South Sudan: The Swings and Roundabouts of South Sudan's Peace Talks

Juba — From bilateral to multilateral and now back to bilateral - that's how the peace talks for South Sudan seem to be shaping up in Addis Ababa.

When the talks began in January this year, only representatives of Salva Kiir's government, Riek Machar's rebels and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) were at the negotiating table. A few months later, IGAD and the warring sides agreed that the talks should include members of civil society groups, faith-based organizations, and opposition political parties and individuals.

But more recently, the government and opposition have said they want the talks to be between them only.

The leader of one of the South Sudanese opposition parties taking part in the talks says he thinks so, too.

Joseph Ukel Abango, the head of the United Sudan African Party (USAP) told reporters on Tuesday that everyone, including IGAD, should take a back seat at the talks while the government and Machar's opposition group sort out their differences and reach a deal to bring nearly nine months of conflict to an end.

Other groups - including Abango's own party - should only contribute ideas, he said.

"The principal parties are the government delegation and the SPLM/ SPLA in Opposition. USAP believes that there is no prospect for peace unless IGAD mediators become impartial and do not dictate the views of the principal parties," Abango said.

"Political parties, former detainees, civil society and church-based organizations should adhere to an advisory role," he said.

Stakeholders put own interests first

But he has not always thought that way.

Early on in the peace process, USAP backed the idea of the talks involving numerous stakeholders, he told reporters.

But, Abango said, several parties at what are currently multi-party talks are putting their own interests first, instead of focussing on ending the crisis.

"Stop the war, let us see what the solutions are that we should make. One of them is the formation of a government of national unity," Abango said.

Only once the war has ended and the transitional government been set up should the many stakeholders who are currently at the negotiating table start thinking about what they want to get out of the peace process.

Last week, IGAD adjourned the talks for two weeks to allow for consultations after both sides agreed to a blueprint for finally moving ahead with a ceasefire signed in January. Machar's side has denied signing the blueprint, referred to as a matrix.

The peace talks have also been marred by one or the other main parties to the conflict not showing up, for any number of reasons. Most recently, the government boycotted the talks, accusing IGAD of favoring Machar's side.

Last month, leading South Sudanese think tank, the SUDD institute, also said that confining the peace talks to the government and rebels would be the fastest way to end the crisis, which has already claimed thousands of lives, forced 1.7 million people from their homes, and pushed the country to the edge of famine.

IGAD officials were unavailable for comment.

Liberia: U.S. Stepping Up Ebola Support - Envoy

Monrovia — U.S. Ambassador to Liberia Deborah Malac has called for the lifting of travel restriction on countries affected by the Ebola outbreak in west Africa.

Speaking to journalists in Liberia's capital, Ambassador Malac said the U.S. government has been urging countries and companies not to restrict air travels or close their borders, saying these actions are not backed by scientific evidence. "If you listen to the World Health Organization, if you listen to our Centers for Disease Control(CDC), there is no reason for those kinds of restrictions".

In the last few weeks, many airlines cancelled flights to Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia, the countries hardest hit by the deadly virus. Some major international aid groups have lamented
the difficulties of flying in much-needed assistance - including international health experts and protective clothing for local health workers who have been dying without it. Ships also have been bypassing Monrovia's port. Neighboring Cote d'Ivoire only recently rescinded a decision not to allow vessels from "contaminated" countries.

Malac emphasized that the United States still allows travelers in and out of the three countries. "Robust screening at the airports", which the ambassador said was now ongoing at Liberia's international airport, with CDC involvement, should mitigate risks to travelers.

She said the isolation is "not a positive development and we very much want to see that changed". Malac said her government will continue to dialogue with neighboring countries as well as countries that are "very far afield to see if we can get it lifted".

The Ambassador announced that CDC health experts have been sent to countries that are imposing travel restrictions to explain the science and modes of transmission of the disease to health minister, with a view of having the measures lifted.

Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf recently thanked her Ivorian counterpart President Alassane Ouattara for lifting the ban on ships from Liberia docking at Ivorian ports, although flight restrictions still remain. She also commended Senegal's Macky Sall, for agreeing to allow SN Brussels, one of only two international airlines still flying to Monrovia, to make "technical stops" in Dakar, so that the European carrier can comply with international regulations on crew changes and other rules.

Malac said that since the recognition of the spread of the disease in March, the United States has committed about U.S$21 million to the three most-affected countries She cited $1.7 million which has "just been announced" to provide food assistance for affected communities in Liberia. She said the Americans are also bringing in mobile labs to be deployed in different parts of the country.

The ambassador acknowledged that a lot could have been done earlier: "I don't think any of us quite realized the scope of what we were dealing with. This is the largest outbreak in history of this disease. We are serious in doing what we can from the U.S government side to address this..[but] we need the government of Liberia; we need the people of Liberia; we need WHO (the World Health Organization); we need all the other international partners out there, because this is a global issue.

