26 May 2021 (KHARTOUM) - The pre-trial judges ended the hearing on the confirmation of charges against Ali Kushayb a militia leader suspected of war crimes in Darfur, the International Criminal Court (ICC) said on Wednesday. During the 3-day hearing, the ICC General Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda told the judges that Kushayb committed 31 crimes against civilians in West Darfur state. "After hearing the oral submissions of the Prosecutor, the Legal Representatives of the Victims and the (...) - News / FRONT_PAGE_SECONDARY

May 26, 2021 (JUBA) - The Sudanese government and SPLM-N al Hilu officials expressed willingness to negotiate a viable peace agreement ending the armed conflict in the Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile state. Negotiating delegations from the two sides resumed peace talks on Wednesday after the signing of the declaration of principles on 28 March where the government accepted to include the relationship between the state and religion in the talks and the SPLM-N conceded to limit the security (...) - News / FRONT_PAGE_DISPLAY

May 25, 2021 (JUBA) - The Sudanese Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok on Tuesday met in Juba with the SPLM-N led by Abdel Aziz al-Hilu 24 hours ahead of the opening session of the peace talks to end the conflict in South Kordofan and Blue Nile states. Hamdok who is also the head of the regional body IGAD that mediated the revitalized peace agreement arrived in Juba in the morning as he had to participate in the launch of the workshop on the Permanent Constitution-Making Process in South Sudan. (...) - News / Peace talks with SPLM-N, Darfur groups, FRONT_PAGE_SECONDARY

May 25, 2021 (KHARTOUM) - A member of the Transitional Sovereign Council Ibrahim Jaber, affirmed Sudan's keenness and support for efforts to enhance security and stability in the Lake Chad Basin countries. Jabir made his remarks at the extraordinary summit of Heads of State and Government of Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria on Tuesday. Jabir expressed Sudan's interest in implementing the outcome of the summit, pointing it is the only way to achieve peace in (...) - News / FRONT_PAGE_SECONDARY

May 25, 2021 (KHARTOUM) - The head of the investigation committee into a bloody attack by on pro-democracy sit-in said they are still seeking irrefutable evidence that enables them to indict those responsible for organising the killing of peaceful protesters. On September 21, 2019, Sudanese Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok established a committee to investigate the killing of over 200 peaceful protesters by the security forces on 3 June 2021. Also, he appointed Nabil Adeeb as the head of (...) - News / FRONT_PAGE_DISPLAY

May 24, 2021 (KHARTOUM) - A Sudanese court on Monday sentenced a Rapid Support Forces (SRF) officer to death for killing a protester after the bloody attack on the pro-democracy sit-in on June 3, 2019. Hanafi Abdel Shakour was killed by a military vehicle being driven by SRF Major Youssif Mohi al-Din al-Faki, in Omdurman. Following the sentence, his family celebrated the death sentence and his comrades chanted slogans expressing their determination to achieve the goals of the revolution. (...) - News

May 24, 2021 (KHARTOUM) - The Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Monday discussed in Khartoum ways to enhance bilateral cooperation and proposed to establish an investment zone in Sudan. Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani on Monday met with the Chairman of the Sovereign Council, Abd Al-Fattah al-Burhan, his deputy, Mohammad Hamdan Dagalo «Hemetti», Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok and Foreign Minister Mariam al-Mahdi. Al-Thani delivered a message from the Emir of (...) - News / FRONT_PAGE_DISPLAY, Qatar

May 24, 2021 (KHARTOUM) - The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Fatou Bensouda, told the pre-trial court that a militia leader committed 31 crimes before announcing a visit to Darfur next week. On Monday, the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber II held a hearing to confirm the charges against Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman («Ali Kushayb»). During the three day sessions, the judges hear the oral submissions of the Prosecutor, lawyers the victims and the defence. In her statement (...) - News / ICC and Darfur, FRONT_PAGE_SECONDARY

May 23, 2021 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese government and the SPLM-North, led by Abdel Aziz Al-Hilu, held preparatory meetings ahead of the peace talks that will take place in Juba on 26 May. On 28 March, the head of the Sovereign Council and the leader of the SPLM-N signed a declaration of principles providing to separate between state and religion and to form a single national army at the end of the transitional period. Later on, the South Sudanese mediation announced that the two sides (...) - News / FRONT_PAGE_SECONDARY

