement.
In this regard, they welcomed the continued and collective commitment in the search for lasting peace, security and stability expressed by the African Union (AU), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), and the United Nations (UN) during the joint consultative meeting on South Sudan in Addis Ababa on January 29, 2017. The members of the Security Council committed to work closely with IGAD, the AU High Representative for South Sudan former President Alpha Oumar Konare, the Chairperson of the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission former President Festus Mogae, and the UN Secretary-General in support of the South Sudan peace process.
The members of the Security Council expressed appreciation for UNMISS’s tenacity in its efforts to carry out its protection of civilians mandate and expressed deep concern that UNMISS continues to face obstacles from the Transitional Government of National Unity hindering the ability of UNMISS to carry out its mandate to protect civilians and create conditions conducive to delivery of humanitarian assistance. The members of the Security Council reminded the Transitional Government of National Unity of its commitment in the September 4, 2016, Joint Communique to permit freedom of movement of UNMISS and expressed deep disappointment that the Transitional Government of National Unity continues to act inconsistently with this commitment and its obligations under the Status of Forces Agreement with the United Nations.
The members of the Security Council reiterated that targeting civilians may constitute war crimes and those involved could be subject to sanctions as authorized under resolution 2206 (2015) for actions that threaten the peace, security or stability of South Sudan.





On an internal United Nations memo from 6th February 2017, there been stating this that United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) have described a certain interesting scenario:
“On 23 and 24.1.2017, while being Kenya, two prominent SPLM-IO officials from Akobo area disappeared under unclear circumstances. Kenyan Authorities have been accused of detaining with the intention to repatriating them. Pro SPLA IO Mass Media speculates that the two officials were secretly transported and delivered to South Sudan Government” (UNHAS Ross Aviation Security Notice, 2017).
So the story between South Sudan and the Kenyan authorities continues, as both governments have claimed in different times to have citizens behind bars. Like Kenyan civil activists ask for freeing Kenyan Nationals in South Sudan, the same is now known and even in internal note inside the UN and their agencies.
Because of this the UNHAS also decided:
“UNHAS International Staff, Operators & users, WFP Security & WFP Country Office advice to inform all Kenyan citizens to be cautious while travelling/deployed to/from IO areas” (UNHAS Ross Aviation Security Notice, 2017).
If this is true, than the SPLM-IO are targeting not only SPLM/A, but also Kenyan citizens that are part of the UNMISS mission in the republic. That says a lot of the rebellion and their target of anyone who isn’t them. As the SPLM-IO will therefore give it all to create fear and control their areas. As even UNMISS and blue helmet personnel could easily be taken by the IO.
As the note continue:
“UNHAS users are advised to analyse the necessity to risks of sending or keeping Kenyan citizens in the field, in IO areas and especially Akobo” (UNHAS Ross Aviation Security Notice, 2017).
So the UNHAS are clear that the Kenyan part of the mission should not be extended to areas that involves the IO as the fear and the risk of disappearing from the mission there. The UNHAS will also do this to make sure things goes as smooth as possible:
“If Kenyan citizens are to be transported out of IO areas UNHAS will solve these requests as a matter of priority” (UNHAS Ross Aviation Security Notice, 2017).
So we can see that the Kenyan nationals are now a priority and main objective for the UNHAS as part of the UNMISS mission, as the fear of disappearing citizens, the SPLM-IO are really showing their objective to control and spread fear in their regions of control, so the UN Humanitarian Air Service has to secure their transport out of there. This is a further proof of the fragile and the lack of rule of law in the regions under SPLM-IO regime. It is worrying not only for Kenyan, but as much for the South Sudanese themselves. As this is a proof of the grand issues in the state itself. This wouldn’t be an issue if there we’re peace and was honouring of the latest peace-agreement by both parties. Peace.

