Category: Foreign

Sudan’s civilian Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok has resigned, following another deadly crackdown on protesters with the military now firmly in control.

The country had been undergoing a fragile journey toward civilian rule since the 2019 ouster of autocrat Omar al-Bashir, but was plunged into turmoil when military leader, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, launched his coup on October 25 and detained Hamdok.

Hamdok was reinstated on November 21 under a deal promising elections for mid-2023, but local media had recently reported he had been absent from his office for days, with rumours swirling over his possible resignation.

“I have tried my best to stop the country from sliding towards disaster,” Hamdok said Sunday evening, addressing the nation on state television.

Sudan “is crossing a dangerous turning point that threatens its whole survival,” he said.

Hamdok was the civilian face of the country’s fragile transition, while Burhan has been the country’s de facto leader following Bashir’s ouster.

Hamdok cited “the fragmentation of the political forces and conflicts between the (military and civilian) components of the transition” and said that “despite everything that has been done to reach a consensus… it has not happened”.

Mass protests against the coup have continued even after Hamdok was reinstated, as demonstrators have distrusted veteran General Burhan and his promise to guide the country toward full democracy. Protesters have also charged that the deal to reinstate Hamdok simply aimed to give a cloak of legitimacy to the generals, whom they accuse of trying to continue the regime built by Bashir.

Thousands of demonstrators on Sunday braved tear gas, a heavy troop deployment, and a telecommunications blackout to demand a civilian government.

They lambasted the coup, shouting “power to the people” and demanding the military return to the barracks, at protests near the presidential palace in the capital, Khartoum, and in its twin city Omdurman.

Following Hamdok’s resignation, the United States is pushing for the East African country to regain a civilian government.

“After PM Hamdok’s resignation, Sudanese leaders should set aside differences, find consensus, and ensure continued civilian rule,’’ the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs said on Twitter.

“Sudan’s next PM and Cabinet should be appointed in line with the constitutional declaration to meet the people’s goals of freedom, peace, and justice.’’

Five global nuclear powers have pledged to prevent atomic weapons from spreading and to ensure a nuclear war is never fought, in a rare joint statement ahead of a review of a key nuclear treaty later this year.

A statement yesterday said the United States, United Kingdom, Russia, China and France – who are the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council – consider it their primary responsibility to avoid war between the nuclear states and to reduce strategic risks, while aiming to work with all countries to create an atmosphere of security.

“We believe strongly that the further spread of such weapons must be prevented,” it said, adding, “A nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought.”

The Russian-language version of the statement read: “We declare there could be no winners in a nuclear war, it should never be started.

“As the use of nuclear arms would have far-reaching consequences, we also confirm that nuclear arms – as long as they exist – should serve defensive aims, deterrence against aggression and prevention of war.”

Russia hopes the pledge will reduce world tensions, while saying a summit of permanent UN Security Council members remains necessary.

“We hope that, in the current difficult conditions of international security, the approval of such a political statement will help reduce the level of international tensions,” Moscow’s foreign ministry said in a statement.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the RIA Novosti news agency that Moscow still considered a summit between the world’s major nuclear powers to be “necessary”.

The foreign ministry also said it hoped the agreement will “help build confidence and form the foundations of future control over offensive and defensive arms”.

France also released the statement, underscoring that the five powers reiterated their determination for nuclear arms control and disarmament. They would continue bilateral and multilateral approaches to nuclear arms control, it said. China said the pledge will “increase mutual trust” and reduce the risk of nuclear conflict.

Talks aimed at saving the agreement with Iran on its nuclear programme resumed in Vienna on Monday, with Iranian officials expressing cautious optimism.

The talks were proceeding initially in a bilateral format, people close to the talks said.

They added that a meeting of the so-called Joint Commission of the political directors was expected in the course of the week.

Tehran Foreign Ministry spokesman, Saeed Khatibzadeh, said good progress had been made in the last round concerning the lifting of sanctions and guarantees that the United States would not again withdraw from the agreement.

Once that had been agreed, Iran would once again stick to its technical obligations under the deal.

READ ALSO: Iran’s Qassem Soleimani: One year after

“That is our aim and we will not permit any deadlines to be set in this regard,’’ the spokesman said.

He added that a solution was possible in the near term: The U.S. had simply to return to the deal first hammered out in 2015 and lift its sanctions.

In 2018, the U.S. walked away from the agreement aimed at preventing Iran from constructing nuclear weapons, while permitting the peaceful use of nuclear power.