May 23, 2021 (KHARTOUM) - The Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs arrived in Khartoum on Sunday night in a two-day visit to Sudan. Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani who arrived from Libya was welcomed at Khartoum airport by his Sudanese counterpart Mariam al-Mahdi. In a statement Sunday, the Foreign Ministry said that Al Thani's visit aims to «strengthen bilateral relations between Sudan and Qatar.» He will meet the Chairman of the Sovereign Council, Abdel (...) - News / FRONT_PAGE_SECONDARY

May 23, 2021 (KHARTOUM) - The United Arab Emirates (UAE) withdrew its initiative to settle the border dispute between Sudan and Ethiopia, a news report said citing sources at the Sovereign Council. The UAE proposed to establish agricultural schemes in the Al-Fashaqa area of Gadaref State. 25% of the claimed area will be cultivated by Ethiopian farmers, according to the initiative. However, the Head of the Sovereign Council Abdel Fatah al-Burhan travelled to Abu Dhabi recently to inform (...) - News / FRONT_PAGE_DISPLAY

May 22, 2021 (KHARTOUM) - Aisha Musa, a former member of the Sovereign Council harshly criticized the Transitional Government in Sudan and branded it with failure to provide services and achieve justice. On 12 May, Musa resigned from the collegial presidency which includes the civilian and military components. Her resignation took place one day after the killing of two civilians in a peaceful rally to commemorate the second anniversary of a bloody attack by the security forces on a (...) - News / FRONT_PAGE_SECONDARY

May 22, 2021 (JUBA) - The head of South Sudan's peace monitoring and evaluation body deplored the failure of the government to implement the security arrangement, pointing that combatants are abandoning cantonment sites. On 20 May, the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC) held its 17th monthly meeting in Juba, to discuss the ongoing implementation of the revitalized peace agreement signed in September 2018. In his remarks at the opening sessions, RJMEC Interim (...) - News / FRONT_PAGE_SECONDARY

May 22, 2021 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese government announced the implementation of the second phase of the direct cash transfer programme in 10 states as of next June. The Sudan Family Support Program aims to provide direct financial support to 80% of Sudanese people to soften the impact of hard economic reforms after the cancellation of commodity subsidies and the rise of bread, fuel and power prices. "Preparations have been completed for the launch of the programme in 10 states in the (...) - News / FRONT_PAGE_DISPLAY

May 21, 2021 (KHARTOUM) - Egyptian infantry forces arrived in Sudan to participate in bilateral military exercises involving ground, naval and air armies of the two countries, the Sudanese army said on Friday. The Military Media stated that preparations have been completed for the launch of the Sudanese-Egyptian drills dubbed «Nile Protectors» from 26-31 May. Besides the ground forces, the drills involve the air forces and the air defence forces from the two armies. Armoured vehicles (...) - News / FRONT_PAGE_DISPLAY, Ethiopia, Egypt

May 21, 2021 (KHARTOUM) - Al-Hadi Idris, a member of the Transitional Sovereign Council will begin Saturday a visit to Riyadh to discuss relief and rehabilitation projects with Saudi officials. Idris told Sudan Tribune that he will discuss humanitarian assistance and development projects in the war-affected area in Darfur and the Two Area. «Also, the discussions with the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre will cover rehabilitation projects,» he added. The senior officials (...) - News

May 21, 2021 (GADAREF) - Ethiopia has deployed troops in the Qatarand settlement inside the Al-Fashaqa border area of Gedaref State, Sudanese military sources said on Friday. Sudanese army two weeks ago retook control of the Shai Bait settlement in the Al-Fashaqa after expelling Ethiopia Amhara militiamen. During a visit to the Sudanese forces deployed in the area, a week ago, a member of the Sovereignty Council, Lt Gen Shams Eldin Kabashi stated that over 95% of Al-Fashaqa is now under (...) - News / FRONT_PAGE_DISPLAY, Ethiopia

