by Ayaa Joyce Simon

Alai Kawack is a South Sudanese returnee who travelled back to her home area from Khartoum, in the Republic of Sudan, in 2010. She now lives in Manger Akot village, in Aweil North District, Northern Bahr el Gazal. At 30 years of age, she heads her household and lives with her seven children in a small tukul (house structure) made of plastic sheets and local materials.

Mangar Akot is a village with a total population of 500 households and is a new settlement comprised solely of returnees. The major livelihood for this community is the sale of firewood, although this comes with its own disadvantage due to the large number of snakes in the area. According to Alai, the major problems present in her community are the lack of income generating activities, health facilities, clean water and education opportunities for her children. “At the moment, most of these returnees rely on assistance provided by organizations such as Adeso,” she says.

Before Alai received any support from Adeso, she lived in complete destitution, she had no food for her children, very little money, and the prevalence of snakes in her surrounding environment exposed her to a lot of danger which limited her ability to make money through sale of firewood. As a result, she opted to cook mandazi (the local equivalent of donuts) for sale to local people.

As Alai explained, ”When cash for work started in my village, I was selected as one the beneficiaries and got engaged in micro projects such as clearing bushes for cultivation, clearing of community roads and fencing of the school for a period of 3 months. When the cash was paid I used the money on basic food, seeds for cultivation, detergents, and medicine for my children. I also received a business development grant that I used to expand my mandazi selling into a small restaurant business.”

Before the development grant from Adeso, Alai says there were days when her children slept hungry, “I had no food to give them and even considered travelling back to the refugee camps in Khatourm,” she recalls sadly. However, due to the investments she made with the money she received from Adeso, Alai’s business is thriving and her future and that of her children is looking bright. “I am happy as my children no longer sleep hungry and there are less snakes due to cutting back some of the bush for agriculture. Adeso taught me how to do work and gave me business training. I have now accumulated some savings and have a new future plan to continue building my business.”

The Livelihood Support to Returnees and Host Communities (LSRHC) initiative was started by Adeso with funding from USAID in July 2011. The initiative is a response to the increased need for food assistance following the return of former refugees to South Sudan. Currently, Adeso is implementing the second phase of the program that is expected to end in June 2013

Introduction

In 2011, two events in eastern parts of Africa made headlines around the world.

Firstly, there was the independence of South Sudan, which, while being cause for great optimism, also led to a period of intense conflict in certain regions of the world‟s newest nation, blighting the lives of those involved due to a serious threat to local food security.

Secondly, there was the “Horn of Africa Crisis,” as it was referred to by the development community and the world‟s media, a drought of widespread and historic proportions which wrought devastation upon an already fragile region, leading to a major call for emergency assistance from the UN and governments around the world.

The TaiwanICDF became involved in the response to both of these events after being approached by Mercy Corps, our long-term partner, to fund rapid-relief projects in Kenya, one of the four countries affected by the Horn of Africa Crisis, and South Sudan.

Recently, two of our TaiwanICDF colleagues, Regine Liu and Mini Kao, had the opportunity to visit the project sites to conduct project completion missions.

As part of their 16-day mission, Regine and Mini conducted extensive interviews with members of local communities and the project staff who implemented these initiatives, which allows us to piece together the background to these events and tell much of both stories in the words of those directly involved.

ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA, 23RD JANUARY 2013

The 46th Extra-ordinary Meeting of the IGAD Council of Ministers was convened at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 23rd January 2013 to discuss the political situation in the Federal Republic of Somalia and the peace process in the Republic of Sudan and the Republic of South Sudan amongst other agenda items. The Council was chaired by H.E. Dr. Tedros Adhanom, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the current chair of the IGAD Council of Ministers. It was attended by H.E. Mme. Fowsiya Yusuf H. Adan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Somalia, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Yousouf, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Dijbouti, H.E. Hon. Amb. Prof. Sam K.Ongeri, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kenya, H.E. Ali Ahmed Kharti, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Sudan, H.E Sam Kutesa Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uganda, H.E. Luka Biong Deng Co Chair of Abyei Joint oversight committee (AJOC) of South Sudan, H.E. Eng. Mahboub M. Maalim, Executive Secretary of IGAD.

