The United Nations head of peacekeeping operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, has wrapped up a visit to South Sudan where he called for greater efforts to stabilize the war-torn country. South Sudan is struggling with the impact of climate change in addition to intercommunal conflicts, all of which have led to a growing need for humanitarian aid.

During his official visit, Lacroix traveled to the town of Bor in Jonglei state, where communities have been gravely impacted by cattle raids, flooding and a lack of basic resources.

Lacroix met with U.N. personnel, humanitarian partners and the donor community and said he hopes to encourage more progress in South Sudan’s ongoing peace process.

“There are many urgent humanitarian crises around the world, but the political and financial resources that are available to cope with this crisis are by definition limited. And therefore, our advocacy will be strong,” Lacroix said.

He added that “We do recognize there is an expectation from the international community to support South Sudan, that there has to be a sense that there is a way forward. The ultimate solution is political. We have recognized several positive steps in the revitalized agreement, and we realize that a lot needs to be done.”

Climate shocks have made South Sudan’s dire humanitarian situation worse as the country deals with some of the worst flooding in nearly a century.

At the same time, intercommunal violence continues to create emergencies where the United Nations Mission in South Sudan — UNMISS — attempts to protect the civilians.

According to Lacroix, his trip allowed him to see firsthand the negative impact of climate change on peace efforts. Farmers and cattlemen compete for space as drought and flooding change migration paths, fueling conflict.

Lacroix acknowledged that South Sudan has suffered greatly as a result of climate change and said more technical assistance and funding are required to assist the country in coping with the climatic shocks.

Lacroix’s aide, Earle Courtenay Rattray, who came with the U.N. peacekeeping chief to Jonglei, described hearing complaints from the people about a lack of food, inadequate shelter and a shortage of vital medical items.

Rattray stated that there is an urgent need to find ways to lay the groundwork for South Sudan’s growth and stability, and that “Stability has to come with a sense of participation by all stakeholders in the outcome of the political process.”

Rattray added that “That has to come with a sense of inclusion as the foundational pillar, building democratic institutions, and having an electoral process that people believe in so that it has the legitimacy that it needs.”

Martin Elia Lomuro, South Sudan’s Minister of Cabinet Affairs, said there has been progress toward improving people’s lives, but quickly added that the government’s top priority is to keep the peace. He said that it must “focus on taking the country toward elections. And that means we have to work to provide a secure environment in terms of the security of the geopolitical territory of South Sudan, providing security to our citizens, the police … taking care of the security of the country.”

South Sudan is still recovering from five-and-a-half years of civil war, which displaced several million people. And implementation of the peace deal has been slow, raising concerns of new fighting and further instability.

Lacroix emphasized the importance of recovery and resilience, and expressed hope that with continued international support, the children of South Sudan can look forward to brighter, more prosperous lives.
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Flights by Kenya’s national airline, Kenya Airways, resumed Wednesday after a court order ended a pilots’ strike. The four-day strike led to the cancellation of scores of flights by one of Africa’s largest carriers and stranded thousands of passengers.

Following the court order, the pilots’ union, Kenya Airlines Pilots Association, withdrew the strike notice and in a statement urged its nearly 400 members to resume duty.

Employment and labor relations court Judge Ann Mwaure had on Tuesday directed the pilots to resume their duties “unconditionally.”

Senior Counsel John Ohaga is representing Kenya Airways in a contempt of court case against the pilots.

“The airline was beginning to send out notices of disciplinary action,” said Ohaga. “So what the court has said is that, pending the determination of the matter, we should not harass or intimidate them. I’m not sure how to construe that, but that’s what the court has ordered.”

The pilots’ union launched the strike at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport late last week over pension and deferred pay disputes.

The strike is estimated to have cost the airline about $12 million in losses, but economists say that figure could be higher as Odhiambo Ramogi, an economist in Nairobi, explained.

“There might be some court cases against KQ for losses to be mitigated. So that computed value might go higher,” Ramogi said.

Kenya Airways, sometimes referred to as KQ, is one of Africa’s largest carriers, commanding a good market share of west and central Africa as well as the larger East Africa. Analysts say labor actions could harm the airline’s reputation in the region.

