Situation Update

As of 15 July 2015, a total of 1,014 cholera cases including 36 deaths (CFR 3.55%) have been reported in Juba and Bor Counties in Central Equatoria and Jonglei States respectively. In Juba County, 920 cases including 35 deaths (CFR 3.8%) have been reported from eight Payams and 90 villages (Table 1). In Bor, 94 cases including one death (CFR 1.06%) have been reported from Malou in Makuach Payam and other areas within the County. The initial cases in Juba were traced back to 18 May 2015 in UN House PoC where the first cholera case was confirmed on 1 June 2015. Most of the cholera cases in Juba have been reported from Gumbo followed by New site, Gudele 2, and Juba 3 PoC (Figure 3).
In Bor, the initial cases were reported from Malou in Makuach Payam. Later, cases were reported from Arek,
Block 8, Hai Salam, Achengdii, Langbar and several other areas around the city.

Drought develops over Central America, dryness persists in East and West Africa

Africa Weather Hazards

1. A delayed onset of the rainy season, followed by poorly-distributed rainfall, has led to abnormal dryness across Burkina Faso, the central and northern parts of Ghana, Togo, and Benin, western and southern Niger, and northern Nigeria. The lack of rainfall over the past several weeks has delayed planting and negatively affected cropping activities over many local areas.

2. A delayed onset and lack of rainfall has resulted in abnormal dryness across extreme western portions of Ethiopia, western Eritrea, and eastern Sudan. The most impacted states in Sudan are Gadaref, Sinar, and Blue Nile, including important agricultural regions where planting is being delayed.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Cholera cases rise as the cost of clean water skyrockets in Juba.

• The number of civilians seeking shelter in PoC sites has increased by about 64,000 since the end of 2014.

• Violence in Lakes States continues, resulting in dozens of casualties.

• Thousands of people fled Maridi town following violence in June.

Highlights

• A joint WFP and OCHA mission leads to a successful initial agreement with local authorities to re-establish life-saving humanitarian assistance in Fashoda (Upper Nile). Preliminary discussions included obtaining assurances for humanitarian workers’ safety and security in operational areas. Needs are immense as insecurity has rendered the area inoperable since April.

• The WFP Cash and Voucher response in Juba sees major progress, with all IDPs in the Protection of Civilian (POC) sites now receiving value vouchers. This modality facilitates dietary diversity while stimulating local economies. Given the current volatile economic situation, WFP is exploring ways to ensure that beneficiaries retain their purchasing power.

• Deliveries by river suspended by government authorities for an indefinite period. Barge movement has been instrumental in ensuring that affected communities are served in a cost-effective manner. Meanwhile, intermittent flight clearances continue to affect air operations in the conflict-affected states. Flights to Malakal (Upper Nile) only resumed on 15 July following a two week suspension.

The European Commission has announced additional humanitarian aid of €4 million for Sudan, bringing the total of the Commission's assistance to the country in 2015 to €32 million.

The new funding follows an increase in refugees from neighbouring South Sudan and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Sudan.

"The humanitarian situation in Sudan is getting worse each day. In Darfur and in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile States, 5.4 million people are in need of lifesaving aid. The increasing number of refugees from South Sudan makes the already fragile context even more difficult," said EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, Christos Stylianides.

"The EU is committed to help. Despite serious restrictions on humanitarian access, the EU has been relentlessly assisting those in need. It is vital that safer working conditions are assured for relief workers, allowing them to keep delivering lifesaving assistance," he added.

The aid will be used to meet people's most urgent needs, including food assistance, water, sanitation and health services.

Background

The humanitarian situation in Sudan remains dire following years of conflict, natural disasters and underdevelopment.

More than ten years since the beginning of the Darfur conflict, the country remains gripped by violence and insecurity. It now counts over 3 million internally displaced persons (IDPs). To make the situation worse, people suffer from high levels of malnutrition and lack both infrastructure and basic public services. About one fifth of Sudan's population, approximately 6.6 million people, is estimated to be in need of humanitarian assistance.

Sudan has also seen an important influx of refugees since the conflict broke out in neighbouring country South Sudan in December 2013. Over the last months, the situation has been deteriorating further, with the number of South Sudanese people seeking refuge in the country now estimated at over 190 000.