22 January 2013 - The inauguration of the National Elections Commission (NEC) in Juba today marked another key step in South Sudan’s journey towards electoral democracy, according to national authorities and representatives of the international community who attended the event.

The NEC chairperson Prof. Abedne Akok Kachuol said that democratization has many challenges such as accountability and acceptance of political competition.

“We are happy that a new nation has started with the establishment of a commission at this particular time, (and we will) see to it that all the processes embodied in their tasks are implemented,” he said.

The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for South Sudan, Hilde F. Johnson, said that political freedom was an essential goal of the South Sudanese people’s struggle for decades and remains the cornerstone of the independent country.

“Political freedom is also the basis for what we are gathered here around today – the launching of the National Elections Commission,” said Ms. Johnson. “The management of elections is essential for the stability of the country.”

Presiding over the ceremony, the South Sudan Supreme Court’s Chief Justice Chan Rec Madut thanked the international community for the support given to the people of South Sudan.

“What we want to see in the near future is responsible institutions, responsible people and respect for human rights,” said Justice Madut, adding that this was not an impossible task to achieve.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Inter-communal violence in Lakes State causes temporary displacement

• Some 1,500 displaced individuals to return to Abyei from Western Bahr el Ghazal State.

• Aid organizations continue to provide for food insecure communities in the disputed Abyei area.

2012 a vu une augmentation constante du nombre de personnes deplacées internes, passant de 1,7 millions en décembre 2011 à près de 2,7 millions en décembre 2012. L'est du pays est demeuré très instable dû à l'insécurité née de la présence des différents groupes armés- au Katanga, la population déplacée interne a quintuplé.

La persistence et la resurgence de plusieurs maladies ont fragilisé des communautes déjà démunies. Dans le reste du pays, des poches humanitaires surgissent, le défi principal étant les programmes de développement.

Low interest loans to thousands of farmers have been promised through a law passed by the Parliament of South Sudan, which provides for the establishment of an Agricultural Bank financed largely with public funds.

According to the Catholic station Radio Bakhita, the passage of the law was announced this week by Paul Logale, President of the Parliamentary Committee for Economy, finance and development. Logale said that the Bank will be funded 60% by the State and 40% by private individuals.

The law provides that the institution offer interest loans and other services in accordance with favorable conditions. Despite the fact that South Sudan’s prospects for economic growth are related largely to oil deposits, the majority of the population is employed in agriculture. The development of the primary sector is hindered by both the low prevalence of agricultural machinery and by inadequate infrastructure, particularly roads. South Sudan became independent from Khartoum in July 2011, after a civil war that lasted more than 20 years.

[VG/BO]

Late December and early January rains reduced some seasonal rainfall deficits in the eastern Horn

KEY MESSAGES

• The October to December rains, which are important in the eastern Horn of Africa, continued into mid-January, reducing some of the deficits that had lasted through the first half of December.
  Nevertheless, cumulative, seasonal rainfall deficits remain in several areas of the eastern Horn.

• Near normal to above normal rains occurred from October through December in western Somalia, Somali and southern Oromia Regions in Ethiopia, western Kenya, most of Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and the southern highlands and western areas of Tanzania.

• The short term forecasts suggests a continuation of tropical cyclone activities due to unusually high sea surface temperatures (SSTs) in the southwestern Indian Ocean that are causing intermittent rains in parts of the eastern Horn of Africa.

Humanitarian organizations have reported an increase of suspected cases of Hepatitis E, in refugee camps in Upper Nile State.

Aid agency, MSF recorded 17 deaths and more than 700 new suspected cases in Yusuf Batil camp, in the first two weeks of January, while in Doro camp, 18 suspected cases were reported.

More suspected cases have also been reported in Jamam and Gendrassa camps.

Following the reports, the Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization and the UN Refugee agency UNHCR, are carrying out an investigation to assess the situation.

01/25/2013 02:15 GMT

by Jenny Vaghan

ADDIS ABABA, Jan 25, 2013 (AFP) - The war against Islamist militants in northern Mali including the deployment of African troops is expected to dominate talks at the African Union summit in Ethiopia opening Sunday.

A scaling-up of African troops is intended to support the weak Malian army -- boosted by the recent French military intervention -- to battle Islamist insurgents, who seized swathes of Mali's desert north following a coup last year.

