This Week in South Sudan - Week 18

Monday 30 April

• South African telecom operator MTN will expand its operations in South Sudan. There is a rising demand for mobile services, conceivably linked to the expulsion of Vivacell.

Tuesday 1 May

• SPLM-IO has released the 10 aid workers abducted in Central Equatoria.
• A border dispute caused soldiers from the SPLA to halt a road construction survey taking place in Uganda’s northern district of Lamwo.
• South Sudan United Liberation Movement has merged with Paul Malong and his South Sudan United Front.

Wednesday 2 May

• The UN opposes that the Government of South Sudan (GoSS) move to election without a peace settlement.

Thursday 3 May

• President Kiir has appointed Gabriel Jok Riak as the new chief of staff for the SPLA.

Friday 4 May

• South Sudan and Uganda have established a working committee to settle ongoing tensions between border communities.
• Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni opposes call from former Ethiopian PM for President Kiir to quit, fearing he will leave a vacuum in the country.
• All Africa: “South Sudan: Denial of Humanitarian Aid is a War Tactic”

Saturday 5 May

• The Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission proposes a stronger mandate for the regional protection force to ensure proper implementation of a future revised agreement.
• GoSS accuses SPLM-IO for attacking Pagak in Upper Nile.

Sunday 6 May

• A South Sudanese diplomat was shot and killed in Central African Republic (CAR) by men from the Central Office for the Suppression of Banditry (OCRB). The CAR President Faustin-Archange Touadera has officially apologized for the incident, which appeared to be a blunder by the OCRB men.
• IGAD has invited key representatives of each South Sudanese party for consultations related to the joint peace process, starting 17 May in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. GoSS, however, lashed out at former army chief Gen. Paul Malong for requesting to join the peace process.