Yemeni Operations in Red Sea 'Suffocating' Eilat Port

By Al Mayadeen English

The director of international relations and business development at the Federation of Israeli Chambers of Commerce explained that the occupation's construction sector has been severely affected.

Despite anti-missile systems safeguarding 'Eilat' and its port on the northern edge of the Red Sea, the city's economy is deteriorating, and port operations have ceased altogether, Media Line reported.

Yemen's Armed Forces have repeatedly targeted "Israel" since its war on Gaza began in October, as per the US Congressional Research Service. As part of the Yemeni Resistance's framework to expand its operations regionally, the movement recently announced conducting six operations targeting six Israeli-linked ships.

Under these operations, Eilat has underused logistical equipment and manpower. And if the confrontation in the north between "Israel" and Hezbollah intensifies, affecting Mediterranean Sea ports, this might pose what the news agency called a "national threat".

Gideon Golber, CEO of the Port of Eilat, told The Media Line that the Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF) are attempting to "suffocate Eilat and its economy," detailing that numerous ships are rerouting to Africa to avoid attacks, which adds time and extra costs to shipments. 

In March, Golber said that ever since the YAF began their operations and closed the Bab al-Mandab Strait, all activities on the Eilat port have been halted, and ever since that happened, all settlers operating on it or using it have been out of a job. 

In January, the UN Security Council approved Resolution 2722 led by the United States, urging YAF to cease their activities in the Red Sea.

Golber demanded that the US "get more involved" in fighting off the YAF, believing that if the US is perceived as "weak", the problem may get worse.

Eli Bar Yossef, CEO of the Isdud port, downplayed the importance of the port of Eilat to The Media Line, claiming that Isdud port could receive shipments originally headed to Eilat, adding that "this is a problem for Eilat, but not so much for us.”

Sarit Fishbane, the director of international relations and business development at the Federation of Israeli Chambers of Commerce, told The Media Line that shipping prices have soared due to "logistical challenges".

"In Israel, the construction sector has been affected severely, and we have also seen a rise in demand for emergency equipment and long-shelf-life food products."

Meanwhile, Media Line was told by Richard Hussey, a marine security consultant, that ports like Haifa and Isdud are within the range of Hezbollah rockets. Therefore, any significant escalation may result in attacks, thus interrupting trade and rerouting shipments.

Hussey explained how shipping companies are deciding whether to risk assaults while crossing the Red Sea or to go around Africa and into the Mediterranean Sea for an additional three weeks.

EU needs more warships in Red Sea to match Yemen's power

In early May, the European Union's Aspides naval mission's commander reportedly stated in Brussels that the mission in the Red Sea lacks the warship power needed to protect ships heading to "Israel", or affiliated with the occupation, from the Yemeni Armed Forces' operations.

German media revealed, citing Admiral Vasileios Gryparis of Greece, that the naval operation only had three warships left in the Red Sea, following the withdrawal of the German Hessen frigate.

Germany's Hessen retreated from the Red Sea on April 20 and arrived at Wilhelmshaven port in northern Germany on Sunday. However, the Defense Ministry stated that a ship rotation is underway, with the Hamburg frigate set to sail to the Red Sea in August. 

Gryparis claimed that Aspides was able to defy the Yemeni military operations, alleging that 96 commercial ships were successfully protected throughout their passage in the Red Sea, while 12 Yemeni drones were intercepted. 

The EU's naval operation, however, experienced a short-lived and trivial "success" amid the absence of warships and the steadfast Yemeni defenses which have been able to overwhelm Aspides' air defenses, leaving them vulnerable to any operation. 

Consequently, Gryparis stated that at least 10 warships would be required to escort commercial ships safely across the Bab al-Mandab Strait. 

Al-Aqsa Flood a Battle of Existence, Destiny-shaping: Sayyed Nasrallah

By Al Mayadeen English

Hezbollah Secretary-General touches on Operation Al-Aqsa Flood and its pivotal and far-reaching impact in the region, addressing some issues concerning the Lebanese front.

Operation Al-Aqsa Flood has had a pivotal and far-reaching impact on the region, Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said. 

Sayyed Nasrallah emphasized on Friday that "the Resistance front has become larger, broader, more comprehensive, and stronger than ever before."

"We are on a front whose future is bright and victorious," he said during the memorial ceremony for the late scholar Sheikh Ali Kourani, adding that "it is only a matter of time" before this front achieves victory.

He highlighted that the Israeli front is "experiencing a dire situation, the likes of which it has not faced in 79 years," as per Israeli officials.

Sayyed Nasrallah affirmed that Operation Al-Aqsa Flood "concerns the future of Lebanon, its resources, and its sovereignty."

The Lebanese Resistance leader stressed that the operation must be viewed "as a battle of existence and destiny-shaping, and we must all be involved in it," emphasizing that victory in this battle "will have positive effects on the region at all levels."

He affirmed that South Lebanon is at the heart of this battle, explaining that this front "is pressing, strong, and impactful" on the Israeli occupation and it "is part of the battle that shall shape the destiny of Palestine, Lebanon, and the region, beyond the narrow calculations preoccupying some Lebanese."

Hezbollah's chief called on the Lebanese people to pay attention to the assessments of Israeli generals, officials, and settlers about the effectiveness of the Lebanon front.

Sayyed Nasrallah indicated that Israeli leaders "came to the north to boast about pushing the Resistance kilometers away, only for the response to come with an operation just a few meters from the [Ramya] site," adding, "Had the Resistance fighters planned to enter the site, they would have."

Lebanon's backing of Palestine transcends sects

Sayyed Nasrallah addressed the circulating claims about "the Lebanese not supporting the [Lebanese] Resistance operations," asserting that any such support for the Lebanese front in its backing of Palestine transcends all sects and is not confined to any one group.

"Let everyone know their worth and speak on behalf of those they represent when claiming that the majority of the Lebanese people oppose the support front," he stressed.

He questioned those who claim that the Lebanese people refuse to support Gaza, asking, "What opinion poll proves these allegations?"

The resistance leader explained that despite the burdens and aggression suffered by Lebanon from the Israeli occupation entity since 1948, the society remained supportive, loyal, and sincere, attributing the Resistance's victories against "Israel" in May 2000 and July 2006 to this steadfastness.

Sayyed Nasrallah emphasized that the outcomes of the battle in South Lebanon "are far greater than any internal political wins," just as the liberation in 2000 and the victory in 2006 were.

He also denied claims that the southern Lebanese front is preventing the election of a president for the country, asserting that the battles in the South and Gaza are not linked to the presidential elections.

What has disrupted the election of a president in Lebanon are internal disagreements and external vetoes, Hezbollah Secretary-General explained.

"From the beginning, we said that we do not want to leverage what is happening in the South for internal affairs, but some [sides] are living in delusion," he indicated.

In a related context, Sayyed Nasrallah explained that the leaks about offers and temptations regarding drilling in exchange for halting the southern Lebanese front reveal the complicity of the United States in causing suffering for the Lebanese people.

He noted that the US is complicit in the electricity crisis in Lebanon and obstructing the issue of oil fields in Lebanese waters.

‘Netanyahu leading Israeli entity to the abyss’

Regarding “Israel’s” failure in Gaza, Sayyed Nasrallah explained that the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is leading the entity on a downhill course, through his insistence on the war he has waged.

He commented on the statements of the War Cabinet minister and the man behind the “Dahiya doctrine,” Gadi Eisenkot, in which he said that an entire contingent (comprising several brigades) of the Israeli occupation army is waging battles against one battalion that the army claimed it had dismantled in Jabalia, stressing that “the fighting is difficult."

This, according to Sayyed Nasrallah, is clear proof that the Israeli army is drained, forcing it to enter Jabalia with an entire contingent, with the Rafah battle ongoing down south.

Further highlighting the dire situation the Israeli entity is mired in, Hezbollah’s chief reiterated the words of the head of the Israeli Central Bank who talked about a “catastrophe that would befall the entity,” depicting an upcoming state of crises and disasters as highlighted by army commanders and senior Israeli officials.

In a related context, Sayyed Nasrallah pointed out that “the stances of the countries whereby they condemned the aggression and ongoing massacres and recognized the State of Palestine are among the blessings of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.”

