South Sudan condemns renewal of arms embargo

JUBA, South Sudan

South Sudan's Foreign Minister Deng Dau Deng said his government is disappointed by the United Nations' decision to renew an arms embargo and targeted sanctions on South Sudan, adding the move came at a time the country is implementing the 2018 revitalized peace agreement.

FILE- Dafallah Al-Haj Ali, special envoy for Sudan's Army Chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, attends a press conference with South Sudan's Foreign Minister Deng Dau Deng, (front left) after a meeting in Juba, South Sudan May 8, 2023.

The United Nations Security Council renewed the 2018 arms embargo imposed on South Sudan Tuesday, banning the sales of arms to the country until May 31, 2024.

Russia, China and three African nations, Gabon, Ghana and Mozambique, abstained from voting.

Deng called the Security Council’s decision unfair, saying the East African nation has continued working on the measures for removal by the security council.

"We have discussed the benchmarks, we have worked on them as the country, we have trained the army, we have graduated and deployed them. We have made a plan of action to remove children in the army and they have been removed. We have an action plan on sexual violence in relation to the conflict, we have signed and worked on it," Deng told VOA.

U.N. Resolution 2683 also extended the mandate of the U.N.'s Panel of Experts on South Sudan to assist the work of the South Sudan Sanctions Committee until July 2024.

Deng charged the renewal of the arms embargo was a tool for the organization.

"These people want to keep South Sudan under this (sanction) so that the image (of the country) is kept as negative, we object to this," Deng said. "They want the war to continue to get their people employed as a panel of experts for sanctions and as people of human rights — they just want to create jobs for themselves," Deng added.

The resolution tasks the office of U.N.'s Secretary-General to check progress on the defense and security review, the unified forces and ammunition stockpiles, and action plan for addressing conflict-related sexual violence among others.

Bol Deng Bol, an activist with the Jonglei Civil Society Network, welcomed the U.N. Security Council's resolution to extend the embargo.

Bol said South Sudanese leaders lack the political will to stabilize the country.

"What do we want to import arms for? Yet we have all the arms here and they are not doing any good to the South Sudanese. They have all gone into the hands of civilians and civilians are using these arms against themselves," Bol said.

Bol urged the revitalized transitional government of national unity to speed up disarmament across the country to deter intercommunal violence across South Sudan.

Rights watchdog Amnesty International welcomed the renewal of the arms embargo. Sikula Oniala, South Sudan's researcher at Amnesty International, said proliferation of arms in South Sudan fueled sexual violence.

"We have research that has demonstrated that people with guns in South Sudan have used those guns to commit conflict related sexual violence. And as you know, the reduction in the conflict related sexual violence was one of the benchmarks that had initially been set by the Security Council to review this arms embargo," Oniala told VOA.

But Deng urged that the U.N. decision to extend the arms embargo came at the time when the country has made what he called "significant progress."

"President Salva (Kiir) and First Vice President Riek Machar and everybody are in the same government. We need to be supported to be able to get our country to a viable level where our citizens can do something like agriculture so that people can have surplus food, youth to get implemented. These are issues that we want to look at," Deng said.

Deng called on friendly nations to support efforts to stabilize the country, including her right to defend territorial integrity.

From 2013 to 2018, South Sudan suffered through a civil war pitting forces loyal to two sworn enemies, Salva Kiir, who is now president, and Riek Machar.

Despite a peace accord signed in 2018, violence continues and as of April 2023, 2.3 million people in South Sudan were classified as internally displaced.

Sudan's army suspends cease-fire talks with rival RSF

KHARTOUM, Sudan

Sudanese army forces blasted paramilitary bases with artillery in Khartoum on Wednesday after pulling out of U.S. - Saudi-brokered cease-fire talks, accusing their paramilitary foes of failing to honor their commitments.

Courtesy

In both the north and south of the capital, Khartoum, key bases of commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo's Rapid Support Forces came under attack by troops loyal to army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, residents told AFP.

A witness said there was "heavy artillery fire from army camps" in northern Khartoum, on the 47th day of a war that researchers said has claimed at least 1,800 lives.

Another witness reported "artillery blasts on the RSF camp in al-Salha" in southern Khartoum -- the largest paramilitary base and arsenal stock in the capital.

The army walked out of peace talks "because the rebels have never implemented a single one of the provisions of a short-term ceasefire which required their withdrawal from hospitals and residential buildings", a Sudanese government official said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press.

The army said the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) had also "repeatedly violated the truce," the official added.

U.S. and Saudi mediators said late Monday that the warring parties had agreed to extend by five days a humanitarian truce they had frequently violated over the previous week.

The mediators admitted the truce had been "imperfectly observed" but said the extension "will permit further humanitarian efforts."

But despite the pledges of both sides, fighting flared again on Tuesday both in greater Khartoum and in the flashpoint western region of Darfur.

"The army is ready to fight until victory," army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan declared during a visit to troops in the capital.

