February 21, 2021 (KHARTOUM) - The transitional government in Khartoum took measures to address the inflationary effects of the Sudanese pound floating, said Finance Minister Gibril Ibrahim. The Central Bank of Sudan on Sunday liberalized the Sudanese pound saying its prince will be determined by the exchange rate in the forex market. "The decision has an inflationary effect, but the government took all needed measures that would stabilize and improve the exchange rate of the national (...) - News / FRONT_PAGE_DISPLAY

February 22, 2021 (JUBA) - South Sudan has commenced formation of the state governments with the Central Equatoria, raising hopes such a move will restore presence of the government at lower-level structures mired and marred in perennial communal feuds. On Friday last week, President Salva Kiir issued a republican order for advisers, state ministers, county commissioners and chairpersons for state commissions. The order saw 17 ministers, five advisers, six chairpersons for Independent (...) - News / Politics, South Sudan, FRONT_PAGE_SECONDARY

February 21, 2021 (KHARTOUM) The SPLM-N led by Abdel Aziz al-Hilu Sunday reiterated its rejection of the Juba Agreement for peace in Sudan, saying the government has no will to reach peace. The holdout group demands to include the relation between the state and religion in the peace talks as the government seems reluctant to concede to this request. In a statement issued on Sunday, the SPLM-N al-Hilu dismissed news reports in Khartoum saying they would join the peace deal struck by the (...) - News

February 21, 2021 (JUBA) - The Jieng (Dinka) Council of Elders has demanded that South Sudan President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar step aside for failing to lead to the country. The Jieng Council of Elders (JCE) is comprised of members of government, lawmakers and political supporters of President Kiir. “Way Forward is for them to step aside because President Kiir and Dr. Riek Machar symbolizes failure of leadership and political deadlock. Addressing this dual problem (...) - News / South Sudan, Politics, FRONT_PAGE_SECONDARY

February 19, 2021 (ADDIS ABABA) - Ethiopia and South Sudan on Saturday signed a military cooperation agreement between the two countries. The agreement was signed by the Ethiopian army chiefs of staff, Gen. Berhanu Jula and his South Sudan counterpart, Gen. Johnson Juma Okot. The signing ceremony, according to the National Defense Force website, was held at the conclusion of the 11th joint chiefs of staff meeting of the two countries held in Addis Ababa. The agreement includes exchange (...) - News / Military, Ethiopia, South Sudan, FRONT_PAGE_SECONDARY

February 21, 2021 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's central bank on Sunday floated the local currency saying its price will be fixed by the exchange rate in the local forex market. The dollar was selling for about 380 Sudanese pounds in cash transactions, as the official rate was at 55 to the dollar. «Banks are required to announce currency exchange rates based on supply and demand in the market,» said the Bank of Sudan in a circular issued on Sunday. The central bank further said in a separate (...) - News / FRONT_PAGE_DISPLAY

February 20, 2021 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese government has strongly rejected accusations that its military component is serving the interest of a third country and alluded to the involvement of the Eritrean troops in the ongoing border dispute with Ethiopia. On Thursday, Ethiopia accused the Sudanese army of seeking to plunge Sudan into border war serving the interests of a «third country», alluding to Egypt which is opposed to the construction of a giant dam in Ethiopia that may threaten (...) - News / FRONT_PAGE_DISPLAY, Ethiopia

February 19, 2021 (KHARTOUM) - The United States is assessing what role it can play to bring the three riparian countries to strike a deal over the filling and operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, said the new American administration on Friday. The United States, the European Union and the African Union are involved in the stalled process as observers. Washington even went to host two rounds of talks in 2019 without tangible result as Ethiopian missed the second round, (...) - News / FRONT_PAGE_SECONDARY, Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD)

February 19, 2021 (JUBA)- The Jieng Council of Elders (JCE) on Friday penned a scathing letter, describing President Salva Kiir and his First Deputy, Riek Machar, as a symbol of failed leadership and demanding they step aside. In a letter dated 19 February, the influential body of the Dinka traditional leader across South Sudan admitted that the leaders have contributed to achieving the independence of South Sudan but now they become an obstacle for democracy economic development, and (...) - News / FRONT_PAGE_DISPLAY