“They might need to do a lot of shuttle diplomacy, just to reassure their clients across the region,” said Ramogi.

The court has directed the pilots and the airline to engage in talks to resolve their disputes.

“It will have to be resolved one way or the other because the pilots depend on the airline for their livelihoods and the airline depends on the pilots to fly the planes and generate the revenue that is required for Kenya Airways to stay afloat,” said Ohaga. “So it will have to be resolved. I cannot say that the resolution will be amicable but there will have to be some give and take on both sides.”

Kenya’s national carrier flies more than four million passengers to 42 destinations annually, according to its records. The partially state-owned carrier, however, has had financial problems in recent years.

Victoria Amunga contributed to this report.
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At least seven Somali-American women won races in Tuesday’s U.S. midterm elections, results show.

Ilhan Omar, the most prominent Somali American politician, won re-election for her U.S. House of Representatives seat in Minnesota’s 5th district. This will be the third term for Omar, who was first elected in 2018.

In Minnesota state races, Somali immigrant Zaynab Mohamed was elected to the state Senate, becoming the first African American woman elected to the chamber. Meanwhile, Hodan Hassan defended her seat in the state House of Representatives.

Other Somali American women running for offices in Minnesota achieved victory, including Fathia Feerayarre, who won a seat on the Minneapolis school board.

In Maine, Deqa Dhalac, who made history last year as the first Somali American mayor for a U.S. city, South Portland, has now been elected to the State House after handily defeating Republican opponent Michael Dougherty. Mana Abdi who was running unopposed for a seat representing Lewiston, Maine, joins her in the House.

In Ohio, Munira Abdullahi and Ismail Mohamed, a man, won seats in the state House.

Minnesota and Ohio have the largest Somali American populations in the U.S.

Speaking to her supporters Tuesday night, Omar highlighted the significance of victories achieved by Somali American women.

“There was a time when we believed that women with a hijab could not get elected,” she said. “Tonight, Minnesota is electing three new women who are wearing hijab. That shows if you trust in yourself, if your people trust you, stand with you, everything is possible.”

Zaynab Mohamed, one of the hijab-wearing Minnesota winners, expressed hope that more Somali Americans will run for office.

“I’m very happy with this victory tonight, thank God,” she told VOA Somali. “This is a victory for me, for my family and for the Somali people. God willing, a lot of men and women will follow me and will come through.”

Shukri Olow who lost a state House seat outside Seattle, Washington, told VOA Somali that she was inspired to run by the women before her, including Omar, Hassan and Dhalac.

In an interview with VOA Somali, Dhalac confirmed that when she visited Washington in 2018, Olow asked her questions about running for office.

“She said she wanted to run for the open seats in her area or seats that will be open in the future in Washington State,” Dhalac recounted. “I encouraged her to do it. Many women say we will do this, we will do this tomorrow, we will do this next year. I said to her if you want to compete, just to do it.”

The success of Somali American women is in stark contrast to the female aspirants for elected office in Somalia.

Female politicians in Somalia are so disenfranchised that male politicians had to allocate a specific quota in parliament. But still women were never given the opportunity to get the 30% quota promised.

In 2016, Somali women got 24% of the 329 seats in the two houses of parliament. In 2022, female candidates only secured 20%, well short of the 30% quota.

The only female candidate who contested the May 15 presidential election, Fawzia Yusuf Haji Adam, got just a single vote — her own.

“I did not get the support I’m sure [Somali American women] are getting when they stand [for office] because here the culture and other factors are causing that people do not get encouragement,” she said.

Adam welcomed the success of Somali American women.

“This is a victory for Somali women in the diaspora,” she said. “I congratulate them, I encourage them, and we are proud of them.”

She said women in the diaspora, including those in the United States, Europe, and Canada, have opportunities that women in Somalia do not have.

“What made it possible is, first the places they live in, where men and women are viewed equally, where they get encouragement from the schools, from the university, and from the parents, and they can see achievements by other women,” she said.

“However, you feel encouraged you need support. But over there, the neighborhood they live in is going to elect them when they see the person is trustworthy, honest, working and is clean. White and Black would vote for that.”

Harun Maruf reported from Washington, D.C.
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Somalia’s military says it has liberated more territory from al-Shabab, including a strategic town that had been under the group’s control for 15 years. 