Yemen

During his speech, Sayyed Nasrallah expressed his condolences to the Yemeni people following the latest American aggression on Yemen, which killed 16 and injured 41.

He pointed out that the Yemeni stance has been clear from the beginning that "no American aggression will affect Yemeni support and backing for Palestine and the Gaza Strip."

About Sheikh Kourani

Touching on the journey of Sheikh Kourani, the Lebanese leader noted that the late cleric put great efforts into religious propagation from Iraq to Kuwait, Lebanon, Iran, and many African and Arab nations, in addition to his participation in numerous conferences.

He added that Sheikh Kourani authored more than 60 books on theology, among other topics, deeming the Sheikh's achievements significant, including his introduction of modern technologies to the seminary and academic research. Sayyed Nasrallah emphasized that the most important achievement in this context is his encyclopedic work.

The Hezbollah chief pointed out that Sheikh Kourani "did not consider himself confined to a specific file or geographical boundaries" and was among the founders of the Islamic movement work starting in Iraq in the 1960s and one of the founders of the beginnings of clandestine Resistance work in the late 1970s.

Sheikh Kourani continued his resistance work for over 40 years, leading to the launch of the Islamic Resistance, Sayyed Nasrallah mentioned, adding that the cleric's faith in and support for the Resistance were absolute through statements and sacrifices, including his son, martyr Sheikh Yasser.

Elsewhere, the Resistance leader emphasized that Sheikh Ali Kourani was completely committed to the Palestinian cause "from the river to the sea," strongly believed in the Resistance's victory and the Israeli entity's downfall, and was eager to witness that day.

Police Crack Down on Palestine Campus Protests in California, Detroit

By Al Mayadeen English

Graduate student workers at UC Santa Cruz pursue their strike, which began last week, protesting the university system's treatment of pro-Palestine demonstrators.

Police in riot gear surrounded pro-Palestine demonstrators at the University of California, Santa Cruz, with footage showing them demanding protesters leave before removing placards and a portion of a barricade, local TV stations reported.

Footage shows pushing and shoving and officers putting zip ties on some and arresting others. KION-TV cited a university official as saying that arrests were made.

On Friday, the institution held remote classes. On Thursday, the university administration called on protesters to "immediately reopen full access to the campus and return to protesting in a manner consistent with both our community values and our student code of conduct," while adding that "denying instructional access is not free speech."

Graduate student workers at UC Santa Cruz continued their strike, which began last week, protesting the university system's treatment of pro-Palestine demonstrators.

University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) witnessed another flare-up on campus as academic workers staged a strike to protest the university's response to the Gaza encampment earlier this month. 

Unionized academic researchers, graduate teaching assistants, and post-doctoral scholars walked out for what they called unfair labor practices in the university’s handling of pro-Palestinian demonstrations in recent weeks.

According to the Associated Press, at least 83 arrests have occurred during university protests around the US since April 18 and over 3,025 individuals have been detained across 62 schools and universities. 

On Thursday, police in riot gear dismantled fences and tents set up last week in open space outside Wayne State University's undergraduate library in Detroit. At least 12 were arrested and the school's president Kimberly Andrews Espy claimed the encampment “created an environment of exclusion – one in which some members of our campus community felt unwelcome and unable to fully participate in campus life”.

Days after students walked out of a commencement, another was planned for Friday at MIT in Cambridge, near Boston. Protesters screamed "Free, free Palestine" and hoisted posters that said "All eyes on Rafah" while wearing Keffiyehs. 

Pro-'Israel' billionaires are involved in crackdown on university protests

A coalition of billionaires and influential business figures, aiming to influence American public opinion regarding the Israeli war on Gaza, urged New York City's Mayor in private last month to deploy police to quell pro-Palestinian demonstrations at Columbia University, The Washington Post reported on May 17, citing communications obtained and individuals familiar with the group.

Business leaders, including Daniel Lubetzky, founder of Kind Snack company, hedge fund manager Daniel Loeb, billionaire Len Blavatnik, and real estate investor Joseph Sitt, convened for a Zoom video conference with Mayor Eric Adams on April 26. This meeting took place about a week following the Mayor's initial dispatch of New York police to Columbia's campus, as indicated in a log of chat messages.

During the call, some participants discussed the possibility of making political contributions to Adams, as well as strategies for exerting pressure on Columbia's President and trustees to authorize the Mayor's deployment of police to address protesters on campus, according to summaries of the chat messages, as reported by The Post.

A member of the WhatsApp group chat said, as quoted by The Post, that he "contributed" $2,100, the maximum allowable amount, to Adams during that month.

Additionally, some members expressed willingness to fund private investigators to aid the New York police in managing the protests, as indicated in the chat log. A member reported in the chat that Adams accepted this offer. However, a spokesperson for City Hall claimed that the New York Police Department has not utilized private investigators for managing protests.

South Sudan Receives its First Batch of a New Vaccine for Malaria from the WHO

BY DENG MACHOL

11:32 AM EDT, May 31, 2024

JUBA, South Sudan (AP) — South Sudan got its first batch of a new malaria vaccine on Friday from the U.N. health agency, an important step in efforts to battle a disease that is the biggest killer of children in this African country.

The more than 645,000 doses of the R21 malaria vaccine received will be distributed across 28 counties with the highest malaria burden.

In 2022, South Sudan had an estimated 2.8 million cases and 6,680 deaths from malaria. It has one of the region’s highest rates of malaria incidence, with an estimated 7,630 cases and 18 people dying of the disease every day, according to the World Health Organization.

South Sudan’s health minister, Yolanda Awel Deng, said the new vaccine, alongside other preventive measures such as insecticide-treated bed nets and timely access to medical care, will be instrumental in a push to eliminate malaria.

Others also welcomed the development.

UNICEF South Sudan Representative Hamida Lasseko said that the “governments’ proactive engagement and health systems’ preparedness are pivotal in facilitating the successful rollout of the immunization program.”

Dr Humphrey Karamagi, WHO’s representative for South Sudan, said the integration of the vaccine into routine immunization will “enhance our ability to deliver comprehensive malaria prevention to those most at risk.”

The R21 vaccine was the second malaria vaccine recommended by WHO in 2023, after the RTS,S/AS01 vaccine, which received a WHO recommendation in 2021.

The R21 vaccine has been hailed as a cheaper and a more readily available option. Research suggests it is more than 75% effective and that protection is maintained for at least another year with a booster.

Sudan’s Children Trapped in Critical Malnutrition Crisis: UN

Women and children wait outside the MSF clinic in Zamzam camp, where a malnutrition crisis is causing an estimated one child to die every two hours. Sudan, 30 January 2024.

May 30, 2024 (NEW YORK) – The lives of Sudan’s children are at stake and urgent action is needed to protect an entire generation from malnutrition, disease and death, three United Nations agencies warned on Thursday.

All indications, the agencies said in a statement, point to a significant deterioration of the nutrition situation for children and mothers in war-torn Sudan.

A recent analysis conducted by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), UN World Food Programme (WFP) and World Health Organization (WHO) highlights that the ongoing hostilities are worsening the drivers of child malnutrition.

These, it noted, include a lack of access to nutritious food, safe drinking water and sanitation, and increased risk of disease. The situation is compounded by massive population displacement; as large numbers of people flee the conflict.

“The lives of Sudan’s children are at stake and urgent action is needed to protect an entire generation from malnutrition, disease and death,” reads the statement.

Over 8.8 million people fled their homes since war broke out in Sudan in 2023.

Access to food remains the priority need of the displaced followed by healthcare, water, and sanitation services, particularly across Darfur and Kordofan regions.

“The ongoing hostilities are worsening the drivers of child malnutrition,” the agencies warned, further adding that “These include a lack of access to nutritious food, safe drinking water and sanitation, and increased risk of disease”.

Sudan is facing an ever-increasing risk of conflict-induced famine that will have catastrophic consequences including the loss of life, especially among young children.”

The agencies said the conflict “is also severely impacting the delivery of humanitarian supplies, leaving countless women and children without access to vital food and nutritional support… (while) growing violence and bureaucratic procedures impede access to conflict affected areas”.