The Commission's humanitarian assistance to Sudan amounts to over €200 million since 2011. It has provided lifesaving assistance to IDPs, refugees and people affected by disasters, by giving them food, shelter, and access to health, water and sanitation.

0. MAJOR CHANGES SINCE PREVIOUS VERSION OF THE HIP
Second modification as of 01/07/2015

Sudan:

The recent months have seen a sharp deterioration of the conflict in Darfur, with an estimated newly displaced population of up to 100 000 people, and serious protection violations since the start of the 2015 military campaign. Despite the access restrictions imposed by the Government of Sudan, ECHO partners have been able to maintain a significant presence in the area, and intervene when possible. The lack of funding is affecting the capacity of partners to provide life-saving activities.

In addition there has been a new spike in the influx of South Sudanese refugees into Sudan, with a recent massive displacement of nearly 18 000 new refugees into West Kordofan. In White Nile over 80 000 refugees have arrived since December 2013, in a context that sees challenges for partners in terms of access and a gradually improving framework for accountability of the humanitarian aid. The total population of South Sudanese refugees exceeds to date 160 000 individuals.

In order to respond to these additional humanitarian needs in Sudan, the Commission, through its Directorate-General for Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (ECHO), has mobilised an additional EUR 4 000 000 for Sudan. This amount will help responding to the funding requests received under Assessment Round 1 for a total amount of EUR 54 856 380.62 for Sudan. As a result, there will be no new Assessment Round for this additional funding.

Situation Update

As of 16 July 2015, a total of 1,059 cholera cases including 37 deaths (CFR 3.49%) have been reported in Juba and Bor Counties in Central Equatoria and Jonglei States respectively. In Juba County, 963 cases including 36 deaths (CFR 3.7%) have been reported from eight Payams and 96 villages (Table 1). In Bor, 96 cases including one death (CFR 1.04%) have been reported from Malou in Makuach Payam and other areas within the County.

The initial cases in Juba were traced back to 18 May 2015 in UN House PoC where the first cholera case was confirmed on 1 June 2015. Most of the cholera cases in Juba have been reported from Gumbo followed by New site, Gudele 2, Juba 3 PoC, and Munuki (Figure 3).

In Bor, the initial cases were reported from Malou in Makuach Payam. Later, cases were reported from Arek, Block 8, Hai Salam, Achengdii, Langbar and several other areas around the city.

Situation Update

As of 15 July 2015, a total of 1,014 cholera cases including 36 deaths (CFR 3.55%) have been reported in Juba and Bor Counties in Central Equatoria and Jonglei States respectively.

In Juba County, 920 cases including 35 deaths (CFR 3.8%) have been reported from eight Payams and 90 villages. In Bor, 94 cases including one death (CFR 1.06%) have been reported from Malou in Makuach Payam and other areas within the County.

Situation Update

As of 16 July 2015, a total of 1,059 cholera cases including 37 deaths (CFR 3.49%) have been reported in Juba and Bor Counties in Central Equatoria and Jonglei States respectively. In Juba County, 963 cases including 36 deaths (CFR 3.7%) have been reported from eight Payams and 96 villages (Table 1). In Bor, 96 cases including one death (CFR 1.04%) have been reported from Malou in Makuach Payam and other areas within the County.

The initial cases in Juba were traced back to 18 May 2015 in UN House PoC where the first cholera case was confirmed on 1 June 2015. Most of the cholera cases in Juba have been reported from Gumbo followed by New site, Gudele 2, Juba 3 PoC, and Munuki (Figure 3).

In Bor, the initial cases were reported from Malou in Makuach Payam. Later, cases were reported from Arek, Block 8, Hai Salam, Achengdii, Langbar and several other areas around the city.

Situation Update

As of 17 July 2015, a total of 1,106 cholera cases including 38 deaths (CFR 3.44%) have been reported in Juba and Bor Counties in Central Equatoria and Jonglei States respectively. In Juba County 1,010 cases including 37 deaths (CFR 3.7%) have been reported from seven Payams and 96 villages (Table 1). In Bor, 96 cases including one death (CFR 1.04%) have been reported from Malou in Makuach Payam and other areas within the County.