After the U.S. imposed stringent sanctions, Iran began breaking the agreement’s provisions step by step, taking its capacity for constructing a nuclear weapon further.

Israel has repeatedly stated that it reserves the right to take military action to prevent the Islamic republic from possessing nuclear weapons.

(dpa/NAN)

Following the resignation of Sudanese Prime Minister Abdullah Hamdok, the United States is pushing for the East African country to regain a civilian government.

“After PM Hamdok’s resignation, Sudanese leaders should set aside differences, find consensus, and ensure continued civilian rule,’’ the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs said on Twitter.

“Sudan’s next PM and Cabinet should be appointed in line with the constitutional declaration to meet the people’s goals of freedom, peace, and justice.’’

Hamdok resigned on Sunday night after weeks of street protests against the government and tensions with the country’s military rulers.

Whether there will be a successor remained unclear at first.

READ ALSO: Sudanese prime minister dismisses police chief, his deputy

Hamdok was ousted in a military coup on Oct. 25, 2021, and was only reinstated after pressure from home and abroad.

There have been repeated protests against the military’s continued participation in government.

Hamdok was accused of treason.

Sudan was ruled for almost 30 years by Omar al-Bashir.

The long-term strongman was forced out of office in April 2019 by months of mass protests and a military coup.

The military and the civilian opposition then agreed on a transitional government to pave the way for democratic elections.

In addition, extensive economic reforms were planned, which would have caused the military to suffer considerable economic losses.

The military was also opposed to Hamdok’s efforts to deal with human rights violations.

(dpa/NAN)

FORMER President of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani has defended his decision to flee the country as the Taliban took over the capital, Kabul, in mid-August.

In an interview with BBC News yesterday, Ghani said he did not intend to leave Afghanistan, but reiterated that his sudden departure saved Kabul from death and destruction.

“Two different factions of the Taliban were closing in from two different directions,” Ghani said, describing the moment he was informed of the Taliban’s advance on the capital.

“And the possibility of a massive conflict between them that would destroy the city of 5 million and bring havoc to the people was enormous.”

Ghani explained that he initially planned to leave Kabul for another city, but upon hearing news of the fall of other cities, decided that the only viable option was to exit Afghanistan.

He was also advised by his security chief that a stand in Kabul would mean certain death for Ghani, his close advisers and millions of residents of the capital.

“He did not give me more than two minutes. My instructions had been to prepare for departure for Khost. He told me that Khost had fallen and so had Jalalabad,” Ghani said.

“I did not know where we will go. Only when we took off, it became clear that we were leaving (Afghanistan). So this really was sudden.”

The former president has been heavily criticised for fleeing and abandoning Afghanistan, with former Vice President Amrullah Saleh calling his departure “disgraceful”.

He also denied widespread accusations that he left Afghanistan with millions in stolen money.

Ghani accepted that mistakes were made during his administration, but put most of the blame on the international community including the U.S., whom he accused of sidelining his government during talks with the Taliban.

THE United States Consulate General in Lagos awarded $1.02m to civil society organisations to implement projects across the 17 states in southern Nigeria from January, this year, it was learnt yesterday.

The consulate’s Public Affairs Officer Stephen Ibelli, in a statement, lauded the U.S. alumni commitment in working to improve the lives of community members through sustainable projects.

The funded projects addressed the themes of bolstering outreach to underserved communities, promoting respect for human rights and transparency in government, empowerment of women and youth, and teacher training and STEM education.

Other themes included entrepreneurship, media literacy, combatting misinformation as well as fostering a robust alumni network.

The statement indicated that the consulate supported United States exchange alumni efforts to utilise the skills, knowledge and networks gained through their exchange programme experiences to address challenges faced by communities across southern Nigeria.

“Our exchange alumni organised clean-up campaigns, taught others job skills, marched to show support for combatting gender-based violence, promoted technology in the classroom and raised awareness of illegal wildlife trafficking.

The alumni led projects were selected for their strong sustainability plans, and many will continue past the grant period through volunteer work and other funding sources.

According to him, the consulate’s alumni focused grant projects is part of the U.S. government’s efforts to support Nigeria’s economic development, improve livelihoods, and strengthen communities.

“We are proud to work with such an immensely energetic and creative community of alumni-led organisations and individuals committed to strengthening communities and empowering fellow Nigerians,” Ibelli added.