The RSF, led by al-Burhan's deputy-turned-foe Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, said they will "exercise their right to defend themselves" and accused the army of violating the truce.

Sudan analyst Aly Verjee said the mediators were eager to avoid a complete breakdown of the talks, for fear of a major escalation on the ground.

"The mediators know that the situation is bad but they do not want to state that a ceasefire is gone for fear that the situation would then become even worse," said Verjee, a researcher at Sweden's University of Gothenburg.

"The hope is that by keeping the parties talking, the prospects of arrangements that are better respected will eventually improve."

Since fighting erupted between the rival security forces on April 15, more than 1,800 people have been killed, according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project.

The United Nations says more than a million people have been internally displaced and nearly 350,000 have fled abroad, including over 170,000 to Egypt.

More than half the population - 25 million people - are now in need of aid and protection, the U.N. says.

Entire districts of Khartoum no longer have running water, electricity is only available for a few hours a week, and three-quarters of hospitals in combat zones are out of service.

Many families have continued to hide out in their homes, rationing water and electricity while trying desperately to avoid stray gunfire in the city of more than five million people - nearly 700,000 of whom have fled, according to the United Nations.

In Darfur, on Sudan's western border with Chad, continued fighting "blatantly disregards ceasefire commitments," said Toby Harward, of the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR.

The persistent fighting has impeded delivery of the aid and protection needed by a record 25 million people, more than half the population, according to the U.N.

The U.N. has warned for weeks that fighting in Darfur's major cities has also drawn in former rebel and militia fighters recruited along ethnic lines during the region's devastating conflict in the mid-2000s.

Darfur's pro-army governor Mini Minawi, a former rebel leader, has urged citizens to "take up arms" to defend their property.

Sudan could descend into "total civil war", warned the Forces for Freedom and Change, the main civilian bloc ousted from power by al-Burhan and Dagalo in a 2021 coup before the two men fell out.

Zimbabwe presidential and parliamentary polls set for August 23

HARARE, Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe’s national elections will take place on Aug. 23, the country’s president announced Wednesday. The vote is expected to be another closely watched affair in a country with a history of violent and disputed elections.

The announcement through a government gazette also set Oct. 2 for a presidential runoff vote if required.

Opposition parties have already made allegations of violence and intimidation against their supporters in the buildup to the elections, and human rights groups have said President Emmerson Mnangagwa is silencing criticism.

The southern African nation has only had two leaders since it gained independence from white minority rule in 1980. Robert Mugabe led Zimbabwe for 37 years until he was removed and replaced by Mnangagwa in a coup in 2017. Mnangagwa had served as a vice president under Mugabe.

The last general election was held in 2018, nearly a year after the coup.

Once a close ally of Mugabe, Mnangagwa, 80, has tried to present himself as a reformer despite accusations that he is even more repressive than the man he helped remove from power.

Mnangagwa is expected to face a strong challenge from Nelson Chamisa, the 45-year-old leader of the main opposition party, Citizens Coalition for Change. Chamisa narrowly lost to Mnangagwa in 2018, with the Constitutional Court dismissing his claims of election rigging.

Apart from the presidency, the election will also decide the composition of the 300-seat parliament and close to 2,000 local council positions.

Mnangagwa’s ZANU-PF ruling party and the government have denied allegations of violence and intimidation by ruling party activists and security forces. But rights groups have accused Mnangagwa’s government of intimidation and of suppressing any criticism and opposition amid a currency crisis and a sharp rise in food prices.

Zimbabwe has faced severe economic problems for years and has been under U.S. sanctions for two decades over human rights abuses. Mugabe died in 2019.

Chamisa said this week he is ready for the election, but has made allegations of voting roll irregularities. Compounding that, Chamisa said his party is at a disadvantage because Mnangagwa and ZANU-PF control state–run media and hold sway over the police, other security forces and the judiciary, which are used to clamp down on dissent.

On Wednesday, Fadzayi Mahere, spokeswoman for the Citizens Coalition for Change, tweeted: “No govt that’s popular & knows it’s winning behaves like this. They’re terrified cause, like all of us, they know that ZANU PF can never win a free & fair election in Zimbabwe.”

“That’s why they’re trying to stitch & doctor the voters’ roll but it won’t work. People want change.”

Opposition parties had accused Mnangagwa of delaying announcing a date for the election that must take place before the end of August.

Mnangagwa’s announcement came a day after Zimbabwe’s foreign ministry summoned the United States’ deputy ambassador over a series of tweets the embassy sent calling for a peaceful election.

The ministry accused the embassy of “election-related social media posts bordering on activism and meddling in Zimbabwe’s internal affairs.”

Deputy Ambassador Elaine French was called to a meeting with Zimbabwe foreign affairs acting permanent secretary Rofina Chikava on Tuesday following the posts on the U.S. Embassy’s official Twitter account.

