This Week in South Sudan - Week 14

Monday 30 March

• War Economy: South Sudan’s budget for the current fiscal year is twice as much as last year’s oil revenues according to Petroleum Minister Stephen Dhieu Dau.
• War Economy: South Sudan has suffered huge production losses, amounting to about 20 million barrels of crude oil as a result of the 15-month shutdown of oil production in Unity State.
• The British government has permitted the deployment and usage of its air force by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

Tuesday 31 March

• South Sudan has opposed the direct involvement of United Nations Security Council and the Troika countries in the next round of IGAD peace talks.

Wednesday 1 April

• South Sudan’s Justice Minister, Paulino Wanawilla Unago said South Sudan will not sign the Rome Statute and become a member of the International Criminal Court.

Thursday 2 April

• SPLA commander James Bugo was killed, along with 12 other SPLA soldiers, in an ambush in Upper Nile state by gun men allegedly belonging to the ‘white army’ militia of the Dinka of Akoka County.
• The US president, Barack Obama, signed a continuation of an executive order regarding the ongoing crisis in South Sudan, saying the civil war poses a threat to US national security and foreign policy.

Saturday 4 April

• The head of the South Sudan Demining Commission accused members of the SPLA (IO) of planting new mines. The SPLA (IO) later denied these allegations, inviting international observers to verify it.