The Drought Situation
The Horn of Africa is in the midst of a major drought resulting from La Niña and reduced moisture influx due to the cooling of the ocean water in the east African coast. Whilst Member States of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) are adept at managing droughts, what makes the current drought alarming in the Equatorial Greater Horn of Africa (GHA) region is that it follows two consecutive poor rainfall seasons in 2016 and the likelihood of depressed rainfall persisting into the March – May 2017 rainfall season remains high. The most affected areas include, most of Somalia, South-eastern Ethiopia, Northern Eastern and coastal Kenya, and Northern Uganda.
The climate predictions and early warnings produced by IGAD through advanced scientific modeling and prediction tools, which were provided to Member States and the general public, have elicited early actions (preparedness and mitigation measures). Highly comparable to the 2010 GHA drought, the current depressed rainfall and resultant poor vegetation conditions since March 2016 eroded the coping and adaptive capacities of the affected people. It also depleted water points, reduced crops, forages and livestock production, increased food insecurity, and adversely affected the livelihoods of vulnerable communities in the region.
The number of food insecure human population in the region is currently estimated at 17 million. Certain areas in South Sudan and Djibouti are already under an emergency food insecurity phase, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) classification scale. In Somalia, the number of food insecure people doubled in the last year alone.
In the drought affected cropping lands (over Deyr area in Somalia and coastal Kenya), 70 to 100 percent crop failure has been registered. Livestock mortality has been particularly devastating amongst small ruminants with mortality rate ranging from 25 to 75 percent in the cross border areas of Somalia-Kenya-Ethiopia. In addition, livestock prices have dropped by as much as 700 percent.
Terms of trade have declined in the region, with Ethiopia registering a figure of almost 10 percent. This is exacerbated by a substantial negative impact on external balances, as well as a small impact on financial sector-soundness in the other countries. The overall impact on fiscal positions is a likely increase in current budget spending and deterioration in the fiscal balance and weak adaptation capacity.
Despite the downtrend in global agriculture commodity prices, the drought has resulted in an increase in domestic food prices in the region. Cereal prices (e.g. maize) have gone up by about 130 percent, while those of critical food items such as oils, beans and wheat flour increased by at least 50 percent in some pastoralist areas. The limited financial and institutional capacity for effective adaptation to reduce exposure and vulnerability will result in limited safety net to the most vulnerable households.
Drought Response in the Horn of Africa
With the early warning and technical assistance provided by IGAD, Member States have initiated early action to mitigate the adverse impact of the current drought.
Somalia and South Sudan have declared drought emergencies. Kenya announced a doubling of expenditure on food relief to ease the pressure in the drought-affected counties, while Uganda shifted some of its development resources to finance emergency response in order to address food insecurity and livelihood protection. In Somalia, the President of the Federal Republic, as well as state and regional administrations led the issuance of appeals for support and coordinated actors and efforts that scaled-up food security activities to respond to the humanitarian needs of the country.
The USD 730 million allocated by the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia boosted the response effort which, coupled by an above-average meher harvest, resulted to an almost 50 percent reduction in the number of food insecure people, for example, from 10.2 million to 5.6 million.
IGAD continues to reinforce the actions of its Member States using them as guide for complementary action on drought responses. Below are some of the major actions being undertaken by the IGAD Secretariat and its specialized institutions to manage the drought in the region:
Through the IGAD Drought Disaster Resilience and Sustainability Initiative (IDDRSI) Platform, the ultimate purpose and objective of IGAD and its Member States is to mitigate the adverse effects of disasters through building resilience of relevant national institutions, communities and people, to end drought emergencies and contribute to the achievement of sustainable development in the region.
In this regard, IGAD will remain vigilant in monitoring and advising the people of the region on the drought situation through its’ specialized institution, the IGAD Climate Prediction and Application Centre (ICPAC) domiciled in Nairobi, and shall continue to support and complement regional and national actions on drought response and recovery.

On 8 February, UNMISS received reports of hostilities between the government SPLA and opposition forces in Owachi and Tonga, Panyinkang County.
JUBA, South Sudan, February 9, 2017 -Fighting in the west bank of the River Nile in the north of South Sudan has reached what the head of the UN mission in the country (UNMISS), David Shearer has described as “worrying proportions.”
What began with an exchange of fire between SPLA and Aguelek opposition forces, has expanded geographically. Military resupplies have since been observed arriving in the area.
Humanitarian workers have been evacuated and aid is not being provided
On 8 February, UNMISS received reports of hostilities between the government SPLA and opposition forces in Owachi and Tonga, Panyinkang County.
Military operations on the west bank of the Nile river are taking place in an area where people, predominantly from the Shilluk ethnic group live, forcing people out of their homes.
The town of Wau Shilluk town is now reported to be deserted.
Humanitarian workers have been evacuated and aid is not being provided.