The Zimbabwe foreign ministry said it had a particular issue with a May 26 tweet that called for Zimbabweans to “Register to vote and make sure your voice is heard.” Another tweet from the embassy said “Zimbabwe’s constitution grants citizens the right to choose their representatives in legitimate, credible, & peaceful elections.”

The foreign ministry said the tweet urging people to register to vote was against diplomatic protocols.

“We stand by our recent social media posts calling for peace during the election season,” U.S. Embassy spokeswoman Meg Riggs said in a statement. “Elections are a part of a functioning democracy.” - Africa

Low-income countries to be left behind without action on jobs

GENEVA, Switzerland

A global employment divide between high-income and low-income countries is worsening as rising debt levels hit developing countries disproportionately, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) said on Wednesday.

It urged nations to offer global financial support on job creation and social protection to help narrow the gap.

While global unemployment is expected to fall below pre-pandemic levels to 191 million this year, a rate of 5.3%, low-income countries lag in the recovery process, said the ILO’s 11th edition of the Monitor on the World Of Work.

Low-income countries in Africa and the Arab region are unlikely to recover to pre-pandemic levels of unemployment this year, with the jobless rate in North Africa expected to be 11.2% compared to 10.9% in 2019, said the report.

Rising debt levels compound challenges facing developing states, making policy intervention more difficult, said the ILO, which is launching a Global Coalition for Social Justice to push social justice as a national, regional and global policy.

“Investing in people through jobs and social protection will help narrow the gap between rich and poor nations and people,” said ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo.

Russia scolds US envoy to South Africa for allegations about weapons supplies

MAPUTO, Mozambique

United States Ambassador to Pretoria, Reuben Brigety, who alleged that South Africa had provided Russia with weapons, should mind his own business, Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov said at a news conference on Wednesday.

Asked to comment on allegations by the US diplomat that the Lady R, a cargo ship, was transporting weapons from South Africa to Russia, Lavrov said, “South Africa is a sovereign nation. Russia is a sovereign nation, too. And we build our relations in full compliance with the norms and principles of international law that exist in this sphere.”

“If a side has any questions in any domain of our cooperation, we tackle them on a bilateral basis.” Russia’s top diplomat said.

“If an American or any other foreign ambassador from across the ocean suspects something, he or she had better mind their own business,” Lavrov said. As for weapons deliveries, Russia “never violates international norms, unlike our Western counterparts who do so, while declaring their neutrality on the developments in Ukraine, as they pump that country with large amounts of the latest long-range and generally unsafe weapons, including for those who use them,” he added, referring to depleted uranium shells.

He emphasized that the West has been sending weapons to the Kiev regime, whose officials have voiced threats to kill all Russians. “Therefore, US ambassadors had better take care of their own image in the eyes of the foreign public.” He concluded.

Angola's Isabel dos Santos tagged in over unpaid $400m

LONDON, UK

Angolan billionaire Isabel dos Santos, daughter of the country’s former president, can be personally added to a $400 million lawsuit brought by Angolan telecoms operator Unitel against a company she owns, London’s High Court ruled on Thursday.

Unitel sued dos Santos’ Dutch company Unitel International Holdings (UIH) in 2020 over loans that were provided in 2012 and 2013, when dos Santos was a director of Unitel, to fund UIH’s acquisition of shares in telecoms companies.

The loans were not repaid and around $395 million plus interest remains outstanding.

The two companies are not related despite having the same name and dos Santos, who owns UIH, resigned as a director of Unitel in 2020.

Unitel had applied to personally add dos Santos – Africa’s first female billionaire, whose father Jose Eduardo dos Santos ruled Angola for 38 years until 2017 – to its case against UIH.

Judge Mark Pelling ruled Thursday that dos Santos should be added to the existing lawsuit.

He said Unitel has a “realistic prospect of success” in relation to its allegations that dos Santos breached her duties as a director of Unitel.

She “vehemently denies breaching any of her director’s duties”. Her lawyers say Unitel is responsible for UIH’s inability to pay, because of its alleged role in the “unlawful seizure by the Angolan state of UIH’s assets”. Around $1 billion of her assets in Angola were seized last year, while other assets linked to her have been seized in Portugal.

She has faced corruption accusations for years, and allegations that she and her husband steered $1 billion in state funds to companies in which they held stakes during her father’s presidency, including oil giant Sonangol.

Around $1 billion of her assets in Angola were seized last year, while other assets linked to her have been seized in Portugal.

Dos Santos, who says she lives in Dubai, has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and her lawyers have described the allegations against her as part of a “political conspiracy”.

How Russia is drawing in Africa

NAIROBI, Kenya

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Monday received Nairobi’s audience on Moscow’s war in Ukraine, after first presenting the goodies needed in Kenya.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (L) poses for a photo with Kenyan President William Ruto at State House Nairobi, Kenya on May 29, 2023.

Mr Lavrov’s one-day official trip saw him meet with Kenya leaders, including President William Ruto, Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua and National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula.