"Mali will certainly be a real major preoccupation," said Alex Vines from Britain's Chatham House think-tank, noting the slow deployment so far of soldiers for the UN-backed, African-led International Support Mission in Mali (AFISMA).

The AU has said the priority is to send troops immediately to the embattled West African state.

"The goal is to do it I would say yesterday, as soon as we can," AU Deputy Peace and Security Commissioner El Ghassim Wane told reporters on Thursday.

African leaders are set to commit their support for the force, with presidents expected to also stay beyond the two-day summit for an international donor conference for Mali.

The conference on Tuesday will aim to drum up further funds for Mali operations and will include representatives from the European Union and the UN Security Council.

Wane said he was confident the donor conference would "deliver on its promise" and secure the necessary resources, including the swift deployment of troops and support for Mali's army.

But during the first bi-annual summit since the election of AU Commission chief Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the 54-nation AU, with UN chief Ban Ki-moon in attendance, will also likely focus on other flashpoint areas.

"We have seen the re-emergence of conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea Bissau and the Central African Republic," Dlamini-Zuma told reporters this week.

"In Mali and the Sahel we are now facing new, multi-faceted challenges with broader regional and continental implications," she added.

Another topic would be the slow progress between the rival leaders of Sudan and South Sudan, who are due to meet Friday for the latest attempt to push forward a raft of stalled oil, security and border deals.

Vines said a strong commitment from both presidents is required to revive the AU-mediated negotiations, which began after Juba won independence in July 2011.

"These are things that will require a compromise at senior political level, so hopefully a meeting of both presidents will assist the AU mediation team in pushing for progress," he said.

Dlamini-Zuma has urged member states and the international community to work together to address conflict, and insisted that peace is crucial for development on the continent.

"It is my fervent hope that we maintain a proper and healthy balance between achieving peace and advancing development.... The continent cannot advance without succeeding on both fronts simultaneously," Dlamini-Zuma added.

The conference, which is officially themed "Pan Africanism and African Renaissance", will also kick off the 50th anniversary celebrations of the founding of the Organization of African Unity, the predecessor to the AU.

Dlamini-Zuma has said the anniversary was time to ensure the "social and economic liberation of our continent".

African leaders are also set to vote in a new chair of the AU to replace the current head, Benin's President Yayi Boni.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn is slated to replace Boni, according to Ethiopia's foreign ministry.

The position rotates on a regional basis and a new chair is voted in by member states every January.

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© 1994-2013 Agence France-Presse

The Department of Water and Sanitation in Yei River County, Central Equatoria State is making plans to drill extra boreholes to meet the demand for water, especially during the dry season.

The Assistant Commissioner for Water and Sanitation in the county, Juma Hussen Mansaa told Radio Miraya that the department plans to drill 25 boreholes and 25 protected wells in collaboration with the NGOs.

Hussen Mansaa says three protected water points have been drilled so far.

“We have drilled with the help from EPC in Sopiri. CRTAs also helped us drill in Lasu road. [These are] the few water sources. Let them share until if we get some budget. If the government gets money on the austerity measures, we will be able to add more boreholes in all the areas where there are no water source,” says Mansaa.

BRIEFER: Melissa Fleming, Chief Spokesperson

This is a summary of what was said by the UNHCR spokesperson at today’s Palais des Nations press briefing in Geneva.

UNHCR has been in urgent consultations with the Government since December, when the Government of Kenya announced a directive immediately discontinuing the reception and registration of asylum-seekers in Nairobi and other urban areas and for them to all be relocated to the refugee camps.

UNHCR expressed its serious concerns about the impact of the policy from the protection, human rights and humanitarian point of view. In particular, the lives, education and livelihood of thousands of refugees who have settled and lived lawfully in the urban centres for years would be severely disrupted. UNHCR called on the Government not to implement the new directive.

The Government however made clear its determination to go ahead with the enforcement of the policy. UNHCR has since been working to ensure that any such implementation would be properly managed, consistent with essential refugee protection and humanitarian principles and would avoid human suffering. The Government subsequently established an Inter-Ministerial Committee establish how these principals would be assured in implementing the new policy.

When news broke last weekend that a security operation to round up refugees in Nairobi and relocate them to the camps was imminent, UNHCR expressed its concerns to the Government and urged against such an operation being launched.

