The Ministry of Water and Energy (MoWE) has called on Sudan and Egypt to join the Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA), following its recent entry into force. In a press briefing yesterday, Minister Habtamu Itefa (PhD-Eng.) highlighted the significance of the CFA, stating, “The ratified CFA is becoming our [riparian’s] rules and regulations.” He extended a direct invitation to Sudan and Egypt, reiterating Ethiopia’s commitment to cooperation. “If you have concerns regarding the CFA, it is all-inclusive. Let us connect to discuss and utilize it together,” he said. The Minister emphasized that the CFA promises mutual benefits for all countries in the Nile basin, ensuring no one is excluded. Habtamu described the agreement as a remarkable achievement for all riparian nations advocating for justice and equitable access to water resources. He pointed out that previous agreements on the Nile favored downstream countries, leaving upstream nations like Ethiopia without fair utilization rights....

Sudan’s war runs grimly on. The two main protagonists (though there are others involved) are each claiming local victories. The Sudanese army appears to be slowly regaining control of the ruined capital, Khartoum, and has recovered some ground it lost elsewhere in Sudan. And the rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF) continues its brutal siege of the western city of El Fasher. But, while the army seems to have the upper hand at present, neither they nor the RSF looks likely to win outright. Instead, the two sides keep up a mutual battering with ill-aimed barrages of artillery fire and bombs that destroy markets, wreck hospitals, and each day add to the grim toll of civilian death and misery. Abdel-Fattah al Burhan, the general who seized power and derailed what was supposed to be a transition to civilian rule after the revolution of 2019, still insists he is the head of...

Khartoum — Fighting continues in the Sudanese capital Khartoum, where the Sudanese armed forces are trying to expel the militiamen of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) from their positions. Civilians are particularly affected, affected by bombings such as the one carried out on Sunday 13 October in a market south of Khartoum, which killed at least 23 people and injured 40. The massacre is attributed to a bombing by army aircraft, which, together with the air force, is trying to prevail over the RSF forces entrenched in some well-defended strongholds in the capital. The fact that the army has serious intentions to attack these positions is shown by the photos published by the “Sudan Tribune” of the army’s armored trucks, which are built like veritable mobile mini-fortresses to fight snipers hiding on roofs. The armored vehicles are equipped with 360-degree cameras and are intended to protect the advancing regular soldiers...

Humanitarian and relief NGOs operating in North Darfur lament that security issues and an ongoing supply blockade by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has caused relief food supplies to run dry, forcing the suspension of some live-saving service to thousands of malnourished children. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) says that it has been forced to stop outpatient treatment for 5,000 children with acute malnutrition in Zamzam camp for displaced people near the North Darfur capital El Fasher, “because the warring parties have blocked deliveries of food, medicines, and other essential supplies for months”. As supplies ran low at the end of September, MSF was forced to stop care for 5,000 children on an outpatient basis, including 2,900 children with severe acute malnutrition. Only MSF’s 80-bed hospital remains functioning in the camp to treat children at the greatest risk of dying, the organisation said in a press statement on Thursday. “There is...

Benghazi / Kampala / El Radoom / Reheid El Berdi / El Geneina / Nyala — The Sudanese Ministry of Education has set the start of the secondary school exams for the school year 2023-2024 on December 28. Many students, however, will not be able to sit for the exams, due to the continuing war between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) that erupted nearly 18 months ago. The administrations of Darfur states controlled by the RSF did not receive an official notification. When Malaak Bakheet (17) heard that the Sudanese Ministry of Education had announced new dates for the Sudanese Certificate examinations (as the secondary school exams are called in the country), she thought about her school days before the outbreak of the violence in mid-April last year. At that time, she was ready to sit for the exams, “only a few weeks away”, in her...