Reflecting on the outgoing year, Ibelli noted that seven new American Spaces were opened in southern Nigeria, including a flagship American Corner in Ikeja, as part of the U.S. Consulate efforts aimed at bolstering its public engagement efforts.

Addresses of American Spaces in Nigeria can be found here, he said.

The consulate also trained 250 women through the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) providing them with skills to grow their businesses and contribute to the growth of small and medium enterprises in Nigeria.  Some of our AWE graduates received funding from the U.S. Africa Development Foundation and local funding sources to scale their businesses.

“The consulate also supported the shipment of 250 dairy cows to Ekiti State to boost milk production, and introduced biotech cowpea to increase farmers’ yields and improve food security in Nigeria.

“In 2022, the U.S. will break ground on its New Consulate Compound at Eko Atlantic City, symbolising the U.S.’s sustained investment in Nigeria and its focus on the Nigerian people,” the statement said.

MOURNERS yesterday filed past the coffin of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, as his body lies in state at St George’s Cathedral in Cape Town, South Africa.

Tutu, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, who helped end apartheid in South Africa, died on Sunday aged 90.

His official state funeral will be held tomorrow after the lying-in-state period.

Large crowds are expected to visit the cathedral over two days.

The lying in state period had to be extended to two days, “for fear there might be a stampede”, a local priest told AFP news agency.

Tutu’s wish was that there be “no ostentatiousness or lavish spending” on his funeral and he even “asked that the coffin be the cheapest available”, his foundation said.

Analyst Lukhanyo Vangqa tweeted that the coffin’s simplicity was a “powerful rebuke” of the governing African National Congress (ANC) and its “emergent culture of opulence and decadence”.

The coffin was carried into his old parish cathedral by six priests

Tutu’s eldest daughter Thandeka Tutu-Gxashe, accompanied by other family elders, walked slowly behind as the coffin entered his former parish.

His frail wife Leah had been wheeled into the church earlier.

A small service was held for the family before they viewed his body.

“It’s a painful moment for Mama Leah. She is in bereavement. We need to pray for her. We need to love her and continue supporting her even though her beloved husband is gone,” Archbishop Thabo Makgoba said.

Members of the public have been paying their respects to the much-revered churchman, a driving force in the struggle to abolish the apartheid system enforced by the white-minority government against the black majority in South Africa from the late 1940s until the early 1990s.

Human resources manager Amanda Mbikwana told Reuters news agency that she arrived as early as 05:00 local time (03:00 GMT) with her mother and nephews to bid farewell to Tutu, referred to by many South Africans as “Tata”, or father.

Memorial services have been held across South Africa while an intimate night of remembrance with his close friends is taking place.

After tomorrow’s funeral, Tutu’s remains will be cremated and his ashes then placed in the cathedral, where he preached for many years.

But, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) yesterday commiserated with the government and the people of South Africa on the death of Tutu.

CAN described Tutu as a South African Anglican bishop and theologian, known for his work as an anti-apartheid and human rights activist, adding that he was also known as a theologian who sought to fuse the  Black Theology with African Theology.

According to a statement issued in Abuja by CAN President, Rev. Samson Ayokunle Tutu played prominent roles that led to the release of the foremost anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela from prison in 1990 and they both led the negotiations that ended apartheid and introduce multi-racial democracy.

Harry Reid, the pugnacious son of a Nevada hard-rock miner who rose from poverty to become the United States (U.S.) Senate Majority Leader and earned a reputation as a fierce partisan fighter during an era of political gridlock in Washington, is dead.

Reid, 82, died on Tuesday after a long battle with pancreatic cancer, his wife of 62 years, Landra, said in a statement.

The deceased was an amateur boxer who represented Nevada in the U.S. Congress as a Democrat for more than three decades.

“I’ve had the honour of serving with some of the all-time great Senate Majority Leaders in our history. Harry Reid was one of them.

“And for Harry, it wasn’t about power for power’s sake. It was about the power to do right for the people,” U.S. President Joe Biden said in a written statement.

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris said late on Tuesday that the country had lost an honorable public servant, adding that the Reid made a meaningful difference in people’s lives.

“Harry Reid rose through the ranks in Washington, becoming Senate Majority Leader, but he never forgot his humble beginnings in Searchlight, Nevada – and he always fought for working families and the poor,” Harris said in a separate written statement.