The Government has since provided assurances that a round-up would not take place and reiterated its readiness to work with UNHCR to ensure that refugee protection principles would be respected. Meanwhile, on 22 January, in an application brought by two refugee rights NGOs, the High Court of Kenya issued an injunction temporarily halting any action to implement the relocation direction pending a full hearing on the matter.

UNHCR is sustaining its efforts with the Government to ensure that in any implementation of the new directive, refugees and asylum-seekers would not be put in harm’s way or their vital protection and human rights transgressed as unfortunately often happens in operations of this nature and scale.

UNHCR also hopes that the Organization’s urban refugee policy that has been supported by the Kenyan Government as the best way forward for refugees who are able to fend for themselves and participate in the development of their host communities will remain in effect. This policy underlines that cities are legitimate and critical places for refugees to reside and exercise the rights to which they are entitled.

There are currently 56,000 asylum seekers and refugees registered with UNHCR in Nairobi and other urban centres in Kenya. The largest segment of this group is made up of Somalis (33,844) followed by Ethiopians (10,568) and nationals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (7,046). A minority comes from Eritrea, South Sudan and the Great Lakes.

For further information on this topic, please contact:

In Kenya (Nairobi): Emmanuel Nyabera on mobile +254 733 995 975

In Geneva, Fatoumata Lejeune-Kaba on mobile +41 79 249 3483

HIGHLIGHTS

• 4.4 million people require humanitarian assistance in Sudan
• Moratorium on restrictions on humanitarian assistance in Darfur due to expire January 31
• 2013 Humanitarian Work Plan (HWP) for Sudan requests $983.4 million to respond to humanitarian needs

KEY DEVELOPMENTS

• In January, President of Sudan Omar al-Bashir and South Sudanese President Salva Kiir convened with African Union High-Level Implementation Panel on Sudan (AUHIP) members in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and reconfirmed their commitment to implementing the September 27 Addis Ababa accords, including agreements regarding oil, security, and trade. However, representatives of the Government of Sudan (GoS) and the Government of the Republic of South Sudan (RSS) did not finalize a timetable for the implementation of outstanding agreements, notably the demilitarization of the Sudan–South Sudan border and the resumption of oil exports from South Sudan through Sudan, and the humanitarian emergency remains unresolved in Sudan’s Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile states.
• Since late December, escalating violence has resulted in increased displacement in Darfur. Clashes in the Jebel Amir area, North Darfur State, have resulted in the displacement of approximately 88,000 individuals, while fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and militia groups have displaced thousands of people from the Jebel Marra area. Amid increasing insecurity and displacement in Darfur, President al-Bashir issued a presidential decree on December 25 authorizing the formation of a Ministry of Defense-chaired committee to register and regulate international non-governmental organizations (INGOs). The operational status of this committee remains unclear.
  *Amid increasing insecurity and displacement in Darfur, President al-Bashir issued a presidential decree on December 25 authorizing the formation of a Ministry of Defense-chaired committee to register and regulate international non-governmental organizations (INGOs). The operational status of this committee remains unclear

Last week, the United States government stepped up its efforts to find the ICC-indicted criminal Joseph Kony and his group the Lord’s Resistance Army. On January 15, President Obama signed into law the expansion of the Rewards for Justice (RFJ) program, which offers financial incentives for information relating to the capture of individuals wanted for terrorism or drug trafficking, and those indicted by the the International Criminal Tribunals for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia and the Special Court for Sierra Leone. The new legislation expands the RFJ program to include other international criminal tribunals investigating crimes against humanity, genocide, and war crimes. Topping the list of “most wanted” in the statement announcing the legislation was Joseph Kony, leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA).

Previous attempts to defeat the rebel group have been based on military operations and the deployment of special envoys and representatives to the region to build cooperation between countries affected by the LRA’s activities. This new legislation is designed to strip away Kony’s protection and provide the intelligence to conduct targeted military operations.

Key Conclusions

• The US continues its efforts to defeat the LRA, as it has done since 2002. By expanding the RFJ program, the US is adopting a new tactic to gain actionable intelligence to bolster the existing strategies of military operations and regional dialogue.
• The LRA has benefited from the challenges posed by the cross-border nature of its attacks. It has exploited the regional leadership vacuum to continue to commit atrocities and terrorize the civilian population.
• Given the multi-national area of LRA influence, defeat of the LRA can only be achieved through cooperation between LRA-affected countries, regional institutions, and the international donor community.