The initial cases in Juba were traced back to 18 May 2015 in UN House PoC where the first cholera case was confirmed on 1 June 2015. Most of the cholera cases in Juba have been reported from Gumbo followed by New site, Gudele 2, Juba 3 PoC, and Munuki (Figure 3).

In Bor, the initial cases were reported from Malou in Makuach Payam. Later, cases were reported from Arek, Block 8, Hai Salam, Achengdii, Langbar and several other areas around the city

Karin Zeitvogel

The East African bloc IGAD, which has been trying for 18 months to restore peace in South Sudan, said this week that a final peace deal for the young nation will be signed on Aug. 17.

An agenda sent out this week by IGAD indicates that peace talks for South Sudan will resume at the beginning of August, after South Sudanese negotiators have consulted with their leaders about a compromise agreement for South Sudan that IGAD has put together.

IGAD lead mediator Seyoum Mesfin said this week a draft of the compromise deal will be handed over next Friday to negotiators for the South Sudan government, former vice president Riek Machar’s armed opposition movement, and a group of former political detainees at a ceremony in Addis Ababa.

Seyoum the handover ceremony will also be attended by representatives of IGAD Plus, which is made up of the United States and its South Sudan troika partners, the United Kingdom and Norway; the United Nations; the European Union; the African Union, China, and five African nations.

Seyoum did not go into detail about what the compromise agreement includes.

What will hopefully be a lasting peace agreement to end the conflict will be signed in mid-August, 20 months after South Sudan plunged into violence in December 2013.

The last round of talks in March was supposed to be the final chance for President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar to reach a binding peace deal. But those talks sputtered to an end in Addis Ababa on March 6, with no peace agreement signed.

July 17, 2015 (BOR) - About 51 organised farmers who invested in agro-business in Jonglei state capital of Bor, producing vegetable, maize for sale, have been severely affected by drought this year and appealed for intervention from relief organizations.

The group had been operational for three years now, composed of 18 men, majority of whom retired from the army, and some men who returned from Sudan after South Sudan seceded in 2011. 33 other members were women of various ages, majority of them widows of the 21 year old civil war between Sudan and the then southern Sudan former rebels led by late John Garang de Mabior.

Malueth Jarbuom Machuor, who survived in the war with fractures after he was shot, retired in the army four years ago and became a farmer, where he had been earning his living.

“I am a farmer here producing maize, vegetables and some more crops for marketing and home consumption,” said Malueth.

In his half a fedan farm, Malueth planted okra, amaranths, tomato, kale, among other vegetables whose market is readily available in Bor. This people like Malueth have been severely affected by drought that started in May. Irrigation using the river Nile water is the only means of sustaining their crops, which is again an expensive operation using petrol-fuel generator.

“We are using one generator we have now purchased. But the pipes are short and it cannot reach far end of their farms. The cost of the fuel is high. If there were rains to supplement this irrigation; we would get good harvest, but now it is not possible,” he said.

As a former soldier in SPLA, his payment was just 600 pounds a month, currently equivalent of about $300 with the official bank rate and less than $50 in the black market rate in the country. But now he said his farm could get him better pay than before in the army.

“If your farm produces well, and you have a lot of vegetables in your farm, you can get at least 500 [South Sudanese] pounds daily, this is by far better than the pay I used to get when I was in the army,” said Malueth.

The much of their large farms went uncultivated this year due to lack of rains. The group also complain of lack of support from the ministry of agriculture to plough their farms as well as providing them with relevant pesticides to control pests affecting their crops.

This situation, they said, has affected their harvest, hence no good cash from their farms since May.

Elijah Kuai Reech, also a former SPLA soldier in the past, said thieves had been stealing their vegetables at night. The farmers’ live far away from their farms due to insecurity.

He said the ministry of agriculture had promised to help them with technical support and some agricultural inputs, like insecticide but nothing had materialised yet.

Abraham Mayom Lual said among the farmers were very old men and women, who could not irrigate their farms, urging NGOs like OXFARM to support them with at least two generators for irrigation.