As majority leader, Reid served as President Barack Obama’s point man in the Senate and helped secure congressional passage of Obama’s signature healthcare law, known as Obamacare, in 2010 over furious Republican opposition.

Obama on Tuesday posted to social media a recent letter he had written to Reid: “You were a great leader in the Senate, and early on you were more generous to me than I had any right to expect,” Obama said in the letter.

“I wouldn’t have been president had it not been for your encouragement and support, and I wouldn’t have got most of what I got done without your skill and determination.,” he added.

Reid retired in 2016, one year after suffering broken ribs and facial bones and injuring an eye in an accident while exercising at home.

He had ascended to the job of majority leader in 2007 despite being a political moderate who differed from many in his party on abortion, the environment, and gun control.

NEIGHBOURS in Soweto, South Africa’s bustling township, where respected anti-apartheid fighter Archbishop Desmond Tutu lived, yesterday paid tribute to the fearless cleric.

Tutu died in Cape Town on Sunday at 90 years.

A resident, Linda Malinda, now 63, recalled: “He used to tell me ‘go to school. You must fight for your rights knowing exactly what you are fighting for’.”

She still resides in the same house she stayed in with her parents back then, in the 1970s, just a few metres from the anti-apartheid icon’s house in the township, a crucible of the struggle against a brutal minority regime.

In 1985, the world’s most famous clergyman was ordained the first black Anglican bishop of Johannesburg.

Twenty years earlier, the school teacher walked out of the classroom to protest against the deteriorating standards of education for blacks and the introduction of racial segregation in schooling.

On a southern hemisphere summer day, a few dozen people, some dressed in black-and-white church uniforms, converged for a religious ceremony in front of Tutu’s home, along the popular Vilakazi street.

A blue plaque on a wall of Tutu’s house reminds visitors that a “champion of human rights once lived here”.

But, the body of the cleric will lie in state for two days ahead of his funeral on New Year’s Day, his foundations have announced.

The lying in state was initially scheduled to last just one day – tomorrow – but has been extended to today “to accommodate more mourners,” the Archbishop Tutu IP Trust and Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation said.

The statement expressed deep thanks for the outpouring of support expressed around the world after Tutu passed away.

“This deluge of love serves to compensate, to some extent, for COVID-19 regulations restricting the size of gatherings and the nature of the send-off our beloved Arch so richly deserves,” the foundations said, referring to Tutu’s nickname.”

Tutu’s body will lie in St. George’s Cathedral, in his former Cape Town parish. His body will be cremated after the funeral and his ashes then placed in the cathedral.

Attendance at his farewell on Saturday has to be capped at 100 because of anti-coronavirus restrictions, the archbishop of Cape Town, Thabo Makgoba, said.

But, the City of Cape Town yesterday distanced itself from claims that it splurged millions to light up Table Mountain and City Hall in honour of Tutu.

One citizen took to social media to claim that the City was spending R2.3 million on a daily basis on the tribute. Furthermore, this person claimed that the total bill for the week would come to an exorbitant R42 million.

These claims raised more than a few eyebrows, but the City of Cape Town has since refuted them as false.

UNITED Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres has urged countries to make recovery for people, planet and prosperity their resolution for 2022.

Guterres, in his New Year message, said countries could together make recovery for people and planet their priority.

“The world welcomes 2022 with our hopes for the future being tested by deepening poverty and worsening inequality…an unequal distribution of COVID-19 vaccines…climate commitments that fall short, and by ongoing conflict, division, and misinformation,” he said.

He added that these were “not just policy tests”, but “moral and real life tests”.

According to him, these are examinations that all of humanity can pass if we commit to making 2022 a year of recovery for everyone.

Guterres detailed how best the recovery should be done on each front.

“The pandemic requires a bold plan to vaccinate every person, everywhere,” he said.

For an economic rescue, the UN chief said that wealthier countries must support the developing world with “financing, investment and debt relief”.

Meanwhile, to heal from mistrust and division, he affirmed that a new emphasis must be placed on science, facts and reason.

“At the same time, recovery from conflicts calls for a renewed spirit of dialogue, compromise and reconciliation while restoring our planet takes climate commitments that match the scale and urgency of the crisis,” Guterres said.

The UN chief also acknowledged that moments of great difficulty were also moments of great opportunity to come together in solidarity.

“This is because they offer the chance to unite behind solutions that could benefit all people and to move forward together, with hope in what our human family can accomplish.

“Together, let’s make recovery our resolution for 2022,’’ advised the secretary-general.