May 20, 2021 (PARIS) - The Sudanese Finance Minister said that there are serious obstacles facing the provision of funds to implement the Juba Peace Agreement (JPA), especially the implementation of the security arrangements. "We were unable to provide the needed resources to implement the peace agreement at the required pace because the country is in a state of scarcity. Also, the international lockdown restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic hindered the holding of a donors (...) - News / FRONT_PAGE_DISPLAY

May 20, 2021 (KHARTOUM) - The head of the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) Volker Perthes voiced «great concern» about the slow pace of peace implementation in the country. Perthes who took part in an economic conference in Paris for Sudan's debt relief and investment briefed via videoconference the Security Council on Thursday about the democratic transition process, the implementation of the peace agreement and the ongoing efforts to bring armed holdout (...) - News / FRONT_PAGE_SECONDARY

May 19, 2021 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's Transitional Sovereign Council Chairman, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, said that the army is committed to implementing the security arrangements and reforming its structures as agreed in a peace deal with the armed groups. Al-Burhan made his remarks during a meeting with the army's generals on Wednesday after his return from the Paris conference in support of the democratic transition in Sudan. The Sudan Armed Forces (SAF)'s media reported that the al-Burhan (...) - News / Democratic Transition in Sudan, FRONT_PAGE_SECONDARY

May 19, 2021 (GADAREF) - The Sudanese army on Wednesday managed to expel Ethiopian militiamen from some border areas, while others attacked Sudanese fishermen in another location. Ethiopian militiamen from the Amhara Region have continued to attack Sudanese farmers since April 2020 when the central government in Khartoum changed the policy of the ousted regime towards their presence in the Sudanese territory. Also, the Government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed denounced the border (...) - News / Ethiopia

May 19, 2021 (KHARTOUM) - The local currency in Sudan continued to tumble against major currencies in Wednesday's trading amid scarce supply and increased demand, as banks sought to catch up with the black market by adjusting exchange rates downward. The parallel markets witnessed a remarkable decline in their trading vines in conjunction with the Paris conference on Sudan, which resulted in pledges of debt relief. According to traders who spoke to the Sudan Tribune on Wednesday, one (...) - News / Forex, FRONT_PAGE_SECONDARY

May 18, 2021 (JUBA) - South Sudan has condemned the killing of 11 people in the contested oil-producing region of Abyei on Sunday. Officials in the area said at least seven other people were wounded during the armed attack at Dungoub, a village east of Abyei town. South Sudan's deputy Foreign Affairs minister, Deng Dau Deng, regretted the clashes between the Messiriya and Ngok Dinka clans. "Yesterday [Sunday] 11 people were killed and 20 others wounded in Abyei and we are really sorry for (...) - News / South Sudan, Abyei

May 18, 2021 (JUBA) - South Sudan NGO Forum has “strongly” condemned what it described as “unacceptable” attacks on national and international aid workers and the forceful entry into their compounds by unauthorized youth groups in various parts of the country. Such cases were recently reported in Renk, Jamjang and Torit areas. “We condemn this unacceptable behaviour, which seeks to interfere with NGOs' recruitment processes and outcomes. Such acts cause physical harm to NGO workers, vandalize (...) - News / South Sudan, Humanitarian

May 18, 2021 (PARIS) - Sudanese Prime Minister on Tuesday encouraged foreign investors to come to the country stressing it is a land of business opportunities. Abdallah Hamdok made his call at a meeting with French and business forum during a presentation of Sudanese economic reforms and business environment in the country. "We have always said that Sudan is a rich country and does not need grants and donations. Rather, it needs investment that creates job opportunities for our youth, (...) - News / FRONT_PAGE_SECONDARY

May 17, 2021 (KHARTOUM - The Sovereign Council in Sudan dismissed the Chief Justice, Neimat Mohamed Abdallah, and accepted the resignation of Attorney General Taj-Elsir El-Hebir. The two decisions were announced on Monday after a regular meeting of the collegial presidency chaired by the Council deputy's head Mohamed Hamdan Daglo «Hemetti». The Sovereign Council member and Spokesman Mohamed al-Faki said the meeting decided to relieve Abdallah from her position as the chief justice. He (...) - News