The Somali military said Wednesday that its forces have conducted a fresh offensive against al-Shabab fighters and recaptured the small, but strategic town Wabho and key villages in the country’s central province of Galgadud.

The army, backed by local clan militia, engaged in heavy fighting with the militant group beginning in the early hours of Tuesday, according to Mahas District Commissioner Mumin Mohamed Halane, who spoke to VOA by phone Wednesday.

Defense ministry spokesman Abdullahi Ali Anod held a news conference Wednesday and said the latest offensive against the group has been successful.

He says, “The forces took over Wabho, which is a big town,” adding, “Last night the forces captured the village of Warhole, and yesterday Elbore and Elgorof.”

The spokesman said the liberated territories are a “well populated area that has water wells, posture and agricultural lands.” 

Al-Shabab did not comment on the army’s claim but said it had killed 15 soldiers, including officials, in bomb blasts and fighting on the outskirts of the town of Mahas.

The militants have increased their attacks since President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud took office in May and vowed an “all-out war” against al-Shabab.

Earlier this week, the Somali government said its forces killed 200 al-Shabab militants over a four-day period.
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As world leaders gather in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, to try to slow global warming, rising sea levels are already encroaching upon the country’s famed ancient port city, Alexandria, wreaking havoc upon the lives of the poor. For VOA, Heather Murdock reports with Hamada Elrasam in Alexandria, Egypt.
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Mali’s National Human Rights Commission has condemned restrictions on press freedom, after authorities suspended one the country’s main TV channels. Action was taken against Joliba TV after it aired an editorial criticizing rising intolerance and attacks on freedom of expression.

The commission released a statement Tuesday expressing “concern about the exercise of certain civil and political rights, in particular those relating to freedom of expression and freedom of the press.”

The statement called on Mali’s government to ensure respect for these rights “at all times, in all places, and in all circumstances.”

The commission, which serves in an advisory role to the government, also condemned “all restrictions or attempts to restrict” freedom of expression and the press.

Last week, Mali’s High Authority of Communication (HAC) suspended one of the country’s main news channels, Joliba TV News. The authority accused Joliba TV of “serious and repeated breaches and violations of the substantive provisions of the code of ethics for journalism in Mali.”

Joliba’s director of information, Mohamed Attaher Halidou, was summoned to HAC in October over an editorial in which he expressed concern about attacks on freedom of expression and democracy by the ruling military government, and in which he called on the HAC to speak on the issue.

The HAC accused Halidou of making “defamatory remarks and unfounded accusations” concerning freedom of expression in Mali and the “transitional authorities.”

Halidou has spoken openly about freedom of expression and freedom of the press in Mali, telling VOA News in March that self-censorship was rampant in the Malian media, as journalists feared reprisals from the government.

Malian authorities this year have refused to grant accreditation to foreign journalists and detained or targeted several prominent government critics.

The HAC was also behind the decision earlier this year to take France 24 and Radio France Internationale off the air in Mali indefinitely following reports on alleged human rights abuses by Mali’s army.

Halidou spoke out against the decision at the time, again in a televised editorial, deploring in one of many instances the lack of freedom of expression and press freedom in the country.

Joliba TV released a statement last week confirming receipt of the HAC’s decision and saying it had already composed an appeal.

Maison de la Presse, Mali’s main media advocacy organization, also released a short statement saying it regrets “the suspension of Joliba TV News,” and called on the High Authority of Communication to reconsider its decision.
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Somalia’s largest telecommunications company, Hormuud Telecom, says one of its centers and a telecommunications tower have been destroyed in an explosion in Qaayib, a village in the Galmudug state of Somalia.

The company said a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) destroyed the center and tower on Monday.

“It’s with great sadness to inform our customers that a VBIED attack destroyed our site in Qaayib, a village in Galgudud region today,” the company said in a tweet. Galgudud is a region within the larger Galmudug State.

The company said thousands of residents have lost access to its mobile money platform known as Electronic Voucher Card, or EVC Plus, a widely used payment form in a country where bank notes are disappearing.

“Almost 14,000 people lost access to the company’s services including EVC Plus, the only payment method in the area,” Hormuud Telecom tweeted.