Analysis

The enhanced State Department rewards program is the latest in a series of US anti-LRA actions. The US first included the LRA in the Terrorist Exclusions List and provided support for the Ugandan government’s military operation to defeat the group in Sudan, Operation Iron Fist, in 2002. The support was provided as reciprocation for Ugandan President Museveni’s immediate support for the US military responses to the terrorist attacks of 9/11, and also fitted US counterterrorism policy in the wake of 2001 which predicted East Africa could be the next crucible of international terrorism.

In 2004, President George Bush asked the US State Department to begin compiling a list of the LRA’s financial sources, and the Northern Uganda Crisis Response Act, which asked for a report on the topic, was passed. US interest fizzled out, however, as fears about “terrorism” in the region diminished and became usurped by more pressing threats. The Obama administration revived the campaign against the rebel movement with the deployment of US military advisors in late 2011, and in June 2012, the Senate Armed Services Committee authorized $35 million in logistical support.

But the rebel group has moved on; the LRA no longer concentrates its operations in Uganda, and the transnational nature of the group’s attacks demonstrates the need for regional and international leadership. In many ways, it was more straightforward when the US could address its support directly to the Ugandan government (though the Ugandan army has also been accused of atrocities), but the LRA has refused to conform to neat geographical boundaries, and it has used this to its advantage. The international community is challenged when rebel groups operate across borders, and action is constrained by bureaucracy, and debates over which organ has primacy or legitimacy, issues of sovereignty and troop contributions.

Rebel groups or insurgencies can exploit these impediments with sobering consequences. The most recently available update from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on LRA activities reports that from January to September 2012 there were 180 presumed LRA attacks which caused 39 deaths in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Central African Republic (CAR). Abductions, including child abductions continued with 109 abductions in the DRC (a third were children) and 84 abductions (8 were children) in the CAR. These actions resulted in an estimated 443,000 people displaced from their homes in LRA affected areas.

As recent regional and international strategies to defeat the LRA have repeatedly underscored, the only route to success is through cooperation, but to mirror the apocryphal story of Henry Kissinger asking who to phone if he wanted to speak to Europe: who does one call to tackle the LRA?

Individual countries have been criticized for not playing a leadership role. In April 2012, the four originally affected countries—Uganda, the DRC, the CAR and South Sudan—committed to a regional task force of 5,000 troops, authorized under the African Union Regional Cooperation Initiative. But the UN report notes that only half of those troops have been committed, and deployment has been delayed by disagreement over standard operating procedures between the troop-contributing countries. The AU Commission was due to convene to address this last week, but there still has been no agreement. And a December 2012 report of the Secretary-General included evidence of LRA activities in the disputed border region between South Sudan and Sudan, adding another country to the current list of LRA-affected countries.

One challenge is that these “allies” are wary of each other, distrustful of historic support for each other’s rebel groups, and preoccupied with battling groups inside their own national boundaries. The operations of the M23 group in the DRC and the Seleka rebel alliance in the CAR have meant that once again, the LRA can enjoy relative peace while the regional governments battle the crocodiles closer to their national canoes.

In July 2012, a UN strategy was endorsed in cooperation with the AU that called on international donors to bridge the funding gap and address a number of issues hampering implementation of the AU initiative. The strategy emphasized the need for cooperation between the governments of LRA-affected areas and between international donors in support of their task.

In December 2012, the Senate passed the 2013 defense authorizations bill which explicitly highlighted efforts to remove Joseph Kony from power and end the atrocities committed by the LRA. It reaffirmed the US commitment to assisting regional governments through the provision of intelligence capabilities and called for greater operational cooperation between the United States and regional African forces. It also urged regional governments to recommit themselves to the operations sanctioned by the African Union Peace and Security Council resolution.

Given the lack of definitive success to date, this new strategy by the US government to offer financial reward for information is a welcome development. The expansion of the RFJ program represents tacit support of the US for the ICC and reaffirms US determination to keep the LRA in the spotlight long after the Internet furor has subsided. Nevertheless, the ICC must remain politically neutral, and there is a danger that the RFJ program will lend weight only to investigations that the US deems critical to its foreign policy priorities, not necessarily all indictments issued by the International Criminal Court.