February 19, 2021 (KHARTOUM) - U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday appointed a new Senegalese female diplomat as deputy special representative of the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS). According to the UNITAMS Public Information office, Khardiata Lo N'Diaye will serve also as the United Nations Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator. "Ms Lo N'Diaye brings 35 years of experience in development, humanitarian assistance, women empowerment, (...) - News

February 19, 2021 (GEDAREF) - A Sudanese shepherd was killed on Friday by Ethiopian militiamen in the latest attack by Ethiopian forces on Al-Fashaqaof the state of Gedaref. On Friday, security sources told the Sudan Tribune correspondent in Gedaref state reported that Ethiopian militias penetrated the Basinda border locality, where they stopped shepherds in the Helat Khater area and seized a herd of cattle before to flee with into Ethiopian territory. The same sources confirmed that a (...) - News / FRONT_PAGE_SECONDARY, Ethiopia

February 18, 2021 (JUBA) - The United Nations humanitarian agency (OCHA) on Wednesday condemned last week's violent attack on aid workers delivering polio vaccines to South Sudan's Lakes state. In a statement, the UN humanitarian coordinator for South Sudan, Alain Noudehou said the attack which took place on February 14 at Malek in Lakes state, claimed three lives and left dozens injured. He said the attack occurred on a vehicle transporting a polio vaccination team and supplies from Rumbek (...) - News

February 18, 2021 (KHARTOUM) - The Ethiopian government accused the Sudanese army of seeking to plunge Sudan into a war against Ethiopia in the interest of a third country. In a new escalation with Sudan, the Ethiopian foreign ministry issued a statement on Wednesday condemning what its described as a «provocative behaviour», on the joint border warning that it will cause damage to the two countries. "The Ethiopian government strongly believes that the conflict being trumpeted by the (...) - News / Sudan, Ethiopia, FRONT_PAGE_DISPLAY

February 18, 2021 (KHARTOUM) - A South Sudanese rebel commander allied to the armed opposition faction (SPLM-IO) has rejected attempts to persuade him to join government, citing lack of trust. General Johnson Olony made the remarks during an exclusive interview with Sudan Tribune on Thursday. “They came to me, showered me with praising words and I listened to them. Finally, they said they want me to join them, to be a government supporter and be integrated into the government and be (...) - News / FRONT_PAGE_SECONDARY, South Sudan, South Sudan Peace Implementation

February 17, 2021 (KHARTOUM) - Fighters belonging to the Sudan Liberation Movement of Minni Minnawi (SLM-MM) arrived at cantonment sites in Khartoum state, as part of the security arrangements in the Juba peace agreement. The former rebel forces under the command of Juma Haggar, the SLA-MM chief of staff was welcomed by a Sudanese army general at a gathering site outside Omdurman district. The SLM-MM which posted a video about the arrival of their fighters to the Khartoum state did not (...) - News / FRONT_PAGE_SECONDARY, Democratic Transition in Sudan

February 17, 2021 (KHARTOUM) - Saudi Arabia said intending to mediate between Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia to end the 9-year dispute over the filling and operating of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). The negotiations over the GERD are stalled over how to fill the reservoir of the giant dam without affecting Egypt water supplies or threatening Sudan small dams. The three countries also are divided on how to negotiate as Sudan propose to involve African mediators with the support of (...) - News

February 17, 2021 (MOROBO) - The opposition National Salvation Front (NAS) led by General Thomas Cirillo Swaka has dismissed allegations that it was responsible for the death of General Saki James Palaoki, it's former area commander for Maridi area in South Sudan's Western Equatoria State. Gen. Palaoki was kiled in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on February 10. "The allegations and propaganda against NAS is mere mudslinging and baseless lie devoid of evidence, but aimed to sow (...) - News / South Sudan, Politics

February 16, 2021 (JUBA) - A South Sudanese army general has warned that the young nation could disintegrate if president Salva Kiir and his five deputies in coalition government do not act to avert escalation and spiralling out of control of the current situation. "We are in no peace and no war situation with 8.3 million South Sudanese facing famine, rampant insecurity across the country, soldiers have not been paid for 7 months, foreign missions have gone without salaries for 21 months, (...) - News / FRONT_PAGE_SECONDARY, South Sudan