The year-long war is also severely impacting the delivery of humanitarian supplies, leaving countless women and children without access to vital food and nutritional support. The agencies have been struggling to deliver nutrition products as growing violence and bureaucratic procedures impede access to conflict affected areas.

In Central Darfur, acute malnutrition is estimated to be at 15.6 percent among children under 5, while in ZamZam camp it’s close to 30%. The situation has deteriorated over recent months, with no sign of abating due to continued conflict and severely hindered humanitarian access.

Levels of malnutrition are particularly worrying among pregnant and breastfeeding mothers. For example, screening carried out last month by Medecins Sans Frontieres in ZamZam camp, North Darfur, found over 33 percent of pregnant and breastfeeding women are malnourished, indicating that they are likely sacrificing their own needs to feed their children.

This situation poses an incredible risk not only for the health of mothers, but also for the next generation of Sudan’s children. As much as 30 percent of child malnutrition begins in utero, so children born to malnourished mothers are likely to be already malnourished themselves.

“Children in Sudan are experiencing horrific violence, displacement and trauma – and now they are confronted with potential famine,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.

“When children suffer from serious forms of malnutrition, it harms their physical and cognitive development and can leave life-long damage. Parties to the conflict must urgently allow humanitarian access so children can receive food, water, medical care and shelter. But most of all, children need peace.”

“Mothers and children across Sudan are wasting away from malnutrition. The ongoing war has stripped them of everything they need to survive – food, medical support and shelter. We need immediate and safe access to deliver the humanitarian assistance that they so desperately need. Without it, this crisis risks becoming the world’s largest hunger emergency”, said WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain.

She added “Millions of lives are at stake and the international community must act now or we risk losing an entire generation of children.”

“Malnutrition is not a one-time crisis. Malnourished children face a lifetime of developmental challenges and ill-health and are also more likely to die from infectious diseases”, said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

He added, “The clock is ticking, edging Sudan’s mothers and children closer to famine. WHO and partners are on the ground working to prevent and treat acute malnutrition to save precious lives but we need sustained humanitarian access and full financial backing to be able to do this.”

The agencies call for immediate, unimpeded and consistent access to communities who are suffering the worst effects of the brutal and lengthy conflict, through all possible crossline and cross-border routes with neighbouring countries, de-escalation of the situation in El Fasher and a nationwide ceasefire.

(ST)

Sudanese Refugees in Ethiopia Face Violence and Humanitarian Crisis

Sudanese refugees in Ethiopia stage a hunger strike to protest the attacks by Ethiopian gangs on May 24, 2024 (photo Altayed Abbas)

May 30, 2024 (ADDIS ABABA) – A representative of Sudanese refugees at the Awlala camp on the Ethiopian border, Mohamed Hamid, revealed that there had been 1,700 incidents involving Ethiopian militias, including killings, looting, theft, kidnapping, and assaults.

The latest incident involved a group of Sudanese refugees being kidnapped from an ambulance on its way to Gondar Hospital in the Amhara region for treatment.

Sudanese refugees in the Komer and Awlala camps in the Amhara region are facing extremely challenging conditions, with no humanitarian aid and a lack of shelters to protect them from the rain and sun.

As of April 22, the UNHCR estimates that over 52,758 Sudanese refugees have crossed into Ethiopia, fleeing the war between the Sudanese army and the RSF. Over 22,000 are in the Amhara region, 7,780 in Tigray, and 22,305 in Benishangul Gumuz.

Approximately 6,000 Sudanese refugees, who fled the conflict between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces since mid-April 2023, are currently in a forest with no basic necessities for survival.

The refugees initially stayed at the Kumer camp, but repeated attacks by Ethiopian Shifta gangs and other groups forced them to relocate to a forest 4 kilometres away, seeking safety.

A Sudanese refugee named Amir was killed a month ago when a rogue group shot him in the head to steal his mobile phone, according to the refugee spokesperson who spoke to Sudan Tribune.

Hamid confirmed that all meetings held with the UNHCR have failed to address the critical security issues faced by the Sudanese refugees, including a lack of security and frequent attacks and armed looting by Ethiopian militias.

Hamid noted that despite discussions with Ethiopian authorities and related organizations about the refugees’ dire situation, there has been an inadequate response. The UNHCR has conditioned further assistance on the refugees returning to the Kumer camp to consider their transfer to a third country, which is the refugees’ request.

Continuous looting and violence against the refugees have been reported, with the latest involving the theft of six tents under threat of arms and the expulsion of their occupants by Ethiopian militias. Additionally, there are potential threats of deadly diseases such as cholera and kala-azar, according to residents near Awlala.

Hamid revealed ongoing neglect by international organizations regarding the refugees’ plight, with five failed meetings with the direct parties involved.

He highlighted practices against Sudanese refugees, such as denying or selling water at high prices, which leads them to drink contaminated water. Hamid stressed that they would not accept unclear solutions without specific guarantees.

Hamid also reported ongoing security threats to the refugees, including a recent heavy exchange of gunfire between the Ethiopian federal army, federal police, and some Ethiopian militias east of the forest where the refugees reside.

Hamid warned of a looming humanitarian disaster and possible deaths due to starvation, as the refugees have been forced into a hunger strike because of severe food shortages, noting that the remaining food is insufficient even for children.

In response, Khalid Shawish, a member of the leadership body of the Civil Democratic Forces Coordination Tagadum, told Sudan Tribune about a joint plan between the coalition and the Ethiopian Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to arrange urgent support for the Sudanese refugees in those areas.

Shawish stated that Ethiopian authorities are keen to resolve all issues faced by the Sudanese, including the refugee crisis at the border.

He accused unspecified entities of exploiting the attacks on Sudanese refugees by “Ethiopian criminal groups” to suggest that Ethiopian authorities were attacking the Sudanese refugees.

Shawish clarified, “What happened is that these criminal groups attacked the camp to steal food.”

In the same context, Munadil Al-Tayeb, the Secretary of Sudanese Community Affairs in Ethiopia, appealed to all relevant parties to provide urgent assistance to Sudanese refugees at the border.

He emphasized that the refugees’ current situation requires immediate intervention to deliver aid and provide medical supplies and assistance.

UNHCR voices concern

In a statement on May 28, UNHCR said that it was “deeply concerned” about the security situation of Sudanese refugees who left the Awlala refugee site in Ethiopia on May 1st due to security incidents and lack of services. Some of these refugees began a hunger strike, further increasing their vulnerability.

UNHCR and Ethiopian authorities are engaging with the refugees to find a solution. Still, the volatile security environment, including a recent incident resulting in the death of an NGO worker, poses challenges, underscored the refugee agency.

South Sudan Swipes at World Bank, IMF Loan Requirements

James Alic Garang (Bank of South Sudan photo)

May 30, 2024 (JUBA) – South Sudan has described as subjective the debt sustainability analysis conducted by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank to ascertain whether a country qualifies for a loan.

Central Bank governor, James Alic Garang said these conditions limit the ability of African countries to borrow more resources from these two financial institutions.

“We find that time and again most countries are either under debt distress or at risk of high debt distress and because of that the access of these countries to resources is restrained.  So, we believe this is something we will keep pushing, and one day we shall have our rating or we shall have more voice at the global financial table because even at the movement in the global setting, there are tables where Africa does not sit on the table”, he explained.

Garang vowed to raise the issue at the plenary meeting of the African Development Bank (ADB) taking place in Nairobi, Kenya from May 27-31, 2024.

South Sudan is currently facing financial challenges to meet its obligation after a large portion of the oil flowing through Sudan to the international markets for sale has been disrupted by a rupture in the pipeline and blockage by the activities of armed groups on the Red Sea.  the Yemen-based armed Houthis have threatened to block ships using international water bodies with cargoes.

South Sudan has failed to regularly pay the military and civil servants due to large amounts of money it owes other countries and international financial institutions.

The East African nation, for instance, owes the World Bank $79 million obtained on International Development Association (IDA) terms in 2020, $28 million to the ADB and $150 to the Chinese Exim Bank for the upgrade of Juba International Airport.