It vowed to rebuild the center and restore telecommunication services in the area.

On Monday, al-Shabab’s military wing said in a statement published by one of the websites used by the group that it had attacked government forces in Qaayib that morning. The statement also said the attack started with a suicide bombing that was followed by an armed infantry attack on the military camp. The group claimed it killed 37 people, including three officers, a figure that has not been independently verified.

Somali government officials confirmed that the militants used a truck bomb, adding that troops defeated the militants who attacked the Qaayib base.

Major Mohamed Farah, a military officer in the nearby town of Bahdo, told Reuters that 10 soldiers and 20 al-Shabab militants were killed in the fighting.

Galmudug state Information Minister Ahmed Shire Falagle told VOA Somali that the militants lost Qaayib a week ago and wanted to retake it but were “chased away.”

Falagle said civilians and nomads have been hurt in the attack, but he did not specify casualty figures.

In Galmudug and neighboring Hirshabelle state, residents have been accusing al-Shabab of destroying wells and telecommunication centers as punishment for supporting the ongoing government offensive against the militants.

The militant group has been trying for more than 15 years to topple the internationally recognized Somali government. The current government said it is exercising a new strategy to fight the group militarily as well as economically. In addition to the military offensive in conjunction with local militias, the government has been pressuring local businesses to stop extortion payments to al-Shabab, which helps fund their attacks.

And in an apparent spiritual war against al-Shabab, the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Endowment this week issued a directive instructing that al-Shabab should not be called anything other than “Khawarij,” a term that essentially means “deviant sect.”

The ministry also banned religious scholars from having any dealings with the group.

Abdiwahid Moalim Ishaq contributed to this report. 
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Kenya’s national airline, Kenya Airways, is threating disciplinary action against dozens of pilots, many who have taken sick leave to participate in what the company calls an illegal strike which grounded flights for a third day.

The airline’s chief executive officer, Allan Kilavuka, issued a statement Monday calling the strike illegal. Monday morning, 132 of the airline’s 400 pilots registered with the airline’s operations team as unfit to fly, meaning they called in sick.

Kilavuka said a collective bargaining agreement forbids the pilots from staying out of work for more than 48 hours and the pilots could face dismissal.

Separately, reports say officials from the pilots’ union – the Kenya Airlines Pilots Association, or KALPA – have been summoned to court Tuesday after failing to comply with orders not to launch the strike. The union has not responded to the summons.

The striking pilots walked off the job Saturday, saying airline management has refused to address their grievances. They are demanding the airline address issues over pensions and salaries.

The airline reported that 47 flights were canceled Monday, leaving some 12,000 passengers stranded. Management, however, says at least 2,000 of the stranded passengers have since left for various destinations as 23 pilots availed themselves for duty Monday.

Kenya Airways also issued a statement on its website, advising passengers against traveling to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport if their flights are not “in the operating schedule.” 

Kenyan newspaper Business Daily reports that the company has begun hiring captains and first officers, a move that could escalate the ongoing dispute.

Kenya’s national carrier flies more than 4 million passengers to 42 destinations annually, according to its records. The partially state-owned carrier, however, has had financial problems in recent years.
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Ethiopia’s federal government and Tigray regional leaders began meeting in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, Monday for talks on an African-Union brokered peace deal signed last week in South Africa. The parties are discussing how to implement the deal and get much-needed food and medical aid to areas cut off by two years of war. 

Ethiopian government representatives and the leadership of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front are meeting to implement the peace agreement that has given Ethiopian civilians trapped in the conflict new hope. 

Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo and Uhuru Kenyatta, former Kenyan president, are chairing the talks. 

Tigray spokesperson Getachew Reda says implementing the peace agreement will create more opportunities for the country. 

“There are a number of things that need to be done which are stipulated in our agreement. The provision of services is one thing, the more services there are, the more confidence, the more communication there is and the more hope and expectation in people’s minds and that will further consolidate the peace we are trying to put in place. We are committed to honor the commitment we made,” he said.

The deal calls for an end to the two-year conflict and the delivery of humanitarian assistance to the people in the Tigray region. 

The Ethiopian government’s lead negotiator Redwan Hussein said it’s a priority to reconnect the Tigray community with the rest of the country. 