February 16, 2021 (JUBA) – China has donated over 14,056 boxes of ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to fight child malnutrition in South Sudan. «We are very proud to be in association with UNICEF to deliver the nutrition food to the children who are in dire need of food,» the Chinese ambassador to South Sudan, Hua Ning said on Monday. He said China is committed to improve bilateral relations with Juba. "We hope that the donation from China (...) - News / South Sudan

February 16, 2021 (KHARTOUM) - Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of the Sovereign Council renewed his support for the Empowerment Removal Committee on Tuesday after a meeting to clarify the misunderstanding between the two sides. On 31 January, the Committee spokesman Salah Manna accused al-Burhan of directing the Attorney General to release the ousted president's wife from imprisonment. A week later, al-Burhan filed a defamation case For his part, the committee chairman Yasir al-Atta resigned (...) - News / FRONT_PAGE_DISPLAY

February 16, 2021 (KHARTOUM) - Iran was behind the recently foiled planned terror attacks on the United Arab Emirates (UAE) embassies in Addis Ababa and Khartoum, the U.S. and Israeli officials told the New York Times this week. On 3 February, Ethiopia's National Intelligence Service (NISS) said it had foiled a terrorist plot to attack the UAE embassies in Addis Ababa and Khartoum, adding they worked with the Sudanese intelligence agency to arrest the group's members. The Ethiopian (...) - News / Ethiopia, United Arab Emirates (UAE)

February 15, 2021 (KHARTOUM) - European Union diplomats in Khartoum urged the Sudanese government to take bold reforms to halt the deteriorating economic situation in the country. Hamdok government had failed to stop the collapse of the Sudanese pound as one dollar is sold for over 400 pounds; while in January it was sold for over 250 pounds. However, the official exchange rate is 55 pounds for one dollar. Also, the inflation rate in Sudan for the month of January jumped to 304.33% (...) - News / Europe, Democratic Transition in Sudan, FRONT_PAGE_SECONDARY

February 15, 2021 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese government signed a cooperation memorandum of understanding with the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on the trial of Kushayb who is accused of committing war crimes in the Darfur region. A statement issued by the Public Prosecution in Sudan on Monday said that the agreement was signed last Sunday, but it remains unclear whether the memorandum included the other former officials wanted by the Court in connection (...) - News / FRONT_PAGE_DISPLAY, ICC and Darfur

February 15, 2021 (JUBA) - The European Union (EU) and Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) donated medical supplies to help South Sudan control coronavirus. The donation, including 500,000 surgical masks, 100,000 surgical cups, 100,000 N95-type masks, 30,000 testing kits and four ambulances, will enable the frontline healthcare workers to effectively carry the fight against the pandemic. Dr. Bortel Ohisa, an official from South Sudan's Health ministry, appreciated (...) - News / South Sudan, Coronavirus

February 14, 2021 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and UNITAMS head Volker Perthes held their first meeting to discuss ways the political mission can support the democratic transition and end Sudan's economic crisis. In a statement released on Sunday, Perthes said he had "a fruitful first meeting with Hamdok to discuss the UNITAMS mandate as provided in the Resolution 2524 (2020). He further mentioned the four pillars of his mandate: the democratic transition, (...) - News / FRONT_PAGE_SECONDARY

February 14, 2021 (KHARTOUM) - The foreign ministry in Khartoum on Sunday said Ethiopian army forces have penetrated into its Sudanese territory and warned against the consequence of the repeated violation of Sudan's territorial integrity. In a sign of growing tensions between countries over al-Fashqa area, recent reports from the border area between the two countries spoke about troop build-up on the Ethiopian side of the border while the Sudanese army fortified its positions and built (...) - News / FRONT_PAGE_DISPLAY