After defaulting on a $627 million loan borrowed from Qatar National Bank (QNB), an international court has tasked South Sudan to the pay Qatar bank $1 billion.

Debt and sustainability analysis is a tool by which the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank assess the current debt situation, its maturity structure, whether it has fixed or floating rates, whether it is indexed, and by whom it is held.

It is also a framework used to Identify vulnerabilities in the debt structure or the policy framework far enough in advance to introduce policy corrections before payment difficulties arise. In cases where such challenges have emerged, or are about to emerge, examine the impact of alternative debt-stabilizing policy paths.

According to the IMF and World Bank, the framework consists of two complementary components: the analysis of the sustainability of total public debt and that of total external debt.

(ST)

South Sudan President Grants Independence of Central Bank

May 31, 2024 (JUBA) – South Sudan President Salva Kiir has granted the independence of the Central Bank as part of efforts to avert political interference as well as strengthen its ability to control foreign exchange rates and inflation.

The directive, announced on the state-owned television (SSBC) on Thursday, also seeks to implement the provision of the 2018 peace agreement advocating for economic reforms and the independence of the bank on monetary policies.

Others, however, see it as the implementation of the 2023 Bank Act, granting the bank a mandate to execute statutory and supervision functions without seeking directives and guidance from the Finance ministry or the office of the president.

Article 182 (8) read together with section (7) of the Bank of South Sudan Act, amended in 2023, stipulates that the Bank of South Sudan shall be independent in its statutory and supervisory functions. The act further explains that the mandate of the Bank of South Sudan is to independently exercise powers and functions without interference from other government institutions and individuals.

It ensures that independently implements monetary policies that promote domestic price stability, currency issuance, regulation of financial sectors, holding and managing the official exchange reserves of the country as well as implementation of its independent recruitment policy.

Kiir, through his order, directed the leadership of the Bank of South Sudan to work with other financial institutions and individuals to implement the order without fail.

South Sudan is struggling with runaway inflation exacerbated by soaring consumer prices blighted by the short supply of goods and services in the market.

The foreign exchange market has been hit hard by a sharp decline in the value of the South Sudan Pound against the rising value of foreign currency, dominated by the United States dollar. This rise in foreign exchange rate and the fall in the value of local currency has been stoking tensions and fears it could push and persuade people to rise against the transitional government of national due to the rising cost of living in a country struggling to implement the September 2018 peace agreement.

(ST)

UN Extends Arms Embargo on South Sudan Despite Appeals from African Union, Russia and China

FILE - The symbol of the United Nations is displayed outside the Secretariat Building, Feb. 28, 2022, at United Nations Headquarters. The divided U.N. Security Council voted Thursday, May 30, 2024, to extend an arms embargo on South Sudan despite appeals from the world’s newest nation, the African Union and half a dozen countries including Russia and China to lift or at least ease the restrictive measure. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)

BY EDITH M. LEDERER

8:21 PM EDT, May 30, 2024

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The divided U.N. Security Council voted Thursday to extend an arms embargo on South Sudan despite appeals from the world’s newest nation, the African Union and half a dozen countries including Russia and China to lift or at least ease the restrictive measure.

The U.S.-sponsored resolution got the minimum nine “yes” votes in the 15-member council, with six countries abstaining – Russia, China, Mozambique, Algeria, Sierra Leone and Guyana.

The resolution also extends travel bans and asset freezes on South Sudanese on the U.N. sanctions blacklist until May 31, 2025.

U.S. deputy ambassador Robert Wood welcomed the resolution’s adoption saying extending the U.N. arms embargo “remains necessary to stem the unfettered flow of weapons into a region awash with guns.”

But Russia’s deputy U.N. ambassador Anna Evstigneeva accused the United States of ignoring all the positive achievements in South Sudan and focusing on sanctions “which they present as a sort of panacea for all of the country’s problems.

She called the sanctions “burdensome,” noted calls for their lifting from South Sudan and the African Union, and said: “It is clear that at this stage, many of the Council sanctions regimes including South Sudan’s are outdated and need to be reviewed.”

South Sudan’s U.N. ambassador Cecilia Adeng told the council that sanctions “impede our progress” and reiterated the country’s call for the measures to be lifted. Eliminating the arms embargo “will enable us to build robust security institutions necessary for maintaining peace and protecting our citizens,” she said.

There were high hopes when oil-rich South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011 after a long conflict. But the country slid into a civil war in December 2013 largely based on ethnic divisions when forces loyal to the current president, Salva Kiir, battled those loyal to the current vice president, Riek Machar.

The war, which left nearly 400,000 people dead and more than 4 million displaced, ended with the 2018 peace agreement, bringing Kiir and Machar together in a government of national unity.

Under the agreement, elections were supposed to be held in February 2023, but they were postponed until December 2024. In early April, South Sudan’s president warned lawmakers “not to cling to power just weeks after Machar proposed a further postponement of elections.

A report two weeks ago by experts monitoring sanctions against South Sudan said the elections would be “a significant milestone” and warned that the country’s leaders are running short of time “to ensure divergent expectations do not fuel further tensions and strife.”

South Sudan’s Adeng told the council her country is committed to ensuring the upcoming elections are conducted peacefully, “with full participation of all stakeholders.”

“South Sudan remains dedicated to working with the international community and our regional partners to achieve a peaceful and prosperous future for all South Sudanese,” she said. “We appeal to the Security Council to support our efforts by adopting measures that facilitate rather than hinder our progress.”

Sayyed al-Houthi Laments Arab Inaction on Israeli Crimes in Gaza

By Al Mayadeen English

30 May 2024 19:03

The leader of the Yemeni Ansar Allah movement affirms that the YAF's operations in support of Gaza would escalate quantitatively and qualitatively.

The leader of the Yemeni Ansar Allah movement, Sayyed Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, pointed out that the Israeli occupation continues its savage aggression against the Palestinian people in Gaza for the 237th day before the eyes of the entire world.

Touching on the Rafah massacre, the Yemeni leader said that the whole world witnessed the heinous crime deliberately committed by the Israeli occupation against displaced civilians in the area.

He emphasized that the targeted area had previously been declared a "safe zone" by the Israeli occupation forces, yet the displaced were targeted with seven American bombs in their sleep.

Al-Houthi noted that most of the displaced victims are children and women, whose bodies were torn and charred by the bombs, with heads separated from their bodies.

The Ansar Allah leader said the crimes committed by the Israeli occupation, supported by the United States and Britain, reveal their hostility that poses a threat to humanity.

In the same context, Sayyed al-Houthi mentioned that some Arab regimes aligned with the US and "Israel" are working to obscure the crimes of the occupation in educational curricula, media, and other platforms.

He said the actions of the Israeli occupation entity are an integral part of its identity and beliefs.

By continuously committing crimes, the Israeli occupation is attempting to "acclimate the world’s people to accept and overlook its crimes," Sayyed al-Houthi considered, adding that "the enemy aims to strip humanity of its empathy."

"The Israeli view of other human societies is one of contempt, inferiority, and hatred," he indicated.

All Israeli crimes were committed using American bombs and under American cover, preventing any binding decision to stop the aggression on Gaza, the Yemeni leader pointed out.

He stressed that the statements and condemnations issued after each major Israeli crime are no longer effective, underlining that practical actions must be taken.

Israeli occupation of Philadelphi Axis a 'very serious violation'

Regarding the Israeli military’s occupation of the Philadelphi Axis separating Egypt and the Gaza Strip and the killing of Egyptian soldiers, Sayyed al-Houthi described the latest events as a "severe violation and a threat to Egyptian national security."

He pointed out that this comes as Egyptian ships continue to deliver goods to the Israeli occupation, surpassing many other countries in this context.

The Yemeni leader called on the Egyptian authorities to take bold and strong steps starting with severing economic ties with the Israeli occupation entity, affirming that should Egypt adopt such decisions, it will receive wide support and endorsement from the people, especially in Yemen.

He also expressed regret that some Arab and Islamic countries persist in their relations with the Israeli occupation entity while some Western countries have taken stronger stances and severed ties with it. He also lamented that some Arab countries have opened their airspace to the Israeli occupation for years.