“In areas where we don’t have access, we have to quickly reconnect services to telecom, energy and banking systems. But before that, our people need food and medicine, and we are trying to expedite that,” he said.

The war has displaced millions and killed tens of thousands more. The conflict has made it difficult for aid agencies to reach millions in the Tigray region with food and medical supplies. 

The agreement also calls for the TPLF to lay down its arms in exchange for reintegration and the return of the national army to the region. 

Tigray representatives say they have made a painful concession to end the conflict.   

Obasanjo, the African Union’s chief mediator, said the two sides have established a telephone hotline. The hotline will help them monitor the truce and communicate with their forces to stop fighting in case of flare-ups. 

Kenyatta, a co-mediator of the peace talks, says he expects the ongoing negotiations to end the civil war. 

“At the conclusion of this process will be colleagues who will be working together for the betterment of their country, for the betterment of Ethiopia, for the benefit of our region and ultimately join us all in our struggle to make Africa a better place and to end and silence the guns permanently, so that we can focus on the well-being of our people,” he said.

The talks are expected to last three or four days. 
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Dozens of people who called for demonstrations during the COP27 climate conference underway in Egypt were arrested in the lead up to the opening of the conference, Human Rights Watch said in a statement Sunday.

Security measures in Sharm el-Sheikh, the resort town where the conference is being held, have been stringent. Officials have required the installation of cameras in all taxis, a move that allows security agency surveillance of drivers and passengers, HRW said.

In addition, Egyptian officials have imposed what HRW describes as an “unduly complicated process” for registering for access to the Green Zone outside the COP venue. In previous summits, the Green Zone has been open — allowing for an exchange of ideas on climate issues and giving summit participants the opportunity to interact with the public.

The Egyptian government has also released a smartphone application for attendees that asks for personal information, including passport numbers. HRW said an analysis of the application by two local rights groups revealed the app required access to the phone’s camera, microphone, location and Bluetooth connection. HRW said all the information gathered from the phone app could also be shared with third parties, raising privacy issues.

HRW said the restrictions “would effectively hinder meaningful participation by nongovernmental groups and journalists during COP, preventing a successful and ambitious outcome of the climate summit.”
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Kenyans Evans Chebet and Sharon Lokedi made huge splashes in their New York City Marathon debuts Sunday.

Chebet won the men’s race and Lokedi the women’s race in her first-ever marathon on an unseasonably warm day, with temperatures in the 70s making it one of the hottest in race history since the marathon was moved to November in 1986.

Chebet finished in 2 hours, 8 minutes and 41 seconds, which was 13 seconds ahead of second-place finisher Shura Kitata of Ethiopia.

There was a scary moment in the men’s race when Daniel Do Nascimento, who had been leading the entire way, collapsed 21 miles in. Race officials said later that he was OK.

The Brazilian ran the first half of the race in a blistering 1:01.22, which put him 2 minutes ahead of the course record pace. He had been leading by nearly 2 minutes for the first 15 miles before he started to slow down a bit.

Do Nascimento went down right before heading back into Manhattan and was quickly attended to by medical professionals. A few miles earlier, he had taken a quick 20-second bathroom break and also had stopped to walk briefly a few minutes before he collapsed.

Chebet saw Do Nascimento on the ground and said he “felt bad for him but had to continue to race.”

“He knew that it was hot and humid and (Do Nascimento) was going at a high pace,” Chebet said through a translator. “He has a lot of experience, and he knew he was going to surpass him.”

Chebet, 33, pulled away from the pack when chasing Do Nascimento as they headed over the bridge into Manhattan for the first time. After Do Nascimento’s collapse, Chebet took the lead and wasn’t threatened the rest of the way.

Chebet won the Boston Marathon earlier this year.

“Boston was actually harder and it prepared him for the win for New York,” the translator said for Chebet. “He’s very thankful.”

The victory continued a drought for American men in the race: No runner from the U.S. has won since 2009. The Americans’ top hope, Galen Rupp, was in the chase pack before withdrawing from the race right before the 19-mile mark.

It was Lokedi’s first-ever marathon, and she finished in 2:23.23 — just ahead of Lonah Chemtai Salpeter of Israel.