May 17, 2021 (NAIROBI) - The United Nations Security Council must ensure a range of human rights benchmarks are met before the embargo on South Sudan can be lifted, a rights body said. Amnesty International, in a statement issued Tuesday, said lifting the arms embargo on South Sudan could have dire consequences for human rights. These, the rights body said, should include an end to crimes under international law, reform of the National Security Service (NSS), and the establishment of a (...) - News / FRONT_PAGE_SECONDARY, South Sudan

May 17, 2021 (PARIS) – An advocacy group has warned of the continuing threat to a successful civilian-led transition from the economic and institutional legacy of Omar Al-Bashir-era corruption, as the Paris Conference on Sudan Investment commenced Monday. The Sentry, in a new briefing report titled “Sudan Struggles to Control Its Parastatals,” details an array of business operations largely controlled by the country's military as well as security services. The 9-page report further highlights (...) - News

May 16, 2021 (JUBA) - The delay in graduation of the unified forces in South Sudan is mainly due to lack of trust and confidence among the parties on aspects of unification of ranks, an activist said. Edmund Yakani was reacting to reports that delays in the graduation of forces were due to the arms embargo imposed on South Sudan. In May last year, the Security Council adopted a resolution extending for a year an arms embargo on the world's youngest nation and a travel ban and financial (...) - News / South Sudan, Politics

May 16, 2021 (JUBA) - South Sudan is stuck with more than 126,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines due to low turn up of people who show up to receive the COVID-19 doses, a health official said. «In terms of vaccination, we are still at a low point. As per Saturday the total number of people so far vaccinated is 6,403. This shows that we still have over 126,000 doses to be administered,» Richard Lako, Covid-19 Incident Manager in the Ministry of Health said on Sunday. According to the (...) - News / FRONT_PAGE_SECONDARY, South Sudan, Coronavirus

May 16, 2021 (KHARTOUM) - The Alliance of Civil Society Forces (ACSF) in Sudan has praised the resignation of a member of the Sovereign Council, Aisha Musa, in protest of the killing of two youth by soldiers in the vicinity of the army headquarters last week. Musa was nominated for the Sovereign Council by the ASCF, which part of the ruling Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC). Following the murder of the two youth, there were unconfirmed press reports about the resignation of the female (...) - News

May 15, 2021 (JUBA) – South Sudan's Foreign Affairs Minister, Beatrice Khamisa Wani and her Sudanese counterpart, Mariam Al-Saddiq Al-Mahdi held talks on several issues in the capital, Juba on Saturday. Also present was South Sudan's deputy Foreign minister, Deng Dau. The meeting mainly discussed the bilateral and regional issues of common concern and prospects for cooperation and coordination between Sudan and South Sudan in regional and international issues. The officials also explored (...) - News / Diplomacy - International Relations, South Sudan, Sudan

May 15, 2021 (KHARTOUM) - The parties and civil society organizations members of the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) have agreed to reform the structures of the ruling coalition and to reunite its groups. Upon the initiative of the National Umma Party (NUP), some 28 groups met on Friday 14 May to discuss the challenges facing the democratic transition in Sudan, after the unjustified killing of two youth last week by military personnel suspected of supporting the former regime. In a (...) - News / Democratic Transition in Sudan, FRONT_PAGE_SECONDARY

May 15, 2021 (JUBA) - South Sudan President Salva Kiir has said the arms embargo imposed by United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on his country has affected the implementation of the security arrangements within the peace agreement, citing delays in the graduation of unified forces. Kiir made the remarks during a meeting with Russia's Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mikhail Bogdanov in the capital, Juba Friday. The Office of the President, in a statement, said Kiir appealed for (...) - News / South Sudan, FRONT_PAGE_SECONDARY, Russia, UNSC - United Nations Security Council

May 15, 2021 (KHARTOUM) - A fresh wave of Ethiopian refugees has arrived in the eastern Sudan state of Gadaref following the surge of intercommunal fighting between the Gumuz and the Amhara ethnic groups. Sudanese officials in the Basinda area of Gadaref said dozens of Gumuz arrived in the area following bloody clashes in the Tamat area of the Benishangul-Gumuz region which borders Sudan. «Some 82 Gumuz people have crossed the Sudanese border including 54 children and 8 women,» said the (...) - News