“These old men and women cannot irrigate their farms by carrying water cans. We have one generator that is not enough for all of us. If OXFARM turns up to provide us with more generators for irrigation, we would be the leading suppliers of fresh vegetable in this market,” said Mayom.

These farmers had used lands allotted to former detainees including Gier Chuang Aluong, Rebecca Nyandeng Garang, and others in Bor to generate their livelihood. On temporary basis as they continue to hunt for their permanent farms not far from town.

Thousands of local farmers in Jonglei state had not cultivated or planted their farms this year due to lack of rains, a drought which the government relief and rehabilitation commission in Jonglei estimated to have put the state on high gear of food insecurity.

(ST)

• Completeness for weekly reporting in week 28 of 2015 was 63% compared to 60% in week 27 of 2015 and 76% in week 28 of 2014.
  
• In week 28 of 2015, malaria was the top cause of morbidity among IDPs and registered a proportionate morbidity of 27.8%, which represents an increase when compared to 22.5% in week 27 of 2015.
  
• Six new measles cases were reported from Bentiu PoC in week 28 of 2015. A total of 338 measles cases including five deaths (CFR 1.48%) have been registered in Bentiu PoC since the beginning of 2015.
  
• Cholera cases in have risen to 917 including 34 deaths [CFR 3.4%] in Juba and Bor Counties. The national and state level cholera taskforce committees have been activated to initiate comprehensive preparedness and response activities at all levels.
  
• A new case of circulating Vaccine Derived Polio virus type 2 (cVDPV2) has been confirmed in Mayom County, Unity state. Outbreak response activities are already underway.
  In week 28 of 2015, three new cases of HEV were reported from Bentiu PoC. Hence the cumulative for HEV is 106 cases including one death (CFR 0.94%) in Bentiu and 150 cases including seven deaths (CFR 4.7%) in Mingkaman.
  
• The under-5 and crude mortality rates by IDP site were below the emergency threshold in week 28 of 2015. In Bentiu, the U5MR has been rising but remains below the emergency threshold. Most deaths occurred in Bentiu with the notable causes of death in children under five years in week 28 of 2015 being acute watery diarrhoea (3) and malnutrition (8).

Situation Update

As of 18 July 2015, a total of 1,124 cholera cases including 38 deaths (CFR 3.38%) have been reported in Juba and Bor Counties in Central Equatoria and Jonglei States respectively. In Juba County, 1,024 cases including 37 deaths (CFR 3.6%) have been reported from seven Payams (Table 1). In Bor, 100 cases including one death (CFR 1%) have been reported from Malou in Makuach Payam and other areas within the County.

The initial cases in Juba were traced back to 18 May 2015 in UN House PoC where the first cholera case was confirmed on 1 June 2015. Most affected Payams in Juba County are Rejaf, Kator, and Northern Bari that have registered attack rates (cases per 10,000) of 167, 119, and 119 respectively (Annex 1).

In Bor, the initial cases were reported from Malou in Makuach Payam. Makuach Payam is the most affected in Bor and has registered an attack rate (cases per 10,000) of 27.

July 19, 2015 (JUBA) - South Sudanese government on Sunday expressed optimism at overcoming difficulties in indirect peace negotiations with the leadership of the armed opposition faction of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO) led by former vice president, Riek Machar, in ending the 19-month long civil war in the country. The opposition expressed reservations.

Senior members of the South Sudan’s governing SPLM party on Sunday said significant progress had been made in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, in the ongoing indirect talks between members of former detainees, currently representing the government, and officials of the rebel movement, without involvement of the mediation of the East African regional bloc, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).

“There is a significant progress in the talks and there is a hope peace will come to the country at the end of these engagements at individual levels between and among South Sudanese themselves,” Daniel Awet Akot, a senior member of the SPLM and former deputy speaker of the national parliament told Sudan Tribune during an exclusive interview on Sunday.

Akot said the indirect talks between the government and the leadership of the armed opposition spearheaded by the former cabinet affairs minister, Deng Alor Kuol, have been sanctioned by the leadership of the ruling SPLM at the level of political bureau and national liberation council to end the war.

“The leadership is committed to see into that this conflict comes to an end. It is the wish of the SPLM leadership at the level of political bureau and the national liberation council that peace comes to the country after these engagements. Our people want peace and the SPLM wants peace,” he said.