Sayyed al-Houthi hailed the student protests in US and European universities as "positive steps", expressing hope that they persist and expand.

YAF operations

This week, the Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF) carried out 12 operations in the Red and Arabian seas, the Indian Ocean, and the Mediterranean Sea as part of the fourth escalation phase, according to the Ansar Allah leader.

Sayyed al-Houthi also confirmed that the total number of ships targeted by the YAF since the start of the operations has reached 129, affirming that no factors can influence the Yemeni stance to reduce the increasing momentum of these operations.

He stressed that there is no decline in the operations of the YAF, but rather a decline in the navigation of American and British ships and an almost complete absence of Israeli vessels.

In the same context, the Yemeni leader announced that the YAF have so far shot down six American surveillance drones, including the latest downing of an MQ-9 drone over Marib.

Sayyed al-Houthi pointed out that the MQ-9 drones, which the US forces rely on, have lost their prestige and have become worthless and insignificant.

He confirmed that the Yemeni operations are achieving their targets despite many countries attempting to intercept and counter them.

There is American and British recognition of Yemen’s ability to escalate its operations as long as the aggression on Gaza continues, Sayyed al-Houthi mentioned, pointing out that the YAF operations have impacted the prices of goods in the Israeli occupation entity, including food supplies.

Economically, the Yemeni leader deemed the targeting of banks in Sanaa an economic aggression, warning that Saudi Arabia would face deep trouble if it got involved in this aggression in "Israel’s" favor.

He explained that the pressure imposed on banks in Sanaa is part of American steps to support the Israeli occupation entity, adding that the US is trying to implicate the Saudis in this aggressive act.

Supporting fronts

Regarding various fronts supporting the Resistance in Gaza, Sayyed al-Houthi highlighted that the Iraqi support front continues its operations in an escalating manner, pointing out that the significant annoyance of the Israelis from the Iraqi drones launched toward Israeli targets is evident.

The Yemeni leader also deemed the operations of Hezbollah, which inflicted heavy damage on the Israeli occupation, as great, important, and effective. He highlighted that "Israel", in one day this week, needed 14 fire brigades to extinguish fires in the occupied Upper al-Jalil.

The Ansar Allah leader lamented the inaction of some Arab countries toward supporting the Palestinian people and its Resistance fighters as a "disgrace and shame," criticizing Saudi Arabia and other Arab states' designation of the Resistance fighters in Gaza as "terrorists" while turning a blind eye to Israeli crimes.

Hezbollah Targets Israeli Sites, Troops with Rockets, Artillery Shells

By Al Mayadeen English

Hezbollah Resistance fighters carry out six operations against Israeli military sites and soldiers.

The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon - Hezbollah announced that its fighters carried out on Thursday a series of operations against Israeli military sites and soldiers along the border with occupied Palestine.

Hezbollah said its operations come in support of the steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and their brave and honorable Resistance and in response to the Israeli attacks on the steadfast southern Lebanese villages.

The Resistance's operations come as follows:

At 1:15 pm, Hezbollah targeted a deployment of Israeli soldiers in the vicinity of the Har Addir site with artillery shells, achieving direct hits.

At 5:50 pm, Hezbollah fighters targeted a deployment of Israeli soldiers in the vicinity of the Jal al-Allam site with artillery shells, hitting them directly. 

At 6:25 pm, Hezbollah fighters targeted the al-Ramtha site in the occupied Lebanese Kfar Chouba Hills with rocket artillery, achieving direct hits.

At 6:35 pm, Hezbollah fighters targeted the Zebdine site in the occupied Lebanese Shebaa Farms with rocket artillery, hitting it directly. 

At 8:00 pm, Hezbollah fighters targeted the Zari't barracks with artillery shells, achieving direct hits. 

At 11:00 pm, Hezbollah fighters targeted a building used by Israeli occupation soldiers in the al-Manara settlement with appropriate weapons, hitting it directly. The Resistance said the operation was in response to the Israeli aggression on the town square of Houla.

In a related context, Hezbollah mourned its Resistance fighters martyrs Samer Kamel Yassin (Fidaa) and Hussein Mohammad Atwi (Alaa) from the town of Houla in southern Lebanon.

Hamas Says Not to Pursue Negotiations Amid Israeli War on Gaza

By Al Mayadeen English

30 May 2024 23:27

The Palestinian Resistance group says the Israeli occupation has used these negotiations as a cover to continue its aggression and massacres against the Palestinian people.

The Hamas movement on Thursday announced that it has informed mediators of its clear stance that it is prepared to reach a comprehensive agreement that includes a full prisoner exchange deal only if the Israeli occupation halts its war and aggression against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.

Hamas reiterated in a statement that it has shown flexibility and positivity toward the mediators' efforts during all previous rounds of indirect negotiations, culminating in the announcement of their agreement to the ceasefire proposal on May 6.

The Palestinian Resistance group pointed out that the Israeli occupation has used these negotiations as a cover to continue its aggression and massacres against the Palestinian people, responding to the movement's positive stance by invading Rafah and occupying the Rafah crossing and presenting remarks that aim to disrupt the mediators' efforts.

The statement underlined that Hamas and the Palestinian factions will not continue negotiations amid aggression, killing, siege, starvation, and genocide against the Palestinian people.

On Tuesday, senior Hamas official Bassem Naim affirmed that the continuation of the Israeli aggression "means more Israeli captives in the hands of the Palestinian Resistance in the Gaza Strip."

In an exclusive interview for Al Mayadeen, Naim responded to comments from the Israeli Channel 12 regarding "Israel's" readiness for a long-term ceasefire, saying that "Israeli manipulation of words is unacceptable, as it must be clear from the beginning that a complete ceasefire is demanded."

He highlighted that Hamas' position on negotiations, alongside other factions, relies on the fighters' legendary performance on the battlefield. He also noted the movement's previous acceptance of a proposal that met Palestinian aspirations.

The Palestinian official confirmed that no side has contacted the movement recently, and no new proposals were made, underscoring Hamas' unwillingness to engage in new negotiations while "Israel" occupies the Rafah crossing.

Naim pointed out that there is "an Israeli attempt to cover up the massacres against our people by claiming that there is a recent movement toward negotiations."

A source in Hamas, speaking to Al Mayadeen, denied Tuesday the return of negotiations as claimed by Israeli media.

A senior Palestinian Resistance source had also told Al Mayadeen that the Israeli occupation is not serious in its attempts to return to negotiations, emphasizing Hamas' insistence on stopping Israeli massacres against the people of Gaza.

The senior source emphasized that Hamas "believes that Israel is not serious" about reaching a deal, perceiving "Israel's" maneuvers as attempts to obscure and justify its continued perpetration of criminal acts against the Palestinian people.

Africans’ Bleak Economic Outlook Mirrors Escalating Poverty Experience, Afrobarometer Surveys Reveal

By News Ghana 

May 30, 2024

Negative Assessment Of Economic Conditions

Africans’ concerns about economic management have surged in recent years, placing the  issue second only to unemployment among the top priorities that citizens want their  government to address, the latest Afrobarometer Pan-Africa Profile shows. 

Based on surveys in 39 African countries between late 2021 and mid-2023, the analysis shows  that citizens offer increasingly gloomy appraisals of their country’s economic condition and  their personal living conditions, and fewer than half expect things to improve in the near  future. 

In growing numbers, Africans report going without basic necessities such as a cash income,  medical care, food, and water. In most surveyed countries, majorities are experiencing  moderate or high lived poverty, and citizens’ ratings on key indicators of their government’s  economic performance are bleak and getting worse. 

Key findings 

▪ On average across 39 countries surveyed between late 2021 and mid-2023,  unemployment and management of the economy top the list of the most important problems that Africans want their government to address, along with health (Figure 1). 

Across 31 countries surveyed consistently since 2014/2015, the proportion of citizens citing management of the economy among their top priorities has more than doubled. 

▪ About two-thirds (65%) of citizens assess their country’s economic condition as “fairly  bad” or “very bad” (Figure 2). More than half (52%) also hold gloomy views of their personal living conditions. 

▪ On average across 31 countries surveyed consistently since 2014/2015, negative  reviews of the country’s economic condition have risen by 15 percentage points, and  those of personal living conditions by 7 points (Figure 3). 