It remains to be seen if the promise of financial reward will result in actionable intelligence, but once gained by the US, the intelligence must be shared and jointly acted upon. What the effort still needs is leadership, and the question remains if that call will be answered.

Fiona Blyth is an intern in the Africa program at the International Peace Institute.

Originally published in the Global Observatory

US$1.4 billion needed now for children in humanitarian crisis says UNICEF

GENEVA, 25 January 2013 – UNICEF appealed today for almost US$1.4 billion to meet the immediate, life-saving needs of children in 45 countries and regions gripped by conflict, natural disasters and other complex emergencies this year. Funds raised by the annual appeal will also go towards improving disaster preparedness, and to strengthening the resilience of communities to withstand and minimize the impact of new shocks.

“We are still in the first month of 2013, which has already proved harsh for millions of children suffering in Syria and for refugees who had to flee to neighbouring countries. Mali and the Central African Republic are also experiencing worsening conflict, threatening the lives of children and women,” said Ted Chaiban, UNICEF’s Director of the Office of Emergency Programmes. “Children are extremely vulnerable in emergencies, often living in unhealthy and unsafe conditions, at high risk of disease, violence, exploitation and neglect.”

The Humanitarian Action for Children 2013 appeal includes countries prominent in today’s news headlines along with many other countries that receive much less media coverage, such as Chad, Colombia, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Somalia and Yemen, but which also require urgent attention and assistance.

“The complex emergency in Syria represents one important focus of UNICEF’s global emergency response,” said Chaiban. “But we are also delivering results for children in highly challenging and largely forgotten emergencies around the world.”

More than 85 per cent of the funding requirements are for humanitarian situations other than Syria and the related refugee crisis. The 45 countries and regions in the appeal are priorities due to the scale of the crisis, the urgency of its impact on children and women, the complexity of the response and the capacity to respond.

Contributions to UNICEF’s 2013 requirements will allow the organization to build on its work in 2012. Some of the results achieved between January through October 2012 include:

■Health: 38.3 million children immunized

■Water, Sanitation & Hygiene: 12.4 million people provided access to safe water for drinking, cooking and bathing

■Education: 3 million children provided access to improved education

■Child Protection: 2.4 million children provided with child protection services

■Nutrition: 2 million children treated for severe and acute malnutrition

■HIV and AIDS: 1 million people provided access to testing, counseling and referral for treatment

In 2012, large funding gaps in some countries such as Madagascar and Colombia left many needs unmet. In many countries, access, security and the capacity of partners are other major constraints to delivering humanitarian assistance.

“Contributions to the appeal are sound investments in children and their futures,” said Chaiban. “UNICEF seeks un-earmarked resources to allow the organization to respond to consistently underfunded emergencies or where the needs are greatest, to apply innovative solutions to complex situations, and to integrate early recovery in large-scale emergencies – many of which extend across multiple countries at the same time.”

To download the Humanitarian Action for Children 2013 Report
Please click here: www.unicef.org/appeals

About UNICEF
UNICEF works in more than 190 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence. The world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. For more information about UNICEF and its work visit: www.unicef.org

23 January 2013 - The security situation in Central Equatoria’s Yei County has greatly improved since violence broke out a month ago, County Commissioner Juma David Augustine said today.

Speaking to an UNMISS team visiting the area this week to assess the situation, Mr. Juma said the violence could be attributed to opportunistic politicians trying to win public favour (by undermining the current leadership).

“Some individuals feel that there is no life without crisis,” he said, adding that the victims had been targeted arbitrarily.

In December 2012, about 50 houses in the locality were burnt to ashes and some residents were injured, although no loss of life was reported.

Speaking to UNMISS integrated teams that visited immediately following the incidents, residents alleged that the burning of houses could be related to land disputes.

With the support of UNMISS police advisors, Yei local authorities deployed security operatives to affected villages to contain further escalation of violence.

“As I speak now the area is calm and quiet,” UN Police team leader in Yei County Basant Mishra told the assessment team.