"It's not just a Liberia issue," she said, "It's something that we all need to confront".

Big Brother Africa launch cancelled due to 'devastating' blaze

Zambia's Cherise Makubale became the first winner of the pan-African Big Brother

The launch of the new series of Africa's Big Brother has been delayed by a "devastating" blaze at its purpose-built studios in Johannesburg.

The show, due to start on Sunday, has been put off while producers "urgently" seek alternative facilities.

No-one was hurt in the fire and its cause will remain unknown until an investigation gets underway.

Contestants from 14 countries were due to take part in the ninth series of the reality show.

It was due to run for 91 days before crowning a winner to succeed last year's winner, Dilish Matthews from Namibia.

This year's victor stands to win $300,000 (£182,000), the same as the prize pot in 2013.

Programme makers Endemol South Africa and M-Net said efforts to find another complex in which to film the show would be difficult at such short notice due to its "highly technical infrastructure" which is not "immediately available".

"Every effort will be made to find a solution as quickly as possible to ensure that Africa's biggest reality show will continue," they added.

Channel 24 said that production had already hit complications as contestants from Ghana faced visa entry problems and were being replaced with Ghanaians already resident in South Africa.

The participation of Rwanda - for the first time - and Sierra Leone also had to be scrapped, it reported.

The new edition of the show was due to be shown across Africa via satellite television.

Big Brother has been a popular draw since it started in 2003, and has produced winners from Tanzania, Angola, Nigeria, Namibia, Zimbabwe and South Africa.

The first winner, Cherise Makubale, came from Zambia.

In 2010, the show hit the headlines around the world after a male contestant was removed from the compound for punching a female housemate.

South African producers had initially allowed Hannington Kuteesa to remain on the show, prompting protests.

Boko Haram declares 'Islamic state' in northern Nigeria

In his previous video, Abubakar Shekau congratulated Islamic State in Iraq and Syria

Militant group Boko Haram has said it has set up an Islamic state in the towns and villages it has seized in north-eastern Nigeria.

Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau was speaking in a video released to congratulate his fighters for seizing the town of Gwoza earlier this month.

It is not clear if Mr Shekau has pledged allegiance to Islamic State, which controls parts of Iraq and Syria.

Nigeria's army has rejected the claim as "empty".

Thousands of people have been killed, mostly in north-eastern Nigeria, since 2009 when Boko Haram began its insurgency.

Gwoza, which had 265,000 residents in the last census, is the biggest town under Boko Haram control.

Thousands have fled Gwoza - these people are now living in a school

It has raised its flags over the palace of the Emir of Gwoza, the town's traditional ruler, residents say.

"Thanks be to Allah who gave victory to our brethren in Gwoza and made it part of the Islamic state," Mr Shekau said in the 52-minute video.

It controls several areas, mostly in Borno state where the group was launched, but also in neighbouring Yobe state.

The video also shows about 20 men in civilian clothes apparently being shot dead.

Nigeria's military spokesman Chris Olukolade responded with a statement dismissing the declaration.

"The sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Nigerian state is still intact," he said.

In his previous video, released in July, Mr Shekau congratulated the Islamic State (IS) for its advances in Iraq and Syria but did not say whether they were allies - there is no evidence that the two groups have been working together.

IS has seized much of northern Iraq in recent months, leading the US to launch air strikes.

Last week, the militants sparked global outrage by beheading US journalist James Foley.

Gwoza is not far from Chibok, where Boko Haram kidnapped more than 200 schoolgirls in April.

Nigeria's police say it is still looking for 35 police officers who went missing after Boko Haram attacked a police academy in Liman Kara, near Gwoza last week.

Residents say the militants seized the college but it is unclear who now controls it.

Nigeria declared a state of emergency in three north-eastern states in 2013 but the insurgency has continued and even intensified.

Nigerian troops cross border after Boko Haram clashes

 Thousands of extra soldiers have failed to quell the five-year insurgency

Some 480 Nigerian soldiers have crossed into Cameroon following fierce fighting with Boko Haram militants.

Reports claimed that the troops had joined thousands of citizens fleeing the fighting, but Nigeria said they were conducting a "tactical manoeuvre".

Clashes are said to be continuing in the border town of Gamboru Ngala.

Boko Haram on Sunday released a video claiming that it had established an Islamic state in the towns and villages it controls in north-eastern Nigeria.

The group's five-year insurgency has intensified in recent months despite the deployment of thousands of extra troops to the worst-affected areas.

Last week, a group of soldiers refused to follow orders to go and fight Boko Haram, saying the militants were better equipped.

Insurgents also seized one of Nigeria's two main police training academies, which is near the town of Gwoza, captured earlier this month.

Thousands have fled recent fighting - these people are now living in a school

The Nigerian soldiers were accommodated in the Cameroonian town of Maroua, about 80km (50 miles) from the Nigerian border, Cameroon army spokesman Lt Col Didier Badjek told the BBC.