President Ruto said, after the meeting, that Kenya would work to “deepen relations” with Moscow.

A dispatch from State House said the two countries would sign a trade pact before the end of the year to “give business the necessary impetus”.

Lavrov, who had not been to Nairobi in the last three Africa trips, talked about the war in Ukraine and what Moscow thinks Kenya needs: food and how to pay for it.

“We gave our detailed evaluation of what is happening in Ukraine and why Russia is defending itself against an attempt against Russian language and culture as well as attempts to destroy all things Russian,” Lavrov told Russian media in a press conference live streamed on Telegram. He said he discussed agriculture, telecommunications, trade and the upcoming Russia-Africa Summit.

Lavrov’s press conference targeted his audience back home. Speaking in Russian, the top diplomat referred to Africa’s ongoing food security problem. Moscow, he said, was sending 34,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser to Kenya, part of a donation Russia says it has been making to the world’s vulnerable.

He also argued that the grain shortage is a “geopolitically induced” problem. In Nairobi, he called for a special arrangement where countries settle each other’s payments in local currencies, a suggestion first fronted by the BRICS -- India, China, Russia, Brazil and South Africa.

“The share of the dollar is decreasing. The alternative payment system is an existing process. It is beginning to gain pace and in essence, this is going to have a good effect on the world economy,” Lavrov said, referring to the currency discussions.

“Unfortunately, our commodity trade is not that big yet in terms of Kenya specifically. But as it gets bigger, transiting into settlements in national currencies, this is the future of world trade,” he said.

“We need to guard ourselves against the negative impact of mechanisms created by the West and build supply chains that are independent of Western blackmailing,” he further added.

Russia, sanctioned by the West since last year, has been pushing for a new currency for cross-border trade by the BRICS nations, which it says will be open to other countries.

The potential currency could provide economic independence while competing with the existing international financial system currently dominated by the US dollar, which accounts for about 90 percent of all currency trading. The dollar also accounts for nearly all oil trading.

Recently, some countries like Kenya and Tanzania which are facing a dollar crunch, have begun bilateral discussions with countries they import from to settle payments in local currencies. India has since accepted certain payments from Dar and Nairobi in this format.

While millions of Africans have been suffering from a food crisis, exacerbated by the Ukrainian invasion which cut supplies, Lavrov argues that Moscow’s incursion into Ukraine should not be blamed for the shortages. Instead, he blames the West for sanctioning Russia and then diverting grain sold through a special window to other places not as needy as Africa.

“We are open for a sincere and honest discussion with every country and primarily with our African friends, of the real reasons for the threat of famine in Africa and those who created it,” Lavrov’s spokesperson Maria Zakharova told a briefing on Monday.

“We can explain what obstacles we have to overcome to ensure unconditional fulfilment of our international commitments on the supplies of food, fertiliser and other strategic goods to the countries that need them the most,” she said.

Kenya’s President William Ruto sees fertiliser as what his country needs the most. Facing rising basic food prices and costly importations, Ruto has set out to find cheaper fertiliser and seed. It has meant he talks to Russia and its enemies in the West. Last year, Ruto reversed a decades-long policy banning genetically modified maize in Kenya. He then authorised its importation.

But Nairobi was critical of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with its envoy to the United Nations, Dr Martin Kimani, in a February 2022 speech condemning it and terming it as one that could strengthen dying empires of the world. However, Nairobi has adopted African Union’s call for dialogue since then.

In Nairobi, Lavrov said Russia in spite of agreeing to a special window for grain exports, has been unable to deliver the grain to Kenya and other poor countries. Both Russia and Ukraine are the world’s biggest producers of wheat. When the war began, Russia was sanctioned by the West thus blocking it from transactions including settling payments.

The special window, referred to as the Black Sea Initiative, was reached with the support of the UN and Turkey to allow grain from Ukraine, blockaded by Russia and fertiliser from Moscow to be transported if it is to serve the need of hunger.

Yet, Lavrov said just about three percent of the 30 million tonnes of fertiliser sent through the arrangement had been shipped to Africa.

“Today, Russian representatives in the Istanbul-based Joint Coordination Centre are literally fighting to include bulk carriers bound for Africa into the Black Sea Initiative,” said Zhakarova.

“On the contrary, Ukrainian officials are insisting on priority registration of the biggest vessels in a bid to gain maximum profits. They have no interest in (helping) starving Africans,” Zhakarova added.

Lavrov also supported reforms at the UN Security Council. The 15-member body whose decisions are binding to the entire UN member states has no representatives from Africa with veto powers. Only US, France, the UK, China and Russia have such powers.

“The UN Security Council’s problem is the over-representation of the Western states,” he argued.

“Out of 15 current members, six are represented by the US and their allies. Accepting representatives from Africa, Latin America, and Asia will be the only way to ensure proper representation in this key authority of the United Nations Organisation,” he added.