Mr. Juma confirmed the arrest of nine suspects following the violence, although six were later released after investigations cleared them of any wrongdoing. The remaining three are still in custody.

“We can sleep well now,” said 25-year old Suzan Nyoka, a resident of the affected area.

Others residents said that, although peace had been restored to the area, some parents had evacuated their children in case of any future violence.

01/25/2013 20:08 GMT

by Jenny Vaughan

ADDIS ABABA, Jan 25, 2013 (AFP) - Rival leaders of Sudan and South Sudan met for face-to-face talks Friday ahead of a high-level security meeting at the African Union over the situation between the former civil war foes, as well as the crisis in Mali.

"We are meeting today to consider the progress in the implementation of agreements signed between Sudan and South Sudan, and the fast-evolving situation in Mali," said Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki, who chaired the meeting.

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir and his Southern counterpart Salva Kiir met at the AU-mediated talks in the latest push to implement stalled economic, oil and security deals signed in September after bloody border conflict broke out last year.

Other key issues left unresolved after the ex-foes separated in July 2011 remain, namely the contested flashpoint Abyei region.

Kiir simply said that "we are not finished yet," when asked whether progress had been made at his tete-a-tete with Bashir.

AU peace and security commissioner Ramtane Lamamra insisted there was a need "to move as fast as possible" to resolve outstanding disputes.

"The important thing is to stay the course because whenever the two leaders meet here in Addis Ababa there is an easing (of tensions)," he told AFP, acknowledging that it "takes patience, it takes perseverance."

But Juba's chief negotiator Pagan Amum slammed Sudan for stalling the talks and said his government wanted the September deals to be implemented immediately.

"We want all these agreements to be implemented without any delay," he told reporters.

"The problems are only Sudan creating new obstacles, new preconditions. This is the only thing obstructing the implementation," Amum added.

Sudan and South Sudan have been at loggerheads over the demarcation of the oil-rich border and pipeline costs to export the South's crude via the north, a dispute that led to Juba halting oil production last January and weeks of border conflict.

The security meeting took place ahead of Sunday's AU summit, where the crisis in Mali is expected to top the agenda.

Lamamra said while the military offensive in Mali would be discussed, political solutions to the crisis must not be ignored.

"During and after the use of legitimate military intervention, there is a need to talk about politics, there is a need to lay the groundwork for a political settlement," he told AFP.

France swept to the aid of the weakened Malian army on January 11 as Islamist rebels controlling large swathes of the country's north pushed south towards the capital Bamako, amid rising fears the zone could become a haven for terrorism.

The rebels swept through northern Mali -- taking over key towns Gao, Timbuktu and Kidal -- following a coup last year.

The West African bloc ECOWAS has set out plans to deploy 3,300 troops to help Mali retake the occupied north, but the deployment has been delayed by financing concerns.

An additional 2,000 soldiers from Chad, which is not a member of ECOWAS, are also to be deployed.

A high-level Sahalian official said he did not expect concrete resolutions on Mali to come out of the meeting and said he was "very satisfied with the intervention of France" in Mali, calling Africa's failure to intervene sooner a let-down.

"This is a failure for Africa, but we are used to it," he said speaking on the condition of anonymity.

The French-led offensive entered its third week with a strong push into the vast semi-arid zone amid rising humanitarian concerns for people in the area facing a dire food crisis.

African leaders are set to meet Tuesday for a donors conference to drum up further funds for Mali operations. The meeting will include representatives from the European Union and the UN Security Council.

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© 1994-2013 Agence France-Presse

** Il faut 1,4 milliard de dollars É.-U. maintenant pour les enfants qui vivent dans des situations de crise humanitaire, affirme l’UNICEF**

GENEVE, 25 janvier 2013– L’UNICEF a lancé aujourd’hui un appel de près de 1,4 milliard de dollars É.-U. pour répondre aux besoins immédiats et essentiels des enfants de 45 pays et régions en proie cette année à des situations d’urgence complexes, comme des conflits, des catastrophes naturelles et autres. Les fonds recueillis grâce à l’appel annuel permettront également d’améliorer la préparation aux catastrophes et de renforcer les capacités des communautés à résister à de nouveaux chocs et à en atténuer l’impact.