The senior party member revealed to Sudan Tribune that all the issues which had been preventing the signing of a final peace agreement had been discussed thoroughly and that participants were getting the rationale of the points which were being raised by each of the two sides in the negotiations.

“The current engagements have taken the spirit we had in Arusha which led to the signing of the reunification of the SPLM. They are being held in an open and transparent environment. They are held in an environment in which each and every representative shows an interest which puts the supremacy of South Sudan over and above each and every interest of any one in the engagement, which is the spirit we had in Arusha,” Akot added.

Presidential advisor on intergovernmental linkage and decentralization affairs, Tor Deng Mawien, also told Sudan Tribune in a separate interview on Sunday that he hoped peace would come to the country soon.

“There is no reason for peace not to come to the country. The government is ready and it has made it a principle to end this war through peaceful dialogue. The president himself had attended the talks several times. This is indication that the government wants this conflict to be brought to an end through peaceful dialogue. The rebels should reciprocate if they are also [for] peace,” Mawien said on Sunday.

The top presidential aide expressed optimism of the peace coming to the country before the end of the year, stressing the peace process being led by the intergovernmental authority on development should extend support to the current indirect engagements between officials of the rival warring parties.

“IGAD should support the current engagements between and among South Sudanese. IGAD came in because there was no one ready to do these kinds of engagements. They should now come with the support. People need peace. War has done so much harm to the people and the country,” a close ally to president Kiir said.

The officials however made no references to specific outstanding issues which have now been agreed upon and when the peace agreement would be signed, but expressed optimism peace could be signed before the end of the year.

SPLM-IO EXPRESSES RESERVATIONS

The armed opposition faction (SPLM-IO) led by former vice president, Riek Machar, also welcomed the indirect engagement between the two warring parties but expressed reservations over what they said was lack of seriousness by officials of the government to keep to the spirit of negotiations in good faith and to hold to their words.

“Well, our leadership welcomes such indirect and informal engagements with representatives of the government. Nevertheless, there is a serious concern about contradictions within the government. One says this and another says completely different things when it comes to the contentious matters in the peace negotiations. They should be negotiating in good faith and hold to their words,” Machar’s spokesperson, James Gatdet Dak, told Sudan Tribune when contacted on Sunday.

Dak said senior government officials have been going public with different comments, raising doubts whether the regime could be trusted.

“You know, former detainee Comrade Deng Alor and some of his colleagues, including the reinstated SPLM secretary general, Comrade Pagan Amum, briefed our leadership in Nairobi three weeks ago. They told us, for example, that Salva Kiir agreed on the IGAD Plus executive power-sharing proposal which gives a new position of first vice- president to our movement during a transitional period. They also said Kiir equally agreed on the idea of two separate armies at least for 18 months of the would-be transitional period,” Dak said.

“But see what president Kiir said thereafter, denying almost everything, except for the reinstating position of the party. And look at the comments uttered on Friday by the vice president, Comrade James Wani Igga, totally rejecting the proposal on the top executive power-sharing. I believe the government has been applying this delaying tactic of sending one to us to agree on matters which the rest of the leadership would later on disown.”

He said the rebel faction was committed to the peace process to “swiftly” end the war, despite now dealing with an “illusive” and “illegitimate peace partner” who could not be easily trusted.

He however said the armed opposition faction maintained its call on president Kiir to step aside after expiry of his term of office and for the international community to declare his government illegitimate, saying only a peace agreement would legitimize a transitional government of national unity.

Direct peace negotiations that will involve the two principal leaders, Kiir and Machar, are expected to resume in mid-August under the mediation of IGAD Plus, which will involve countries and bodies beyond the African continent.

(ST)

FOOD SECURITY SNAPSHOT

• Unfavourable prospects for 2015 secondary “belg” season cereal crops

• Poor livestock body conditions in most pastoral areas due to dry weather conditions affecting pasture and water

• Cereal prices increasing in June due to progress of lean season coupled with unfavourable prospects for “belg” season

• Food security conditions deteriorate in “belg” season dependent areas as well as in most pastoralist areas