At least 17 civilians killed by extremist rebels in eastern Congo

KINSHASA, DR Congo

At least 17 people were killed by extremist rebels in eastern Congo’s North Kivu province, local authorities said.

Civilians were killed by fighters with the Allied Democratic Forces — believed to be linked with the Islamic State group — in the Bambuba-kisiki area in Beni territory, said Sabiti Njiamoja, a deputy to the local governor, on Monday.

“We buried 10 bodies on Sunday. The victims are civilians killed by ADF between Thursday and Friday in Kainana. Seven others were found on Monday,” he said.

Conflict has been simmering for decades in eastern Congo, where more than 120 armed groups are fighting. Most are vying for land and control of mines with valuable minerals, while some groups are trying to protect their communities.

Since last April, ADF attacks have killed at least 370 civilians and several hundred people have been abducted, including a significant number of children, according to the UN. The group also extended its area of operations to Goma and into the neighboring Ituri province.

In March, the group claimed responsibility for killing more than 35 people and wounding dozens in Mukondi village, also in North Kivu province.

The fighting is exacerbating eastern Congo’s dire humanitarian crisis. Almost 6 million people are internally displaced in Congo with more than 450,000 displaced in North Kivu province. Hundreds of thousands are facing extreme food insecurity, and disease is spreading, aid groups say.

Moscow drone attack exposes Russia’s vulnerabilities

MOSCOW, Russia

A drone attack that targeted Moscow on Tuesday exposed glaring breaches in its air defenses and underlined the capital’s vulnerability as more Russian soil comes under fire amid expectations of a Ukrainian counteroffensive.

Russia investigators inspect the building after a Ukrainian drone damaged an apartment building in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, May 30, 2023.

The attack, which lightly damaged three apartment buildings, angered Russia’s hawks, who scathingly criticized President Vladimir Putin and the military brass for failing to protect the heart of Kremlin power more than 500 kilometers (310 miles) from the front line.

Five of the eight drones that took part in the raid were shot down, the Defense Ministry said, while three others were jammed and forced to veer off course. Some Russian media and bloggers alleged a larger number of drones were involved, but those claims couldn’t be verified.

The attack followed a May 3 drone strike on the Kremlin that lightly damaged the roof of the palace that includes one of Putin’s official residences. Other drones have crashed near Moscow in what Russian authorities described as botched Ukrainian attempts to attack the city and infrastructure facilities in the suburbs.

Last week, the Russian border region of Belgorod was the target of one of the most serious cross-border raids since the war began, with two far-right pro-Ukrainian paramilitary groups claiming responsibility. Officials in the southern Russian city of Krasnodar near annexed Crimea said two drones struck there Friday, damaging residential buildings. The attacks also drew calls for bolstering Russia’s borders.

Ukrainian authorities rejoiced over Tuesday’s drone attack but customarily avoided a claim of responsibility, a response similar to what they said after previous attacks on Russian territory.

In a sarcastic tweet, Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said that “even artificial intelligence is already smarter and more far-sighted than the Russian military and political leadership.”

The Russian military pummeled the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv and other cities with cruise missiles and exploding drones for the past three nights, a significant spike in such attacks that have been regularly launched since October. The Ukrainian military said it shot down most of the missiles and remained coy about reporting damage from the strikes.

Putin cast the attack on Moscow as a Ukrainian attempt to intimidate its residents. He said Moscow’s air defenses worked as expected, but admitted that protecting a huge city is a daunting task.

“It’s clear what needs to be done to beef up air defenses, and we will do it,” he added.

Military watchers said the drones used in the attack were relatively crude and cheap but could have a range of up to 1,000 kilometers (over 620 miles). They predicted more could follow.

Some of the drones seen flying toward Moscow were the Ukrainian-made UJ-22s, capable of carrying explosives; others spotted in the skies near Moscow were similarly small vehicles.

Mark Cancian, a senior adviser with the Center for Strategic and International Studies International Security Program, noted that part of the reason why drones could make it all the way to Moscow undetected was because Russian air defenses are mostly focused on fending off attacks by more sophisticated weapons.

“They are oriented on missiles, ballistic missiles, regional missiles, aircraft, bombers, but not short- range drones, you know, which might be flying very low over the ground,” Cancian told The Associated Press. “The Russian air defense was just not designed to do this.”

The Russian military will likely move some of its air defense assets away from the front line to help protect Moscow, Cancian said, a move that would weaken Russian troops in the face of a Ukrainian counteroffensive.

“That’s good for the Ukrainians in the sense that they’re pulling these systems away from other areas where they could be used maybe from front-line units,” he said.

The Kremlin’s muted response to the attack irked some hawkish commentators and military bloggers in Moscow, who had criticized the Russian leadership for failing to mount a stronger response.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the maverick millionaire head of the Wagner private military contractor that plays a key role on the battlefield in Ukraine, scolded the Russian military leadership and denounced them as “scum” and “swine” for failing to protect Moscow.