▪ Citizens are divided as to whether economic conditions will get better (40%) or worse  (35%) over the next 12 months. 

▪ Eight in 10 respondents (81%) say they or a family member went without a cash  income at least once during the previous year, including 43% who did so “many  times” or “always” (Figure 4). 

Two-thirds (65%) report having gone without medical care at least once, and  about six in 10 suffered shortages of food (59%) and water (56%). 

▪ Six in 10 Africans (61%) experienced moderate or high lived poverty during the past  year. 

Moderate-to-high lived poverty has been increasing and affected majorities in all  but eight of 39 surveyed countries, including more than eight in 10 citizens in  

Congo-Brazzaville (86%), Mauritania (84%), Niger (84%), and Cameroon (81%). ▪ Only a quarter (26%) of Africans say their governments are doing “fairly well” or “very  well” in managing the economy (Figure 5). 

o Even fewer give their governments passing marks for their efforts to improve the  living standards of the poor (22%), create jobs (20%), narrow income gaps (16%),  and keep prices stable (12%). 

US Imperialism Sanctions Uganda’s Parliament Speaker, Her Husband and Others Over Alleged Corruption and Rights Abuses

BY RODNEY MUHUMUZA

12:51 PM EDT, May 30, 2024

KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — The United States on Thursday imposed sanctions on Uganda’s parliamentary speaker, her husband and several other officials over corruption and serious abuses of human rights.

Parliament Speaker Anita Among was sanctioned “due to involvement in significant corruption tied to her leadership” of Uganda’s national assembly, the U.S. State Department said.

Lt. Gen. Peter Elwelu, a former deputy chief of Uganda’s military, was sanctioned over “extrajudicial killings” committed by government troops. Three former government ministers, recently implicated in the theft of roofing sheets that were not distributed to members of an impoverished community, were also sanctioned.

Among, a senior member of Uganda’s ruling party and an ally of President Yoweri Museveni, has been under the spotlight recently over the source of her wealth as well as allegations relating to the misuse of parliamentary resources. The United Kingdom announced sanctions against her last month, citing corruption.

At the center of an ongoing probe ordered by the president, is whether Among owns property in the U.K. that she did not declare to authorities.

Among’s husband and lawmaker Moses Magogo was also sanctioned. He has been president of the Ugandan soccer federation since 2013. The next men’s World Cup in 2026 is being co-hosted by the United States, with Canada and Mexico, and Magogo would have been expected to attend the tournament.

Ugandans have been stunned by the revelations about Among’s spending. She has denied the allegations and has claimed she is the victim of a political witch hunt. She says she is being targeted for her role in enacting an anti-gay bill condemned by rights watchdogs and others.

Elwelu and the other sanctioned Ugandans were not immediately available for comment. Elwelu appears to have been targeted for his role as the commander of a 2016 military attack on a tribal king’s palace in which over 100 civilians were killed.

Museveni, who has held power in Uganda since 1986, has long been accused of shielding corrupt but influential officials from criminal prosecution. After his reelection to a sixth term in 2021, he promised to crack down on corruption.

But many Ugandans are not hopeful.

Local media outlets frequently report on corruption issues, but activists, opposition figures and others who try to organize street protests face arrest under a law that requires them to first notify police of any plans to rally.

Kenyan President Ruto Defends Cost of Private Jet for US Trip While Calling for Prudent Spending

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, top of stairs from right, hosts a welcoming ceremony for Kenya’s President William Ruto at the Pentagon in Washington, Friday, May 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

BY EVELYNE MUSAMBI

2:40 PM EDT, May 30, 2024

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Kenyan President William Ruto said Thursday the cost of hiring a private jet for his state visit to the U.S. last week was $76,000 as opposed to the $1.2 million reported by Kenyan media outlets.

Ruto said some friends offered him a cheaper jet after he made inquiries and offered to travel using the state carrier Kenya Airways.

The president undertook a four-day trip to the U.S. last week, where his host President Joe Biden praised him for “bold leadership.”

Ruto’s delegation of about 30 people including musicians, actors and a comedian provoked an uproar back home over the cost even as he called for prudent spending. The president on Thursday said he was a very “responsible steward.”

Ruto had earlier said the cost of using the private jet was lower than flying on Kenya Airways, without providing evidence.

Ruto has been calling for reduced spending in government since the public called out his administration for increasing taxes without reducing expenditures.

The government is increasing taxes on basic goods in the next financial year while seeking to raise an additional $2.3 billion to finance the budget.

Earlier in May, Ruto defended the new taxes saying: “I’m not going to preside over a country in debt distress. We have to cut our spending.”

US Military Defends Africa Strategy in Light of Shifts Away from Imperialism and a Drift Toward Russia

BY SAM METZ

12:31 PM EDT, May 30, 2024

AGADIR, Morocco (AP) — The head of the U.S. military in Africa vigorously defended the country’s counterterrorism strategy on the continent and vowed to press forward with it despite a wave of criticism and a drift among African nations toward seeking security help from Russia instead.

In an interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday at Africa Lion, a war games exercise in Morocco, Gen. Michael Langley blamed a tide of Russian disinformation for anti-U.S. sentiment in volatile regions. He said the military needed to reassert how its longstanding strategy can foster stability throughout the Sahel, the semiarid region south of the Sahara Desert.

The 6,000 members of the U.S. military stationed in Africa are confronting new setbacks as governments in Chad and Niger — two key regional allies — embrace Russian forces and paramilitaries and push for them leave posts previously identified as critical to monitoring security challenges.

“There was negative sentiment across the last couple of years against one of our most valued allies — France — as you looked at all social media and looked all across media writ large,” Langley said. “A lot of that negative sentiment was fueled by the misinformation and disinformation of the Russian Federation.”

“We need to get our narrative out there,” he added.

More than 11,000 deaths last year in the Sahel were linked to militant Islamist violence, continuing a trajectory that has seen them gradually increase since 2021, according to an Africa Center for Strategic Studies analysis of reports collected by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project.

Since 2020, military officers disillusioned with their government’s record of stemming violence have overthrown democratically elected governments throughout the region. In the aftermath, countries including Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger began to distance themselves from western powers and deepen partnerships with Russia.

In northern Mali last November, soldiers accompanied by mercenaries from Russian military contractor Wagner retook territory that rebels had controlled for the past decade. The military junta governing Burkina Faso ousted French forces last year and turned to Russia and Wagner for security support. And similarly in Niger, Russian military trainers arrived weeks after the junta that took power last year ordered U.S. troops to withdraw from the country.

Rather than soul-searching or a broad rethink of strategy, Langley said the United States planned to “double down and re-engage with these countries,” referencing its non-combat work addressing climate change and crop failure and managing tribal conflict and displacement.

Langley said that the United States would stick with its whole-of-government approach stressing good governance and institution-building beyond military might. He insisted that the military supports African countries in ways they see fit rather than impose its ideas. But he argued that military juntas wouldn’t counter terrorism or ensure stability long term.

“I don’t want to call out any of these countries, but these are military regimes,” Langley said.

That fine line has differentiated the United States from other Great Powers deepening their involvement in Africa. Russia attaches few stipulations to countries it offers security assistance regardless of whether they’re ruled by military juntas or democratically elected leaders. China similarly stresses non-interference in making investments or loans to fund mines, ports, highways and rails.

Of the U.S. personnel stationed throughout Africa, roughly 1,000 assigned to Niger and 100 to Chad are in the process of departing. Both countries have been integral to the military’s efforts to counter violent extremist organizations across the region, particularly Niger, which houses the continent’s largest surveillance drone base.

Langley said that the U.S. forces were in the midst of a safe and orderly withdrawal from Niger and planned to determine future security partnerships later. He said the status of U.S. forces in Chad would be discussed once the country finishes establishing a new government based on elections earlier this month.

Langley would not say whether the United States plans to relocate bases elsewhere in Africa but said its strategy would largely depend on guidance from west African countries about their security threats. In countries along the Atlantic coastline, Langley said officials have grown increasingly worried about violent extremism and want to ensure they can surveil developments in dangerous border regions.

