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The leadership of Sudan Relief Fund (SRF), a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing food, safe drinking water, clothing, shelter, medical attention and hope to the people of Sudan and South Sudan, is carrying out an evaluation on projects being implemented in the two countries.
On the occasion of the Ethiopian New Year celebration marked Friday, September 11, the head of the Catholic Church in the Horn of Africa nation has appealed for dialogue to address tensions that surround the controversial construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Blue Nile.
The Archbishop of Sudan’s Khartoum Archdiocese has termed the signing of the peace deal between the Sudanese government and a dissident group in Darfur region aimed at integrating the rebel group into the country’s national army as a “step forward” and urged political leaders to make it comprehensive by bringing on board any other parties left out.
Pope Francis has expressed his awareness of the conflict over the Nile Dam project, which he follows “with particular attention” and called for dialogue between the three African nations involved.
The peace deal signed close to ten months ago between the government of Sudan and the rebel coalition of fighters that saw the two parties agree to a cessation of hostilities on all war fronts seems to be holding the country together despite some cases of tribal conflicts in the region of Darfur, a Bishop in the two-diocese nation has reported.
The U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) has nominated a South Sudanese Catholic woman known for her years of peace activism in the country and beyond alongside three other African women in a global competition launched “to recognize the vital role of women who are working in fragile or conflict-affected countries in pursuit of peace.”
Pope Francis on Tuesday, March 31 appointed Msgr. Luis Miguel Munoz Cardaba, a native of Spain who has been serving at the Apostolic Nunciature in Turkey, as his representative in Sudan and Eritrea.
Plans are underway for the installation of the new Archbishop of South Sudan’s Archdiocese of Juba, Stephen Ameyu, with the Vatican and the Bishops in Sudan and South Sudan expressing full support of the event scheduled to take place on Sunday, March 22.
Few days after rival leaders in South Sudan formed a transitional coalition government to end years of political rivalry and conflict, the Local Ordinary of the country’s Diocese of Yei has called for servant leadership among coalition government leaders and urged the leaders in the East African country to work towards the long-awaited peace.
Several days after letters expressing rejection of a Papal transfer of a Bishop in South Sudan emerged, the heads of dioceses in Sudan and South Sudan constituting the Sudan Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SCBC) have thrown their weight behind the Holy Father and his representatives in the world’s youngest nation and expressed regrets “with great humility the inappropriate language used” in two defamatory letters.
When the Bishops and heads of dioceses in Sudan and South Sudan met for their weeklong Annual Plenary Assembly in Juba that concluded October 30, they not only deliberated about the situation of their sister countries and delivered a message of hope but also elected new leaders for their umbrella body, the Sudan Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SCBC).
With the citizens of the youngest nation of the world, South Sudan, seemingly torn between apprehension and optimism against the backdrop of reports that the vice-president designate, Dr. Riek Machar wants the long-awaited November 12 date for the Transitional Government postponed yet again by another six months, the Catholic Bishops have delivered a message of hope and called on the citizens to “keep heads high.”
Just over two months since Sudan’s new transitional government took office, there is, on one hand, positive change with regard to the ability of citizens to express their views without fear of intimidation and torture, and on the other hand, a degree of stagnation with economic hardships still being felt across the Northeast African country, a Church leader has told ACI Africa.
The decision to reopen three borders connecting Sudan and South Sudan has been applauded as an initiative that will bring about benefits to both countries that separated in 2011 through a referendum.