“I’m just so happy that I just won, you know?!” said Lokedi, laughing. “I’m really excited, just so happy that I did it here. The people out there, the course was amazing, the cheers, everything. I’m just thankful.”

The 28-year-old was in a tight race before she pulled ahead of Chemtai Salpeter in the final 2 miles to win by seven seconds and finish about 50 seconds off the course record.

“I didn’t expect to win, I expected to run well,” Lokedi said. “It was a good outcome and I’m really excited.”

An hour earlier, the men’s and women’s wheelchair races ended with course records being broken.

Marcel Hug of Switzerland was victorious in the men’s wheelchair race for the fifth time, tying Kurt Fearnley for most-ever victories in that event. Hug finished the 26.2-mile (42.2 kilometers) course that goes through all five boroughs of New York in 1:25.26 to break the previous mark of 1:29.22 set by Fearnley of Australia in 2006.

“The conditions were great for us. A tail wind the first half. It was very good conditions. I think that’s the reason,” Hug said of the record time. “I didn’t know the time. My goal was to go as fast as possible and didn’t focus on the time.”

Hug, who also won the race last year, earned $50,000 for besting the course record. He crossed the finish line more than 2 minutes ahead of second-place finisher Daniel Romanchuk of Illinois.

The 36-year-old Hug, nicknamed the “The Silver Bullet,” has been on quite a streak, winning four gold medals at the Tokyo Paralympics last year as well as the Tokyo, Berlin, London and Chicago Marathons in 2022.

Susannah Scaroni also broke the course record in the women’s wheelchair race, finishing in 1:42.43. That was 21 seconds better than the old mark, which was held by Tatyana McFadden.

Scaroni, a 31-year-old from Illinois, pulled away from the field early and also earned the bonus money for topping the course record. Scaroni won the Chicago Marathon last month and was victorious for the first time in New York after finishing third in 2019.

The warm weather wasn’t ideal for the 50,000 runners who started the 51st edition of the marathon, which was back to full capacity for the first time since the pandemic. Race organizers said that there were nine misting stations on the 26.2-mile (42.2 kilometers) racecourse and there was plenty of water available along the way as well as bananas and energy gels.

There were a couple of celebrities who ran the race, including Ashton Kutcher and Chelsea Clinton, who completed it for a second straight year. Both were running for charity.

Samantha Judge, the wife of New York Yankees’ home run champion Aaron Judge, also ran the marathon. The baseball free agent presented her with her medal when she finished along with Yankees outfielder/designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton.
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The Somali government Sunday said its elite soldiers have killed 21 al-Shabab militants and wounding 10 others in an operation in the country’s lower Shabelle region. 

In a statement Sunday, the Ministry of Information said its elite soldiers from the National Intelligence and Security Agency, or NISA, conducted a fresh operation against the al-Qaida-affiliated militant group al-Shabab.

The operation took place after intelligence forces received a tip saying al-Shabab was planning to carry out attacks to “harm the Somali people,” according to the statement.

The planned operation took place in the village of Galka Salimow in the lower Shabelle region.

The government didn’t say if the operation was an airstrike or a ground operation.

“The operation was executed as planned and destroyed all militants who were there plotting against the people of Somalia,” said the statement issued by the information ministry.

In the statement, the government said that 200 al-Shabab militants were killed in four days. VOA couldn’t independently verify the claim.

The new operation comes a day after a suicide bomber blew himself up near a military training facility in the capital, Mogadishu, killing several people. Al-Shabab claimed responsibility, saying it killed 105 soldiers.

Military sources told VOA Sunday that 15 new recruits were killed in the attack.

Meanwhile, Somalia’s religious affairs ministry issued a statement banning religious scholars from having dealings with the group and said that al-Shabab should be called a “deviant sect.”

Somalia has been grappling with security threats for years, with al-Shabab Islamists being one of the main threats in the country.

The militants have increased their attacks since President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud took office in May and vowed an “all-out war” against al-Shabab.

The group has been fighting in the Horn of Africa nation, targeting Somali government officials and African Union peacekeepers since 2007.

Late last month, twin car bombings by al-Shabab in the capital took the lives of more than 100 people and wounded more than 300 others.
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