Machar on peace mission to Lakes, Unity and Warrap JUBA, 9 April 2012 - The Vice President of South Sudan, Dr. Riek Machar Teny, has traveled to the three bordering states of Lakes, Unity and Warrap, for peace mission and reconciliation process between the communities in the states.
The three bordering states have been embroiled in cross-border cattle raiding between communities as well as internal conflicts between clans within the state. Dr. Machar who left Juba on Saturday for Unity state’s capital, Bentiu, is also scheduled to visit Lakes and Warrap states in the next few days. The three triangular states share long common borders involving 16 counties in the border areas. He is expected to visit a number of locations in the three states to urge the populations to stop counterattacks and begin to reconcile. Dr. Machar visited Mayom County of Unity state on Monday and was accompanied by the governor, Taban Deng Gai and Warrap state governor, Nyandeng Malek as well as members of parliament from the two states. Mayom County which shares borders with Warrap state has been experiencing cross-border conflicts with the communities in Warrap. The Vice President urged the bordering community of Bul-Nuer to make peace with their neighboring Warrap communities. The visit follows his tour of the volatile Jonglei state for the last two weeks during which he visited 16 locations covering all the eleven counties of the state. During his tour he urged all the Jonglei state’s communities to surrender their weapons to the organized forces and begin to reconcile among themselves. The Vice President also visited the location of the proposed new capital, Ramciel, in Lakes state, on Friday during which he enlightened the inhabitants of the area about the next phase of conducting ground survey in the area. Reported by the Vice President’s Press Secretary, James Gatdet Dak RSS media team meets Chinese special envoy on African Affairs BEIJING, 9 April 2012 - The Chinese government’s special envoy on African Affairs, Ambassador Zhong Jianhua has assured of the Chinese commitment to improve bilateral relationship with the Republic of South Sudan. Amb. Jianhua made the remarks in a meeting he held on Monday 8 April, 2012 in his office at the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing, with the Republic of South Sudan government and independent media delegation currently in China under the leadership of Mr. Thomas Kenneth Elisapana. Amb. Jianhua outlined to the delegation the Chinese strategic policy of strengthening the bilateral relationship with South Sudan in the fields of economy, capacity building, infrastructure projects, and enhance delivering of basic services. Amb. Jianhua pointed out that China is also committed to improving agricultural activities in South Sudan for self-sufficiency. Regarding the oil clashes between Juba and Khartoum, Amb. Jianhua disclosed to the team that China supports the African Union High Implementation Panel’s (AU/HIP) efforts under the chairmanship of former President of South Africa H.E. Thabo Mbeki to resolve the outstanding issues between the two neighbouring countries amicably. He expressed hope that the crisis between Juba and Khartoum will be resolved for the two states are friends of the People’s Republic of China. Reported by Thomas Kenneth Media team from RSS arrives in China BEIJING, 9 April 2012 - The seven-person team of government and independent media sent by the Republic of South Sudan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for an official visit to the People’s Republic of China has arrived in Beijing on Saturday 7th April, 2012, and was received at the Beijing International Airport by the deputy director of Information Department in the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Mr. Zhang Xianghua who was accompanied during the reception by Ms. Liu Jing, the desk officer in the department. Besides Beijing, the capital city of China, the team is expected to visit other cities of China which include Shanghai and Suzhou. The purpose of the visit is to explore ways of the best role that the media of the two countries can play in strengthening the existing bilateral relations between China and South Sudan. During the visit the team is expected to meet officials of the MFA among whom are Chinese assistant minister for Foreign Affairs Mr. Zhang Ming, and Chinese government special envoy on African Affairs Ambassador Zhong Jianhua. The team will also meet the Director General of Department of West Asia and North America in the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mr. Chang Hua and the Deputy Director General of Information Department Mr. Ma Jisheng. The team is also expected to visit some important companies and historical places in China like the great wall and imperial city also known as Forbidden City. The team will visit Chinese National Petroleum Company (CNPC), and will attend the regular briefing in the International Press Center in MFA and will visit CCTV. Reported by Thomas Kenneth Elisapana President Kiir sends Easter message to all South Sudanese JUBA, 5 April 2012 - The President of the Republic H.E. Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit has sent to all the people of South Sudan a verbal message of a happy Easter holidays and called on all the South Sudan citizens to celebrate it with their entire families in peace. President Kiir said this today when addressing the workers in his office and wished them a happy holiday. President of the Republic said he will celebrate Easter with his people in Juba hoping that God may bring this joyful day again next year. He emphasized that in spite of all the problems going on with Khartoum, South Sudan will soon come out of it and nobody should worry. Pointing out that those in Khartoum who think that they may come to South Sudan by military attacks are dreaming. He assured that the SPLA will maintain security during the holidays. Reported by Thomas Kenneth Advance team from government and independent media to leave for China JUBA, 5 April 2012 (NASS) – An advance team from both government and independent media houses in the Republic of South Sudan to leave for the People’s Republic of China as part of the President’s first official visit after independence. This was announced today by the minister for Information and Broadcasting, Dr Barnaba Marial Benjamin shortly after briefing the crew of the necessary arrangements for the coverage. He said the visit of the President to the People’s Republic of China is the first of its kind and the journalists are to behave as ambassadors to have a good impact on China. He added that part of the team is to travel as from tomorrow to receive the President of the Republic Salva Kiir Mayardit in China. Similarly, four reporters are expected to leave for Egypt and China soon on capacity building cooperation with the respective countries. The deputy minister for Information and Broadcasting, Hon. Atem Yaak Atem advised the reporters going for training to take it very seriously so as to improve the image of the media from the stage it is in. Reported by Martin Jada Gabriel, News Agency of South Sudan (NASS) South Sudan set have own national air carrier JUBA, 4 April 2012 - The Republic of South Sudan is set to have its own national carrier if all goes as planned, a government official has announced. The deputy minister for Transport Hon. Mayom Kouc Malek said plans are at advanced stages for the landlocked country to have her own national carrier. He added that as a landlocked country, South Sudan needs many airlines to connect itself with the rest of the world. Hon. Malek announced that the government will have 20 percent shares in the South Sudan National Air Carrier, 31 percent of the shares will be for the public whereas the remaining 49 percent shares will go to an internationally recognized aviation company that will operate the airline on a commercial basis. The deputy transport minister said the government of South Sudan believes in competition and he added that economic and social developments can only take root in a country like South Sudan when there is room for free competition. “We are not going to restrict our airspace to monopolies, we want many companies to come in and compete freely”, said Hon. Malek. Hon. Malek was quick to add that civil aviation in South Sudan to date is still faced with many challenges. He explained that the aviation industry in South Sudan has been long controlled by Khartoum to the independence of South Sudan. He observed that as a result, there are many unworthy aircrafts operating in South Sudan. He announced that the South Sudan civil Aviation laws have already been enacted. He cautioned that all the aircrafts operating in the country will be subjected to the South Sudan aviation laws. Hon. Malek further stated that another challenge facing the aviation industry in South Sudan is the state of its airports in the country. He said most of the airports in the country need rehabilitation. “Most of our airports need to be rebuilt. Today Juba International Airport which is undergoing construction is the only airport we can talk of having”, he said. He called for support from development partners to help develop some of South Sudan’s airports in the other states. Hon. Malek made these remarks yesterday in Juba at Da Vinci Hotel while officiating at the launch of a new aircraft service provider, Safari Air Limited that has joined the aviation industry in South Sudan. It initially intends to connect the country with itself before going international. 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