♦ Sudan: This week’s news in brief ♦

A compact weekly digest of Dabanga Sudan's news highlights from Darfur and Sudan

♦ UN Security Council establishes new mission in Sudan

June 5 – 2020 NEW YORK / KHARTOUM On Wednesday, the UN Security Council decided to set up a United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (Unitams).

Unitams will be established upon the adoption of this resolution, for an initial period of 12 months. Its strategic objectives will be to assist Sudan “in its transition towards democratic governance, provide support for peace negotiations and bolster efforts to maintain accountable Rule of Law and security institutions,” the UN said in a press release yesterday.

In addition, Unitams will collaborate with international financial institutions to mobilise economic and development assistance, and facilitate full, rapid and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid.

The Security Council also extended the mandate of the hybrid United Nations-African Union mission in Darfur (Unamid) until December 31, and instructed Unamid and Unitams to create a coordination mechanism for the handover of responsibilities in Darfur.

On February 27, the Sudanese government officially requested the UN Secretary General support to Sudan, following a letter sent by Hamdok to Antonio Guterres a month earlier.

According to Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok, the new mission will help rebuild the country in a way similar to the Marshall Plan.

♦ Shortage of medics leads to closure of hospitals in Sudan

June 4 – 2020 KHARTOUM Many public and private hospitals in Sudan are closed due to a shortage of medical staff.

The hospitals closed for various reasons, the most important being the lack of doctors, Information Minister Feisal Mohamed Saleh explained in a press conference on Wednesday.

Many medics also stayed at home for fear of contracting coronavirus, calling for the provision of personal protection equipment, clear regulations for protection against abuse, and safe transport to the hospitals during curfew hours.

Saleh reported that a number of doctors, including those who retired early from private hospitals, gradually resumed working at the hospitals, following the decision by the Ministry of Finance to employ them.

People living in the densely populated Ombadda locality in Omdurman told Radio Dabanga last week that “people are dying without seeing a doctor”. Many of the fatally ill patients did not show symptoms linked with Covid-19.

The total number of registered Covid-19 cases in the country since the first case was recorded in mid-March is 5,310. At least 307 people died of the infectious disease.

The Information Minister also announced that the about 18,000 Sudanese stranded in 22 countries because of coronavirus restrictions will be able to return in batches. They must officially agree to be quarantined in official isolation centres.

More news from Radio Dabanga:

Sudan peace talks agree on census, elections

June 8 – 2020 JUBA The Sudanese government and the armed rebel movements reached an agreement yesterday on a population census and general elections. Mohamed El Taayshi, member of the Sovereign Council and spokesperson for …

Staple food prices continue to increase in Sudan

June 5 – 2020 KHARTOUM Because of the continuing economic crisis in Sudan and Covid-19 containment measures, staple food prices continued to increase more rapidly than normal last month, the UN Office for the Coordination of …

Hamdok: June 3 massacre is a crime against the people of Sudan

June 4 – 2020 KHARTOUM An investigation report of the Sudanese Archive and the Human Rights Center Investigation Lab states that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and other security forces are responsible for the violent dispersal of sit-ins …

Rebel group denies attack on Sudan army in Darfur’s Jebel Marra

June 4 – 2020 JEBEL MARRA The Sudan Liberation Movement under the leadership of Abdelwahid El Nour (SLM-AW) has contradicted news about an attack on government forces in western Jebel Marra on Tuesday. In a statement on …

Sudanese in the Netherlands dismayed at decision to reassess residence permits

June 3 – 2020 THE HAGUE The Migration Ministry of the Netherlands is to reassess asylum applicants from Sudan’s Darfur, South Kordofan, and Blue Nile states citing an ‘improved situation since 2017’. Sudanese in the Netherlands have reacted …

Protests against water shortages in Sudan

June 3 – 2020 KHARTOUM A shortage of drinking water led to protests in Port Sudan and Khartoum yesterday. Angry protesters in Port Sudan, capital of Red Sea state, closed the road leading to the offices of the harbour authorities and the …

At least 5,000 people displaced after Sudan-Ethiopia border violence

June 2 – 2020 EL GEDAREF Residents of Barakat Nourein and Mashre El Fursan in Sudan’s El Gedaref are reportedly suffering from a humanitarian crisis following cross-border violence involving Ethiopian militiamen on Thursday during which …

Journos harassed for reporting on North Darfur Covid-19 death spike

June 2 – 2020 EL FASHER Two journalists have allegedly been harassed by security forces for reporting on the disproportionate mortality rate partly due to Covid-19 in the North Darfur capital of El Fasher. Journalists Lena Sabeel and Aida Abdelgadir …

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