![New appointed media officials of the SSUF/A [Photo courtesies]](https://www.sudanspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Untitled-design-23-1024x576.png)
New appointed media officials of the SSUF/A [Photo courtesies]
In separate statements extended to Sudans Post, Malong appointed Chol Duang Chan, former news anchor at state broadcaster SSBC, as the press secretary in the office of the group’s chairman.
He also appointed Nyamach Nyang Chol as the new head of the group’s information secretariat.
Malong cited his powers conferred upon him as the leader of the holdout opposition group.
![Ex-Malong spokesman Emmanuel Sunday De John [Photo courtesy]](https://www.sudanspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/107367222_3272746089451431_8632241823969916093_n.jpg)
Ex-Malong spokesman Emmanuel Sunday De John [Photo courtesy]
On Monday, Malong fired Sunday as the SSUF/A but did not however give reasons behind his removal. Speaking to Sudans Post this morning, a senior member of the SSUF/A said Sunday was removed from his position for leaking classified and important documents to the National Security Service (NSS) in Juba.
The opposition official said she has direct knowledge that Sunday was being involved in activities involving South Sudan’s national security agents who were working to sabotage Malong.
“Sunday has been working and involved in activities to sabotage the Movement and this has been the basis on which he has been removed from his position,” the opposition source said adding that she will not be able to comment as to whether Malong has removed Sunday from the movement’s membership.
![Newly-appointed South Sudan finance minister Athian Diing Athian taking oath of office before President Salva Kiir Mayardit in Juba last week. [Photo by Presidency]](https://www.sudanspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/119765646_132640518544301_3622242759622226282_n.jpg)
Newly-appointed South Sudan finance minister Athian Diing Athian taking oath of office before President Salva Kiir Mayardit in Juba last week. [Photo by Presidency]
Production of crude — the landlocked nation’s main export — has dropped to 170,000 barrels a day, less than half the output just before war broke out in 2013. Attempts to revive output have been stymied by low international prices, while lock downs to control the virus have delayed the movement of equipment and materials.
“Rampant inflation is detrimental to our overall goal and must be curbed as soon as a matter of urgency,” Athian Diing Athian said in an interview from the capital, Juba. “To accomplish this, we must immediately maximize revenue to ensure the efficient and prudent allocation and accountability of public resources.”
Oil is the country’s biggest source of income and the lower prices have battered its reserves and revenue, fueling inflation that reached 37.2% in April, according to the last data released by the central bank. The South Sudanese pound has plunged to 447 per dollar on the parallel market, compared with the official rate of 167 to the greenback.
Meeting Obligations
“I will be working closely with all financial institutions of the government as well as our international partners, to position ourselves to navigate this crisis,” Athian said. “Once we have streamlined revenue flows, we will ensure that government obligations are met.”
Service delivery is paramount for success, Athian said. “One thing the pandemic has taught us is that it is imperative we build the capacity of our basic services,” he said. “The threat of Covid-19 is still real and we must focus on improving access to health-care across the country.”
South Sudan had 2,649 cases of the virus as of Tuesday, with 1,290 recoveries and 49 deaths, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
![South Sudan ambassador to Kuwait Parmena Makuet Manar Riak [Photo via al-Jarida]](https://www.sudanspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/1280x960.jpg)
South Sudan ambassador to Kuwait Parmena Makuet Manar Riak [Photo via al-Jarida]
The foreign ministry official who spoke to Sudans Post on condition of anonymity said Manar died in Kuwait following short illness caused by high-blood pressure and diabetes.
The official although hinted at COVID-19, the official ruled out the possibility.
“This is to confirm that Ambassador Parmena Makuet Manar Riak, our country’s representative to the state of Kuwait has died,” the official said. “We cannot rule out COVID-19, but what I have as of now is that he has been sick with high blood pressure and diabetes.”
Manar was the first South Sudan ambassador to the Arab Republic of Egypt.
He was appointed the head the country’s diplomatic mission in the North African country following the independence of South Sudan in 2011.
Before he was moved to Kuwait, he was South Sudan’s ambassador to Nigeria.
He was later on recalled and then redeployed to Kuwait.
![European Union (EU) and South Sudan national flag from textile. [Photo by iStock]](https://www.sudanspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/istockphoto-1250018736-170667a.jpg)
European Union (EU) and South Sudan national flag from textile. [Photo by iStock]
“You cannot have a proper new transitional unity government without a parliament. There are no real check and balances at the moment and this is not the kind of government the international community is ready to speak with for long-term planning of development,” Alessandro Rossi, EU’s deputy head of mission to South Sudan, said.
The EU diplomat said the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement is not going as expected saying the security arrangements are not completed ruling out any support for the government the unity government.
“If the security arrangements are not completed, if transitional justice has not even started, if public finance management is not redressed then we cannot speak of appropriate implementation of the peace agreement,” Rossi.
Most of the provisions of the revitalized peace agreement, most importantly the security arrangements which provides for the formation of a unified and professional national army, have not been implemented.
The United Nations Secretary-General said in a report last week that the government was not sending its forces to training centers where opposition forces are currently stationed for training.
![South Sudan presidential security advisor Tut Gatluak, left, meeting Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, right, in Cairo on Tuesday [Photo by Sudans Post]](https://www.sudanspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/120073451_10221636537116968_1909731029935374167_n.jpg)
South Sudan presidential security advisor Tut Gatluak, left, meeting Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, right, in Cairo on Tuesday [Photo by Sudans Post]
In an exclusive interview with Sudans Post in Cairo this morning, investment minister Dhieu Mathok Ding Wol said the delegation came to also invite the Egyptian leadership for the upcoming ceremony of the signing of the Sudanese peace agreement due for October 3.