Amsterdam — Hardly a month or two goes by without news of palm trees burning to ashes in Sudan’s Northern State. Agricultural expert Daoud Hussein describes the date palm as a “real treasure” and offers solutions for the recurrent wildfires in palm tree groves as well as possibilities of expanding the economic yields of the tree. These fires cause huge financial losses that are difficult to recover in one or two seasons. Farmers suffer huge financial losses, especially since dates are the mainstay of the economy in Northern State, and the most important source of income for many of its inhabitants. This year, Northern State witnessed more than 20 fires, most of which were in areas where Mahas* live. The last two incidents occurred last week. The first fire, which broke out on Artagasha Island, north of Argo Island in El Burgeig, resulted in the loss of more than 2,000...

Suliman Baldo*, director of the Sudan Transparency and Policy Tracker (STPT), warned that the recent speech by Rapid Support Forces (RSF) Commander Lt Gen Mohamed Hamdan ‘Hemedti’ Dagalo marks a shift towards further military escalation in Sudan. As reported by Dabanga yesterday, Hemedti delivered a 40-minute address via the RSF’s social media platforms, criticising several countries, including Egypt, and condemning the international community. He also acknowledged the Sudanese Armed Forces’ (SAF) recent gains in Jebel Moya, Sennar, and pledged continued escalation. In an interview with Radio Dabanga’s Sudanese Files programme, broadcast today, Baldo pointed out that Hemedti’s speech lacked any mention of negotiations or peaceful resolutions. “Instead, it called for further military mobilisation, urging soldiers to prepare for ‘Plan B’, signalling a potential escalation on all fronts.” The timing of Hemedti’s speech coincided with army leaks regarding a major military campaign aimed at securing Khartoum within 72 hours, which Baldo...

The number of Sudanese refugees in South Sudan has surpassed half a million, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, announced on Friday, as ongoing conflict in neighbouring Sudan continues to drive massive displacement. South Sudan now ranks as the second largest recipient of people fleeing Sudan, with more than 810,000 new arrivals since April 2023, including returning South Sudanese refugees who were sheltering in Sudan and refugee and asylum seekers from other countries. UNHCR warned that the situation is likely to worsen, exacerbating the already dire humanitarian challenges in the country. “The conflict in Sudan is hitting South Sudan harder than any other country in the region and adds to the immense challenges the nation is facing,” said Marie-Helene Verney, UNHCR Representative in South Sudan. “UNHCR and other humanitarian actors have been on the frontline of the humanitarian response and are now calling for others to join efforts to help South...

The United Nations Human Rights Council on Thursday extended the mandate of the independent expert on the human rights situation in Russia for another year. The mandate of Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Russia, established by the 47-member Council in October 2022, was extended last October. The Special Rapporteur is tasked with monitoring, assessing and reporting on the rights situation in the country. The current mandate holder, Mariana Katzarova, is not a UN staff member and serves independently from the UN Secretariat. Call for ‘full engagement’ Adopting a resolution with a recorded vote of 20 in favour to 8 against, with 19 abstentions, the Council also urged Russian authorities to engage “fully and non-selectively” with all UN human rights mechanisms. This includes “constructive communication and full cooperation” with the Special Rapporteur, as well as granting unhindered access to visit Russia and to meet freely with relevant...

Goal scoring proved the biggest bane of the Black Stars yesterday when they failed to find the back of the net against Sudan in an AFCON 2025 qualifier at the Accra Sports Stadium. The result leaves the Black Stars as ‘endangered species’ as far as qualification to the continental fiesta was concerned unless they win the last three games that include a second leg tie against the Sudanese in Libya on Monday. It was a much improved performance from the Kudus Mohammed-led warriors. For once, they demonstrated the hunger, commitment and dedication lacking in their games. They were let down by the failure to convert the countless decent chances that fell to them. Related Articles The Sudanese goalkeeper, Abdelrahman Gaafar Ali, would also take a lot of the credit for his heroic saves that kept them in the game. Yesterday’s draw leaves the Black Stars in third position of the...