“You, the Defense Ministry, have done nothing to launch an offensive,” Prigozhin said in a statement released by his office. “How dare you to allow the drones to reach Moscow?”

Ramzan Kadyrov, the strongman leader of the Russian province of Chechnya who sent forces from the region to fight in Ukraine, urged the Kremlin to declare martial law nationwide and use all its resources in Ukraine “to sweep away that terrorist gang.”

Some Kremlin watchers noted that Putin’s calm reaction that contrasted with angry statements from Russian hawks reflects his belief that the public won’t be unsettled by the attack.

“Putin has talked repeatedly about the Russian people’s remarkable patience and tenacity,” Tatiana Stanovaya of the Carnegie Endowment said in a commentary. “No matter how defiant another Ukrainian attack is, Putin doesn’t think that it could provoke public discontent with the government.”

She noted that while playing down the strikes makes the authorities look “embarrassed and helpless,” it fits Putin’s course to drag out the conflict.

James Nixey, the director of the Russia and Eurasia program at Chatham House, said Tuesday’s attack signaled a growing Ukrainian determination to launch strikes deep inside Russia and predicted more will come.

“This is not the first and it’s not the last,” Nixey told AP. “The Ukrainians are in various respects flexing their muscles, seeing what they’re capable of hitting back. It is one more part of the Ukrainian play to ensure that they are not just playing defense, but they can play some offense as well.”

Despite the loud calls for revenge, the Russian military can’t do much more than what it has been doing since starting the war, Nixey noted.

“The reality is that Russia does have limits in what it can do. It’s got limits on manpower, limits on its finances, limits on its artillery munitions, missiles, drones, everything,” he said. “They’re already expending all their efforts, all their monies, all their treasure, all their blood if you like on prosecuting their war in Ukraine.”

Sudanese warring parties to resume fighting in five-day's time

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia

The Sudanese army and paramilitary forces have agreed to a five-day extension of the ceasefire, allowing for the delivery of humanitarian aid and discussions on further measures to bring an end to the conflict.

Initially signed on May 20, the seven-day humanitarian ceasefire agreement was marred by violations as clashes and airstrikes persisted, impeding the delivery of aid and hindering the restoration of vital services such as water and power.

In a joint statement, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States of America announced that both warring parties have agreed to the five-day extension of the Agreement on a Short-Term Ceasefire and Humanitarian Arrangements.

The extension aims to allow humanitarian actors more time to carry out their crucial work.

During the extension period, the parties have expressed their commitment to implementing the provisions of the initial ceasefire that were not fully achieved. This includes the delivery of additional humanitarian assistance, the repair of essential services, and the evacuation of armed actors from hospitals.

“The parties also agreed to discuss a longer-term ceasefire that could entail vacating forces from urban areas, including civilian homes, further removal of impediments to the free movement of civilians and humanitarian assistance, and enabling public servants to resume their regular duties,” stressed the statement.

The joint statement strongly condemned the continued airstrikes, attacks, and restricted movements. It emphasized the importance of both parties honouring their obligations during the five-day extension to ensure a conducive environment for the delivery of aid and the well-being of the Sudanese people.

Sierra Leone war criminal released

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone

Allieu Kondewa, a militia leader accused of hacking civilians to death and other crimes during Sierra Leone's civil war in the 1990s has been released after serving his prison sentence, a court in the West African nation said.

The Residual Special Court for Sierra Leone, based in Freetown, said Monday that Kondewa (pictured above with white cap) was the second person convicted by the court to be released, after the CDF's "War Commander" Moinina Fofana was released in 2018 after completing a 15-year sentence.

Kondewa was a leader of the pro-government Civil Defense Forces (CDF), a notorious paramilitary unit that recruited traditional hunters to fight rebels during the country's brutal 1991-2002 civil war.

He was convicted in 2007 to a 20-year sentence on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including murder, issuing collective punishment and recruiting child soldiers.

He spent nearly 10 years in prison in Rwanda under a special agreement as war-ravaged Sierra Leone did not have proper detention facilities.

The Residual Special Court for Sierra Leone, based in Freetown, said Monday that Kondewa was the second person convicted by the court to be released, after the CDF's "War Commander" Moinina Fofana was released in 2018 after completing a 15-year sentence.

Kondewa had been imprisoned in Rwanda until 2018, since Sierra Leone did not have sufficient detention facilities to hold him.

That year the court granted a conditional early release for him to serve the remainder of his sentence in his community in the southern Sierra Leone city of Bo, under strict oversight.

The Sierra Leone civil war, financed largely by so-called blood diamonds, left 120,000 people dead and tens of thousands mutilated.

As a parallel force to the regular army, the CDF fought rebels of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) and the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council.

The CDF was alleged to have "eliminated" civilians suspected of collaborating with rebels, either through shooting them, hacking them to death or burning them alive.

Several other people remain in prison after being sentenced to longer prison terms by the special court, including Charles Taylor, the former Liberian warlord convicted of stoking the conflict.