“We have come to invite the Egyptian leadership for the signing of the Sudanese peace deal which is expected to be signed in Juba on October 24,” Dhieu told Sudans Post in Cairo this afternoon.
The senior government official said the delegation led by Gatluak has also discussed with the Egyptian president the status of the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement, specially the security agreements.
He said the Egyptian leader has vowed to support the reunification of the rival forces and will also mobilize other world leaders to support the implementation of the deal which ended the seven-year-old civil war in February this year.
“We have also discussed the implement of the revitalized peace agreement. H.E the President after our meeting today, we discussed the implementation of the peace deal and he has vowed to support us in the areas such as the security arrangements and will mobilize for world support to the peace process in the republic of South Sudan,” he said.
![South Sudan's President Salva Kiir Mayardit [Photo via Getty Images]](https://www.sudanspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/11southsudan-vid-superJumbo.jpg)
South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir Mayardit [Photo via Getty Images]
Last week, the parties concluded the allocation state government positions and continued talks on responsibility sharing at the local government levels which has now become a subject of deadlock between the parties.
Speaking to Sudans Post this morning, opposition official Dut Majokdit said from Juba that the government was demanding either the states government be formed or if the opposition doesn’t want to wait the issue should be referred to the state governors.
“The government is saying that we either form the state governments and continue talk on the local government or refer the issue of the counties to the state governors,” Majokdit said on phone from Juba.
Our position is clear: We must finish all the preparations at the state and local levels now because time is running out and our people are suffering due to the absence of political leadership at the states,” the opposition official added.
![South Sudan deputy minister of foreign affairs Deng Dau Deng [Photo by unknown]](https://www.sudanspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Deng-Dau.jpg)
South Sudan deputy minister of foreign affairs Deng Dau Deng [Photo by unknown]
JUBA – South Sudan’s government has urged international community to rally behind and support the Sudanese peace agreement set to be signed in Juba next week.
The call was made by the world’s youngest country’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Deng Dau Deng during a briefing for the diplomatic community on the status of the Sudanese peace deal in Juba Friday.
“The peace deal will be signed on Oct. 3 and this would form a very important message to our ambassadors in Juba and our friendly countries, for them to be able to invest in supporting the peace process in the Republic of Sudan,” Deng said.
Sudan is set to sign the deal next month in Khartoum.
“This is the right time. The peace implementation will require financial support and expertise to undertake rehabilitation, reconstruction of physical and social infrastructure damaged during the war,” he said.
The deal accords a lifetime opportunity to Sudanese people to put years of war behind them and embark on development while addressing the fundamental root causes of the conflict, he said.
Deputy Minister of Defense and Veteran Affairs Malek Ruben said the government and different groups agreed clearly on points of national interest.
“The parties considered to jointly agree on national issues that includes identity, public freedom, human rights, separating religion from state, constitution making process, distribution of power and wealth and social justice and equality,” he said.
South Sudan has offered to mediate between parties to the crisis since unrest led to the overthrow of longtime President Omar Bashir in April 2019.
![South Sudan former army chief and leader of South Sudan United Front/A (SSUF/A) General Paul Malong Awan [Photo via The New Times]](https://www.sudanspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/1515486911Gen.jpg)
South Sudan former army chief and leader of South Sudan United Front/A (SSUF/A) General Paul Malong Awan [Photo via The New Times]
NAIROBI – The leader of South Sudan United Front (SSUF), General Paul Malong Awan has on Sunday removed his press secretary, Sunday De John, according to a statement signed by the former army chief.
The statement which did not make mention of why De John was removed is effective from yesterday, September 21, 2020.
“The leadership of South Sudan United Front/Army regrets to inform its supporters and the general public that it has suspended Dr Sunday De John, SSUF/A’s Secretary of Information & Communications Technology, as its official Spokesman with effect from the date of this letter until further notice,” the statement extended to Sudans Post partly reads.
![Statement by General Malong announcing the dismissal of his media official Sunday De John [File obtained by Sudans Post]](https://www.sudanspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/WhatsApp-Image-2020-09-21-at-9.20.12-PM.jpeg)
Statement by General Malong announcing the dismissal of his media official Sunday De John [File obtained by Sudans Post]
The statement also “wishes to acknowledge and appreciate Dr Sunday De John for his commendable role and contribution to the movement.”
“SSUF/A will, in due course, update its membership, parties, media houses and the general public once the new acting Spokesperson assumes office,” it further added.
![South Sudan map featuring current 10 states [Photo via Wiley Online Library]](https://www.sudanspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/arbp6683-fig-0001-m.jpg)
South Sudan map featuring current 10 states [Photo via Wiley Online Library]
“The parties have agreed to the allocation of states deputy governors and the SPLM-IO will nominate governors for Unity state, Lakes state, and Eastern Equatoria state,” Dut Majokdit, a senior member of the SPLM-IO in Northern Bahr el Ghazal and who is a part of the SPLM-IO peace delegates in Juba told Sudans Post this evening.
The SPLM faction under the leadership of President Salva Kiir Mayardit will also nominate three deputy governors for Western Bahr el Ghazal, Jonglei and Western Equatoria states.
Other opposition groups (OPP) will nominate deputy governors for Central Equatoria, Northern Bahr el Ghazal and Warrap states. South Sudan Opposition Alliance will nominate deputy governor for oil-rich Upper Nile states.
The SPLM-IG now has governors for Central Equatoria, Unity, Eastern Equatoria, Lakes, Northern Bahr el Ghazal and Warrap states.
The SPLM-IO has the governors of Western Equatoria, Western Bahr el Ghazal and the yet-to-be appointed governor of Upper Nile state.
SSOA is having the governor of Jonglei state.