« Nous sommes encore dans le premier mois de l'année 2013, et déjà cela a été très difficile pour les millions d'enfants qui souffrent en Syrie et pour les réfugiés qui ont dû fuir vers les pays voisins. Le conflit au Mali et celui en République centrafricaine s’aggravent également, ce qui menace la vie des enfants et des femmes », a déclaré M. Ted Chaiban, Directeur du Bureau des programmes d'urgence de l’UNICEF. « Les enfants sont extrêmement vulnérables dans les situations d’urgence car ils vivent souvent dans des conditions insalubres et dangereuses, fortement exposés aux risques de maladie, de violence, d'exploitation et de négligence. »

L’appel du rapport Action humanitaire pour les enfants 2013 comprend des pays qui figurent en ce moment à la une des médias ainsi que de nombreux autres qui sont beaucoup moins couverts, comme la Colombie, l’Éthiopie, les Philippines, la Somalie, le Tchad et le Yémen mais qui ont besoin eux aussi de toute urgence de l’attention et de l’assistance de la communauté internationale.

« La situation d'urgence complexe en Syrie représente un volet important de la réponse de l'UNICEF aux urgences mondiales, a rappelé M. Chaiban. Mais nous obtenons également des résultats pour les enfants dans des situations d'urgence très difficiles et en grande partie oubliées un peu partout dans le monde. »

Plus de 85 pour cent des besoins de financement concernent des situations humanitaires autres que la Syrie et la crise des réfugiés qui en découle. Les 45 pays et régions mentionnées dans l'appel constituent des priorités en raison de l'ampleur de la crise, de l'urgence de son impact sur les enfants et les femmes, de la complexité de la réponse à y apporter et de la capacité à intervenir.

Les contributions à l’appel lancé par l’UNICEF en 2013 lui permettront de faire fond sur son travail accompli en 2012. Les résultats obtenus entre janvier et octobre 2012 comprennent entre autres :

• Santé : 38,3 millions d'enfants vaccinés
• Eau, assainissement et hygiène : 12,4 millions de personnes ont accès à de l'eau salubre pour boire, cuisiner et se laver
• Éducation : 3 millions d'enfants ont obtenu accès à une meilleure éducation
• Protection de l'enfance : 2,4 millions d'enfants ont bénéficié de services de protection de l’enfance
• Nutrition : 2 millions d'enfants ont été traités contre la malnutrition aiguë sévère
• VIH et SIDA : 1 million de personnes ont eu accès à des services de dépistage, de conseil et d’orientation pour leur traitement

En 2012, nombre de besoins n’ont pu être satisfaits dans des pays comme Madagascar et la Colombie à cause d’importants déficits de financement. Des problèmes d’accès, de sécurité, de capacités des partenaires ont également fortement entravé la fourniture de l'assistance humanitaire dans beaucoup de pays.

« Les contributions à l'appel constituent un bon investissement dans les enfants et leur avenir, a déclaré M. Chaiban. L'UNICEF cherche des ressources non affectées afin de permettre à l'organisation de répondre aux urgences régulièrement sous-financées et là où les besoins sont les plus grands, afin d'appliquer des solutions innovantes à des situations complexes et d'intégrer le relèvement précoce aux situations d'urgence à grande échelle - dont un grand nombre concernent plusieurs pays en même temps. »

White maize is the main staple grain consumed in Tanzania, Kenya, and Ethiopia. In Uganda, white maize is grown mainly as a commercial crop for export in the region. Imported rice is a major staple for Djibouti and Somalia, which mainly consume belem—the imported red rice. Tanzania is also a major producer and source of rice in the region while Kenya and Uganda are minor producers.

Both red and white sorghum are produced and consumed in the region. This is an important staple in Sudan, Djibouti and Somalia as well as in other marginal agricultural areas of the region. It is also a substitute cereal among the rural poor. Red sorghum is mainly grown in Ethiopia, Sudan, and Somalia, and is the preferred type for households in Djibouti. Beans are an important source of protein and a complementary food crop grown in the high potential agricultural areas of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and Ethiopia. It is consumed across household types. Maize and beans are the most heavily traded commodities in the region. The cooking banana– matoke—is the primary staple in Uganda. Uganda is also a main source of cooking and other types of bananas traded in the region especially in Southern Sudan. However, bananas are not traded nearly as heavily as maize or beans.