February 13, 201 (KHARTUM) - The Security Council on Friday extended the mandate of the Panel of Experts tasked with monitoring the arms embargo in Darfur and individual sanctions on former official or militia leaders in Darfur. Unanimously adopted in a videoconference, the resolution 2562 (2021) provides to extend the mandate of the panel until 12 March 2022. The panel has to submit an interim report on its activities by 12 August 2021 and a final report by 13 January 2022, besides its (...) - News / FRONT_PAGE_SECONDARY

February 13, 2021 (KHARTOUM) - Karim Asad Ahmad Khan, a British lawyer has been elected on Friday as the new prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) for a nine-year term starting on June 16. The new ICC prosecutor will replace the Gambian Fatou Bensouda who was the first prosecutor to visit Sudan last October seeking Sudanese government's cooperation over Darfur war crimes. Khan is the first prosecutor to be elected by secret ballot in the history of the court, on the second (...) - News / FRONT_PAGE_SECONDARY, ICC and Darfur

February 13, 2021 (KHARTOUM) - Life began to return to normal in many cities of Darfur and Kordofan states, after the widespread looting and sabotage by supporters of the former Islamist regime. The security and police forces strengthened their presence in the cities where the riots occurred during the past week. Also, several figures and members of the ousted regime have been arrested across the country. The Minister of Interior, Izz Eldin al-Sheikh, arrived in El-Obeid, the capital of (...) - News / FRONT_PAGE_DISPLAY

February 12, 2021 (KHARTOUM) - The deputy leader of the SPLM-North, Yasir Arman, called to hand over the ousted President Omer al-Bashir to the war crimes court in The Hague, saying the Attorney General has failed to try him. The leaders of the transitional government have agreed to deliver al-Bashir to the International Criminal Court (ICC) pointing out that would be done once he is held accountable for other crimes such as the 1989 coup d'état. Speaking in a radio talk show on Friday, (...) - News / ICC and Darfur, FRONT_PAGE_SECONDARY

February 12, 2021 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese authorities arrested 4 leaders and cadres of the dissolved National Congress Party (NCP), a leading member told the Sudan Tribune, on Friday. The arrest took place after reports by the security agencies that the NCP orchestrated a campaign to destabilise the transitional government taking advantage of the difficult economic situation and the rampant inflation in Sudan. of the former regime confirmed that four of its leaders and cadres have as (...) - News / FRONT_PAGE_DISPLAY

February 11, 2021 (JUBA) – Pramila Patten, special envoy of U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on sexual violence in conflict, called on the South Sudanese government to expedite the establishment of the African Union Hybrid Court to address sexual violence and other grave violations of human rights in the country. On 29 January, Information Minister and Cabinet Spokesman Michael Makuei Lueth said the Council of Ministers authorized the Justice Minister to launch the process of (...) - News / South Sudan, Violence Against Women / Gender Based Violence

February 11, 2021 (GADREF) - A senior Sudanese military official, on Thursday, inspected the army troops deployed on the border with Ethiopia after reports of troops build-up from the other side of the border. Lt Gen Yasir al-Atta who is also a member of the Sovereign Council travelled to the border area to meet the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) in Abu Tayour, Wad Arroud in Al-Fasha Al-Seghra. Since last November, Sudan deployed a significant number of troops and launched the construction of (...) - News / FRONT_PAGE_DISPLAY, Ethiopia

February 11, 2021 (JUBA) - South Sudanese President Salva Kiir Mayardit is committed to negotiating a peaceful settlement with all armed and non-opposition groups paving the way for peace, stability, and development, a senior advisor said on Thursday. “Our people have suffered, and His Excellency the President of the Republic, General Salva Kiir Mayardit is committed to ending this suffering. He has now directed us to resume talks with the holdout groups," Barnaba Marial Benjamin (...) - News / FRONT_PAGE_SECONDARY

February 11, 2021 (KHARTOUM)- Sovereign Council spokesman Mohamed al-Faki urged the Council of Ministers to finalize the drafting of the Internal Security Law, after widespread looting in a number of cities across the country. The Sudanese authorities arrested a number of active members of the former regime, accusing them of being behind the riots in several Sudanese cities where protesters looted stores and street vendors and burned vehicles s and public buildings. "The conditions that (...) - News