Taylor is currently serving a 50-year sentence in a British prison after being convicted in 2012 by a special court in The Hague over war crimes in Sierra Leone -- the first ex-head of state to be jailed by an international court since the Nazi trials at Nuremberg in Germany after World War II.

US considering sanctions for Uganda over Anti-Gay bill

WASHINGTON, USA

United States President, Joe Biden, has announced that the United States is considering applying sanctions on Uganda after they signed an anti-gay bill into law.

In a statement dated May 29, President Biden condemned the enactment terming it as a "democratic backsliding", adding that it risks denying Ugandans services they benefit from the U.S.

"This shameful Act is the latest development in an alarming trend of human rights abuses and corruption in Uganda," reads part of the statement.

As a consequence, therefore, President Biden stated that he has directed the respective authorities to assess all the implications of the law.

He added that the US is also considering restricting travel against anyone seeking to jet into the Western economic hub.

"I have directed my National Security Council to evaluate the implications of this law on all aspects of U.S. engagement with Uganda, including our ability to safely deliver services under the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and other forms of assistance and investments," noted Biden.

He added: "My Administration will also incorporate the impacts of the law into our review of Uganda’s eligibility for the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA)."  

"And we are considering additional steps, including the application of sanctions and restriction of entry into the United States against anyone involved in serious human rights abuses or corruption."

Biden further expressed optimism that the enactment will be reviewed to avoid jeopardizing the 60-year partnership they have had with Uganda.

"In total, the U.S. Government invests nearly $1 billion annually in Uganda’s people, business, institutions, and military to advance our common agenda. The scale of our commitments speaks to the value we place on this partnership—and our faith in the people of Uganda to build for themselves a better future," he said.

"It is my sincere hope that we can continue to build on this progress, together, and strengthen protections for the human rights of people everywhere."

The bill, which was assented into law on Monday by President Yoweri Museveni, enjoys broad public support in Uganda but has faced harsh criticism from the U.S., European Union and international human rights groups.

Dakar clashes over blocked opposition leader's visit

DAKAR, Senegal

Dozens of protesters clashed with police in Senegal's capital Dakar on Monday after lawmakers were blocked from visiting the home of a prominent opposition politician on trial for separate charges of rape and libel.

Police fired tear gas at groups of demonstrators who built makeshift barricades along one of Dakar's main highways. In one neighborhood, cars were gutted by fire and a ministerial building was set alight.

It is the latest round of months of unrest triggered by President Macky Sall's refusal to rule out running for a third term in office and by court cases involving a leading rival, Ousmane Sonko, who denies wrongdoing and says the charges are aimed at ruling him out of presidential elections next February.

Police escorted Sonko to his house on Sunday after a caravan of vehicles including he and some supporters had planned to enter Dakar.

"Sonko can't leave his house... No-one can go see him, but why? Where is this democracy?" said El Malick Ndiaye, a spokesman for Sonko's Pastef party.

The police and Sall's office did not respond to requests for comment on Monday.

Senegal is seen as one of West Africa's strongest democracies, and it has a two-term limit for presidents. But critics of Sall worry that he will use a change in the constitution in 2016 as an excuse to reset his mandate and run again, as other long-standing rulers in the region have done.

Sonko has strong support among young people, but his degrading comments last week about a woman who accused him of rape in a massage parlor in 2021 sparked backlash from Senegalese women's groups and dozens of well-known figures.

Last week, a prosecutor in Sonko's trial requested a 10-year prison sentence.

Moscow attacked by drones as Russia launches pre-dawn air raid on Kyiv

KYIV, Ukraine

Russia launched a pre-dawn air raid on Ukraine’s capital Tuesday, killing at least one person and sending Kyiv’s residents again scrambling into shelters to escape a relentless wave of daylight and night-time bombardments, while Moscow authorities said the Russian capital was attacked by drones.

A Ukrainian soldier fires a mortar at Russian positions on the frontline near Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Monday, May 29, 2023. 

At least 20 Shahed explosive drones were destroyed by air defense forces in Kyiv’s airspace in Russia’s third attack on the capital in the past 24 hours, according to early information from the Kyiv Military Administration. Overall, Ukraine shot down 29 of 31 drones fired into the country, most in the Kyiv area, the air force later added.

Before daylight, the buzzing of drones could be heard over the city, followed by loud explosions as they were taken down by air defense systems.

In Moscow, residents reported hearing explosions and the Defense Ministry later said that eight drones had been fired at the city in what it called a “terrorist attack” by the “Kyiv regime.” It said five had been shot down and the systems of three were jammed, causing them to veer off course.

Ukraine has not commented on the Moscow attack, which would be one of its deepest strikes into Russia so far since Russia invaded Ukraine more than 15 months ago. Since the war began, Moscow has launched unrelenting drone and missile attacks at Ukraine’s cities, frequently killing civilians.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said in a Telegram post that the attack caused “insignificant damage” to several buildings. Two people received medical attention for unspecified injuries but did not need hospitalization, he said.