“What the U.S. wants is what countries are asking for,” he said. “We’re not prescribing anything.”

Tens of Billions of Dollars in Gold Flows Illegally Out of Africa Each Year, a New Report Says

FILE- Miners extract mud they hope contains gold at a gold mining site at which adults and youth work in the village of Mawero, on the outskirts of Busia town, in eastern Uganda on Oct. 18, 2021. Billons of dollars worth of gold is smuggled out of Africa each year, according to a report published Thursday, of which most ends up in the United Arab Emirates where it is refined and sold on to the rest of the world. Over $30 billion worth of gold, or more than 435 tonnes, was smuggled out of Africa in 2022, according to the report published by Swissaid, an aid and development group based in Switzerland. (AP Photo/Nicholas Bamulanzeki, File)

BY JESSICA DONATI

2:01 PM EDT, May 30, 2024

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Billons of dollars in gold is smuggled out of Africa each year and most of it ends up in the United Arab Emirates, where it is refined and sold to customers around the world, according to a report published Thursday.

Over $30 billion worth of gold, or more than 435 metric tons, was smuggled out of the continent in 2022, according to the report published by Swissaid, an aid and development group based in Switzerland. The main destinations for African gold were the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Switzerland.

The authors of the report said their goal was to make the trade in African gold more transparent and put pressure on industry players to do more to make gold supplies traceable and supply chains more responsible.

“We hope that this will improve the living conditions of local populations and the working conditions of artisanal miners throughout Africa,” Yvan Schulz, one of the report’s authors, told The Associated Press.

The report found that between 32% and 41% of gold produced in Africa was not declared. In 2022, Ghana was the largest gold producer in Africa, followed by Mali and South Africa, it said.

The UAE was by far the main destination for smuggled gold, the report said, with some 405 metric tons of undeclared output from Africa ending up there. During a 10-year period between 2012-2022, that amount summed up to 2,569 metric tons of gold, worth around $115 billion. The report said the gap between UAE imports and exports from African countries has widened over the years, meaning that the amount of gold smuggled out of Africa appears to have increased over the past decade. For example, it widened from 234 metric tons in 2020 to 405 in 2022.

Switzerland, another main buyer of African gold, imported some 21 metric tons of undeclared gold from Africa in 2022, the report said. The real figure could be much higher if African gold imported through third countries was taken into consideration, the report said, but once gold is refined, it is virtually impossible to follow its flow to it final destination.

The United Nations Commodity Trade Statistics Database, which contains detailed imports and exports statistics, shows that Switzerland is the main buyer of gold from the UAE. “Sourcing gold from the UAE is notoriously risky,” the report said, describing the difficulty in ascertaining the origins of the refined gold.

A official within the UAE government’s media office said the country has taken significant steps to address concerns around gold smuggling and the risks it poses. The continued growth of the UAE’s gold market reflected the confidence of the international community in its processes, the official said, responding on behalf of the country’s press office without providing further identification.

“The UAE remains steadfast in its efforts to combat gold smuggling and ensure the highest standards of transparency and accountability within the gold and precious metals sector,” the official said.

The Swiss government said it was aware of the challenges identifying the origins of gold and that it had introduced measures to prevent illegal flows.

“Switzerland is and stays committed to improve the traceability of commodity flows, the transparency of statistics and the quality of controls,” Fabian Maienfisch, spokesperson for Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, said.

The report compared export data from African countries with import data from non-African countries, along with other calculations, to extrapolate the data. Among its recommendations, it called on African states to take steps to formalize artisanal and small scale mining and reinforce border controls. It also called on non-African states to publish the identity of the countries of origin and the countries of dispatch of imported gold, and to work with authorities to identify illicit gold flows.

___

Associated Press writer Jamey Keaten in Geneva contributed to this report.

UN Extends Arms Embargo on South Sudan Despite Appeals from African Union, Russia and China

FILE - The symbol of the United Nations is displayed outside the Secretariat Building, Feb. 28, 2022, at United Nations Headquarters. The divided U.N. Security Council voted Thursday, May 30, 2024, to extend an arms embargo on South Sudan despite appeals from the world’s newest nation, the African Union and half a dozen countries including Russia and China to lift or at least ease the restrictive measure. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)

BY EDITH M. LEDERER

8:21 PM EDT, May 30, 2024

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The divided U.N. Security Council voted Thursday to extend an arms embargo on South Sudan despite appeals from the world’s newest nation, the African Union and half a dozen countries including Russia and China to lift or at least ease the restrictive measure.

The U.S.-sponsored resolution got the minimum nine “yes” votes in the 15-member council, with six countries abstaining – Russia, China, Mozambique, Algeria, Sierra Leone and Guyana.

The resolution also extends travel bans and asset freezes on South Sudanese on the U.N. sanctions blacklist until May 31, 2025.

U.S. deputy ambassador Robert Wood welcomed the resolution’s adoption saying extending the U.N. arms embargo “remains necessary to stem the unfettered flow of weapons into a region awash with guns.”

But Russia’s deputy U.N. ambassador Anna Evstigneeva accused the United States of ignoring all the positive achievements in South Sudan and focusing on sanctions “which they present as a sort of panacea for all of the country’s problems.”

She called the sanctions “burdensome,” noted calls for their lifting from South Sudan and the African Union and said: “It is clear that at this stage, many of the Council sanctions regimes including South Sudan’s are outdated and need to be reviewed.

South Sudan’s U.N. ambassador Cecilia Adeng told the council that sanctions “impede our progress” and reiterated the country’s call for the measures to be lifted. Eliminating the arms embargo “will enable us to build robust security institutions necessary for maintaining peace and protecting our citizens,” she said.

There were high hopes when oil-rich South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011 after a long conflict. But the country slid into a civil war in December 2013 largely based on ethnic divisions when forces loyal to the current president, Salva Kiir, battled those loyal to the current vice president, Riek Machar.

The war, which left nearly 400,000 people dead and more than 4 million displaced, ended with the 2018 peace agreement, bringing Kiir and Machar together in a government of national unity.

Under the agreement, elections were supposed to be held in February 2023, but they were postponed until December 2024. In early April, South Sudan’s president warned lawmakers “not to cling to power just weeks after Machar proposed a further postponement of elections.

A report two weeks ago by experts monitoring sanctions against South Sudan said the elections would be “a significant milestone” and warned that the country’s leaders are running short of time “to ensure divergent expectations do not fuel further tensions and strife.”

South Sudan’s Adeng told the council her country is committed to ensuring the upcoming elections are conducted peacefully, “with full participation of all stakeholders.”

“South Sudan remains dedicated to working with the international community and our regional partners to achieve a peaceful and prosperous future for all South Sudanese,” she said. “We appeal to the Security Council to support our efforts by adopting measures that facilitate rather than hinder our progress.”

EU Official Denies Allegation that Western Powers Want to Delay South Sudan’s Elections

FILE - South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir arrives at Juba’s Presidential Palace, South Sudan, Friday, Feb. 3, 2023. The European Union delegation in South Sudan has denied it was working to delay the country’s election as had been alleged by Kiir. South Sudan is due to hold its first election in December 2024. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, File)

BY DENG MACHOL

9:27 PM EDT, May 30, 2024

JUBA, South Sudan (AP) — The European Union delegation in South Sudan has denied reports that it is working to delay elections in the country as was alleged by President Salva Kiir.

Deputy Head of the EU Delegation Lothar Jaschke said Thursday that his group is fully supporting an environment to enable elections, a constitution and transitional justice.

Kiir had alleged on Saturday that Western powers wanted to delay elections, but he did not explain how they were doing that. Kiir said he was committed to ensuring elections proceed in December as planned and warned that a postponement would spark violence.

South Sudan is due to hold its first election in December, but crucial processes that include the adoption of a permanent constitution and a unified police force are not in place.

Last week, the interim chairperson of an international commission to oversee South Sudan’s 2015 peace agreement, Charles Tai Gituai of Kenya, said there was no evidence of sufficient preparation to conduct elections. He cited the lack of electoral bodies at the state level and a delay in the publishing of a voters register.