The Nigerian defence ministry said in a statement that the soldiers found themselves "charging through the borders in a tactical manoeuvre" after a sustained battle.

The statement said it was standard practice for them to hand over their weapons and the soldiers are now returning home.

Thousands of civilians are also said to have fled across the border.

Cameroon has officially closed its 1,600 km border with Nigeria to help contain the spread of the deadly Ebola virus.

But correspondents say this is impossible to enforce in remote areas near the fighting.

Analysis: Tomi Oladipo, BBC News, Lagos

This is the largest reported case of Nigerian troops fleeing from battle so far and it is even more telling that they have crossed the border into Cameroon. It is not clear whether these soldiers intend to return to the Nigerian army or if they have deserted altogether.

It raises the question whether the continuing violence in north-east Nigeria is a result of the failures of the Nigerian military as opposed to the strength of Boko Haram, considering there have been glaring problems in the equipping and deploying soldiers on the frontline.

There have been reports of mutinies within the army ranks and recently soldiers' wives protested at the deployment of their husbands, saying they were ill-equipped to fight the insurgents.

The Nigerian military has insisted its forces are up to the task but the fact that Boko Haram has been able to keep hold of Gwoza for some weeks now means residents of towns and villages across the north-east fear they could be next.

Boko Haram launched an attack on the police station and a military base in Gamboru Ngala at 05:30 local time (04:30 GMT), the AFP news agency reports.

In May, some 300 people were killed in an attack which left much of the town in ruins.

It is near Gwoza, the largest town under control of Boko Haram. In the most recent census, in 2006, it had a population of more than 265,000 people.

In the 52-minute video released on Sunday, Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau said Gwoza was now "part of the Islamic state".

He did not specify whether his group now had any links to the Islamic State (IS) group, which has seized much of northern Iraq in recent months, prompting the US to respond with air strikes.

There is no evidence for such links but in July, Mr Shekau congratulated IS on its territorial gains.

Boko Haram controls several areas, mostly in Borno state where the group was launched, but also in neighbouring Yobe state.

Nigeria's military spokesman Chris Olukolade responded with a statement dismissing the declaration of an Islamic state as "empty".

The video also shows about 20 men in civilian clothes apparently being shot dead.

The BBC's Nathalie Wakam in Cameroon says the situation is worrying for the country's officials, who have called on the international community to help them tackle the threat from Boko Haram.

China, France, the US and UK all sent some military assistance - advisors and help with intelligence - to Nigeria after some 200 schoolgirls were seized from Chibok, near Gwoza, in April.

Ethical to use untested Ebola drugs, says WHO

Untested drugs can be used to treat patients infected with the Ebola virus, the World Health Organization says.

The WHO said it was ethical in light of the scale of the outbreak and high number of deaths - over 1,000 people have died in west Africa..

The statement was made after its medical experts met in Switzerland on Monday to discuss the issue.

The move came as Liberia said it was getting an experimental drug, Zmapp, after requests to the US government.

The WHO said where experimental treatments are used there must be informed consent and the results of the treatment collected and shared.

In a statement, it said: "In the particular circumstances of this outbreak, and provided certain conditions are met, the panel reached consensus that it is ethical to offer unproven interventions with as yet unknown efficacy and adverse effects, as potential treatment or prevention."

But the organisation conceded there were still many questions to be answered including how data could be gathered effectively while the focus remained on providing good medical care.

It was also unclear where the funding for the treatment would come from.

Last week the WHO declared the Ebola outbreak was a global health emergency.

South Sudan crisis: 'Horrific conditions' in flooded UN camp

MSF says conditions in the camp were already difficult before the rain set in 

At least 40,000 people who fled fighting in South Sudan are staying in horrific conditions at a UN camp, Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) says.

Many were living in knee-deep, sewage-contaminated floodwater with some sleeping standing up with children in their arms, the medical charity said.

MSF urged the UN to move the worst-affected to drier land in Bentiu.

Fighting between government and rebel troops has displaced at least 1.5 million people since December.

The UN is yet to respond to MSF's criticism.

Bentiu has changed hands several times since the crisis began and thousands of people have sought refuge in the UN camp in the town, situated in oil-rich Unity State.

With the onset of rains, MSF says the already harsh and overcrowded conditions in the camp have now become deplorable.

"With few possibilities for drainage, current living conditions in the camp are horrifying and an affront to human dignity," MSF's emergency co-ordinator Ivan Gayton said in a statement.

What began as a political dispute between President Salva Kiir and his former deputy, Riek Machar, has escalated into ethnic violence.

Regional mediators have set a 10 August deadline for both sides to agree on a transitional government and implement a ceasefire.

The BBC's Ethiopia correspondent Emmanuel Igunza says a new round of talks in Addis Ababa this week initially stalled, but restarted on Friday afternoon.