Residents of two buildings damaged in the attack were evacuated, Sobyanin said.

Andrei Vorobyov, governor of the wider Moscow region, later said several drones were “shot down on the approach to Moscow.”

It was the second reported an attack on Moscow, after authorities said two drones targeted the Kremlin earlier this month in what was labeled an attempt on President Vladimir Putin’s life.

In the attacks overnight on Kyiv, one person died and seven were injured, according to the municipal military administration. A high-rise building in the Holosiiv district caught fire after being hit by debris either from from drones being hit or interceptor missiles.

The building’s upper two floors were destroyed, and there may be people under the rubble, the Kyiv Military Administration said. More than 20 people were evacuated.

Resident Valeriya Oreshko told The Associated Press in the aftermath that even though the immediate threat was over, the attacks had everyone on edge.

“You are happy that you are alive, but think about what will happen next,” the 39-year-old said.

Oksana, who only gave her first name, said the whole building shook when it was hit.

“Go to shelters, because you really do not know where it (the drone) will fly,” she advised others. “We hold on.”

Elsewhere in the capital, falling debris caused a fire in a private house in the Darnytskyi district and three cars were set alight in the Pechersky district, according to the military administration.

The series of attacks that began Sunday included a rare daylight attack Monday that left puffs of white smoke in the blue skies.

On that day, Russian forces fired 11 ballistic and cruise missiles at Kyiv at about 11:30 a.m., according to Ukraine’s chief of staff, Valerii Zaluzhnyi. All of them were shot down, he said.

Debris from the intercepted missiles fell in Kyiv’s central and northern districts during the morning, landing in the middle of traffic on a city road and also starting a fire on the roof of a building, the Kyiv military administration said. At least one civilian was reported hurt.

The Russian Defense Ministry said it launched a series of strikes early Monday targeting Ukrainian air bases with precision long-range air-launched missiles. The strikes destroyed command posts, radars, aircraft and ammunition stockpiles, it claimed. It didn’t say anything about hitting cities or other civilian areas. - AP

Kenya to scrap visa fees for Africa traders

NAIROBI, Kenya

President of Kenya, William Ruto, has announced plans to remove visa requirements for African nationals travelling to Kenya for business as a first major step to remove barriers to intra-Africa trade.

Ruto on Monday, apologised to public and private sector leaders attending a forum on African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in Nairobi for the visa requirements.

“My minister for Trade has informed me that somehow some of our officials made you pay visas to come home and asked me to apologise, which I do. When one comes home, they don’t pay to come home.” He told the forum, narrating the human evolution story in Turkana, Kenya.

“I want to promise you that this might be the last time you are looking for a visa to come to Kenya because of two reasons. Number one, because this is home and number two, we support wholeheartedly the AfCFTA. We must remove any impediments to the movement of people around our continent.”

The announcement, on Monday, was a continuation of Kenya’s policy for the integration of Africa, which began gathering steam during the reign of immediate former President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Ruto’s predecessor, in November 2017, allowed any African visiting Kenya to be eligible to receive a visa on arrival.

Kenya’s move, at the time, came in the same month Rwanda issued a similar directive in the spirit of pan-Africanism without the requirement for reciprocity from other countries.

“For my fellow Africans, the free movement of people on our continent has always been a cornerstone of pan-African brotherhood and fraternity. The freer we are to travel and live with one another, the more integrated and appreciative of our diversity we will become.” said Kenyatta when he was sworn in for his second and final term in office on November 27, 2017.

Nairobi has, for years, been championing the removal of trade barriers amongst African countries to ease the movement of goods, services and labour through the integration of regional trading blocs.

Kenya was among the countries selected to participate in the pilot phase of the AfCFTA Initiative on Guided Trade last year as part of the efforts to encourage the movement of goods under preferential trading, launched on January 1, 2021.

The other countries were Ghana, Cameroon, Egypt, Mauritius, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Tunisia.

Africa’s under-developed transport networks have been blamed for raising cost of goods and services as much as 40 percent, rendering intra-African trade uncompetitive compared with trade with developed continents such as Europe.

For example, the first consignment of Kenya’s value-added tea to Ghana which left the country last October reached Port of Tema in February this year, underlining the infrastructural hurdles facing intra-African trade.

“This is why we must take such barriers as weak transport and logistics capacity, customs related delays, rules of origin, import bans and export restrictions, quotas and levies, technical barriers, import permits and licenses, very seriously because they ultimately reverse all the depths we try to make towards a free trade area.” Ruto said.

“They may look small, incremental but their sum total amounts to a reversal of what we are trying to achieve.”

Africa accounted for 18.49 percent, or Sh622.56 billion, of Kenya’s Sh3.37 trillion total trade value in 2022, largely unchanged from 18.39 percent in the prior year, according to provisional data collated by the Central Bank of Kenya.