South Sudan is also going through an economic crisis, with reduced oil exports, due to the war in neighboring Sudan. Civil servants have not been paid for months.

YAF Publishes Footage of Downing of Another US MQ-9 Drone

By Al Mayadeen English

Source: Agencies

29 May 2024 22:18

Brigadier General Yahya Saree confirmed that the drone was targeted with a locally-made surface-to-air missile.

The Yemeni military media published video footage of the shooting down of an American MQ-9 reaper drone while it was carrying out a hostile mission in the airspace of Marib.

Yemeni air defenses successfully shot down an American MQ-9 Reaper while it was carrying out hostile activities in the airspace of Marib, the spokesperson for the Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF) announced on Wednesday.

Brigadier General Yahya Saree confirmed that the drone was targeted with a locally-made surface-to-air missile.

He added, "The downing of the plane came just days after another plane of the same type was shot down in the skies of Al-Bayda province." 

The video clip shows the American plane being spotted in the airspace of Marib and then a Yemeni-manufactured surface-to-air missile was launched in its direction.

The footage showcases the moment the missile directly hit the American plane, and its debris fell to the ground.

This makes it the 6th $30 million drone to be shot down by the Yemeni forces since operations were initiated in support of Gaza.

Simultaneously, a Defense Department official, as quoted by Sputnik, stated that the US government is aware of reports that a US MQ-9 Reaper drone was shot down by what they describe as Houthi rebels over Yemen earlier that day but currently have no additional information to provide.

 "We are aware of reports but do not have anything to share at this time," the official stressed.

The spokesperson for the Yemeni Armed Forces, Yahya Saree, announced today that the navy, missile forces, and drone units conducted six operations targeting ships in various maritime regions.

Saree detailed that the YAF attacked three ships in the Red Sea. The ship LAAX was hit directly and sustained significant damage. Additionally, the ships SEALADY and MOREA were also attacked with several ballistic missiles as well as drones.

In the Arabian Sea, the spokesperson reported that the American ships ALBA and Maersk HARTFORD were also attacked using a combination of missiles and drones.

Saree also mentioned that the sixth military operation targeted the ship MINERVA ANTONIA in the Mediterranean Sea with several cruise missiles.

Saree stated that these attacks were carried out in response to the ships violating the prohibition on accessing ports in the occupied Palestinian territories.

He emphasized that the Yemeni Armed Forces "will not hesitate to target any ships dealing with the Israeli entity within the declared operational areas, regardless of their destination as stated in previous statements."

Saree went on to laud the Palestinian Resistance and all supporters in Lebanon and Iraq, reaffirming the continuation of military operations until the aggression ceases and the blockade on the Palestinian people in Gaza is lifted.

The latest batch of operations carried out by Sanaa came on Monday, wherein the Yemeni armed forces announced that they attacked the American LAREGO DESERT and the Israeli MSC MECHELA in the Indian Ocean on Monday in continuation of the military operations being carried out in support of Gaza.

The Yemeni Armed Forces, spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree announced, also attacked the Liberian-flagged MINERVA LISA oil tanker in the Red Sea over its violation of the Yemeni prohibition on entry to "Israel".

Saree also said the Yemeni Armed Forces launched several ballistic missiles at an Israeli ship in the Mediterranean Sea.

The Yemeni Armed Forces also carried out two operations against two US destroyers in the Red Sea, wherein they carried out two drone strikes on the vessels, Saree declared.

The operations came shortly after Sanaa announced the commencement of the fourth phase of the escalation against the Israeli occupation, indicating that significant operations are forthcoming and more phases are to be announced until the war on Gaza stops.

Second Iranian Report into Raisi Helicopter Crash Excludes Sabotage

By Al Mayadeen English

29 May 2024 21:38

The Iranian General Staff issued another report underlining that the helicopter crash that killed President Ebrahim Raisi was not caused by any outside influence and took place due to natural causes.

The Communications Center of the Iranian Armed Forces General Staff released Wednesday its second report concerning the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the helicopter crash that resulted in the death of President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, and their companions.

The report emphatically denies any act of sabotage or explosion affecting the helicopter during its flight.

The report confirms that there was "no malfunction" in the communication systems or interference with the helicopter's frequencies at the time of the incident.

Additionally, it stated that there were no signs of electronic warfare targeting the aircraft. The number of passengers onboard was also found to be "consistent with the weight standards" typically observed for such flights.

The Iranian General Staff has assured that all available information will continue to be analyzed until a final announcement is made regarding the cause of the helicopter crash.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran published Thursday the preliminary report issued by the high investigation committee regarding the reason behind the helicopter crash that killed President Ebrahim Raisi and an accompanying delegation. 

President Raisi's helicopter followed its pre-planned itinerary and did not divert from it, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, stressing that the helicopter's pilot was in contact with the crewmembers of the two other helicopters that were part of the presidential convoy.

"There were no marks indicating that the helicopter was shot down or came under any attack," the statement added.

"The President's helicopter caught fire upon crashing into the hills," the statement explained.

The search and rescue operations for the helicopter, the statement said, continued until 5:00 am (local time) due to the rugged nature of the terrain, the fog, and the harsh weather.

At the end of the briefing, the General Staff of the Armed Forces stressed that further investigation would need more time, noting that a large part of the necessary documents and evidence had been collected.

Days earlier, Iranian Chief of Staff Major General Mohammad Bagheri ordered an investigation into the circumstances of the helicopter crash that killed Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Sunday.

Bagheri ordered a high-ranking committee to "launch an investigation into the cause of the president's helicopter crash", the ISNA news agency reported hours after it was revealed that the Iranian President did not survive the crash.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi alongside Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and accompanying officials passed away in the tragic helicopter crash in Iran's East Azerbaijan Province, according to an official statement by Iranian state media.

Declassified UK Uncovers UK 60 Flights to 'Israel' During War on Gaza

By Al Mayadeen English

29 May 2024 20:04

The purpose of these flights remains unclear, though the MoD stated they were allegedly used for diplomatic engagements with "Israel," without providing specifics.

An investigation conducted by Declassified UK revealed on Wednesday that since the start of the war on Gaza, the UK's military has conducted 60 flights to "Israel."

The report notes that these flights primarily departed from RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, and their majority occurred within the first four months of the genocide.

The Ministry of Defense (MoD) confirmed 48 flights between October 2023 and February 2024, with an additional 11 flights until early May. There were no recorded flights to "Israel" from RAF Akrotiri in the six months preceding October 7.

The purpose of these flights remains unclear, though the MoD claimed they were used for diplomatic engagements with "Israel," without providing specifics.

The lack of transparency has garnered attention, especially since the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Security Minister Yoav Gallant.

When pressed for details on cargo and personnel transported, the MoD's responses were evasive.

The MoD responses mentioned transporting officials, UK Armed Forces personnel, and medical supplies but refused to elaborate on the nature of "defense engagement" or provide specific numbers of military personnel transported.

This lack of transparency contrasts with past revelations of the UK's deployment of 500 extra troops to Cyprus following the onset of the war on Gaza.

The MoD further declined to disclose the origins of its flights to "Israel", but independent verification has revealed that 36 military transport vehicles departed from RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus to Tel Aviv.

Among these were six C-17A Globemaster III aircraft and 30 A400M Atlas C1 planes.

The C-17 can transport personnel and various military equipment, while the A400M can carry fully-equipped troops and equipment, including helicopters.

This suggests that the UK military might have transported up to 4,300 personnel to "Israel" from RAF Akrotiri alone.

Speculation arises regarding the potential involvement of British special forces, particularly the Special Air Service (SAS), which allegedly stood by in Cyprus for operations related to rescuing British captives held in Gaza or aiding Britons trapped in Gaza.

However, the UK military's "D-Notice" committee, responsible for preventing the publication of information deemed harmful to national security, requested media editors not to disclose any details about SAS operations in Gaza.

The MoD stressed that no RAF flights to "Israel" transported arms, reiterating their purpose as supporting the UK's diplomatic engagement and assisting in the departure of British nationals.

Moreover, the UK conducted 11 airdrops over northern Gaza, delivering over 100 tonnes of essential aid for Palestinians, indicating a means of covering British complicity in Israeli war crimes.