This Week in South Sudan – Week 4

Monday 23 January

• The New York Times: “Quandary in South Sudan: Should It Lose Its Hard-Won Independence?”

Tuesday 24 January

• South Sudan’s ambassador to Ethiopia dismissed reports that relations are strained between the two countries after President Salva Kiir visited Egypt and met with President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi earlier this month.
• A senior SPLA (IO) general, Brig. Gen. John Goarguen Gai, reportedly defected together with over 170 soldiers to the SPLA (IO) faction led by Taban Deng Gai.
• The Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC) urged the U.N Security Council to quickly deploy the 4,000-strong Regional Protection Force.
• Norwegian Refugee Council:“More refugees flee to Uganda than across Mediterranean”
  • The Guardian: “Uganda’s sprawling haven for 270,000 of South Sudan’s refugees”
  • Voice of America: “Uganda Welcomes More Refugees Daily Than Some in Europe Annually, Charity Says”

Wednesday 25 January

• The Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring Mechanism (CTSAMM) reported that one of its Opposition Liaison Officers had been killed near Wau town.

Thursday 26 January

• Former SPLA Chief of Staff, General Oyai Deng Ajak, denied allegations that he has rebelled against the SPLM/A. It remains unclear which rebel faction he has allegedly joined.

Friday 27 January

• A High Court in Kenya issued an order directing immigration authorities to stop any process of deportation of two SPLM (IO) officials to Juba.
• According to the Minister of Finance, South Sudan plans to more than double its oil production to 290,000 barrels per day (bpd) in the 2017/2018 fiscal year.
• A new Enough Project report accused the SPLA (in government) of looting national resources in the absence of accountability and transparency. The SPLA dismissed the report, saying it is baseless propaganda.

Saturday 28 January

• Clashes were reported between the government and opposition forces in several locations during the week, including in Kajo-Keji, the Khor Natabu area near Wau, Magwi County in Eastern Equatoria, as well as north of Malakal in Upper Nile State.

Sunday 29 January

• Salva Kiir travelled to Addis Ababa to attend the 28th extraordinary African Union summit.
• Academic lecturers have indefinitely suspended lessons at University of Juba in protest against arbitrary detention of two academics.