United Nations Mission in (UNMISS) Media & Spokesperson Unit Communications & Public Information Office MEDIA MONITORING REPORT

WEDNESDAY, 04 DECEMBER 2013

SOUTH SUDAN  Kiir accuses SPLM members of behaving like opposition (Sudantribune.com)  Minister allows until weekend for registration of media houses (The Citizen)  Assessment in South Sudan to determine Migrant Health Needs (Africa Press Organization)  US Special Envoy to attend South Sudan investment forum (Sudantribune.com)  South Sudan First Lady honoured in Nigeria (Sudantribune.com)  State Speaker urges ministers to table policies (Gurtong)  Organisation to extend aid services in Jonglei (Gurtong)  Organisation hands over more than 60 shelters to returnees (Gurtong)  State governor briefs cabinet on Governors’ Forum (Anisa Radio) OTHER HIGHLIGHTS  UN starts drone surveillance in DR Congo (Sudantribune.com)  Sudan’s Bashir thanks ministers before announcing new cabinet (Sudantribune.com)  Thousands of Sudan’s NISS members stage show of force in Khartoum (Sudantribune.com)  Sudan’s NCP splinters apply for registration of new party (Sudantribune.com)  FEATURES – Worlds newest honeymoon destination (by John Tanza on VoA)

 South Sudan ratifies UN Convention against Torture (Eye Radio)  National Assembly ratifies UN Convention against Torture (Catholic Radio Network)  South Sudan hosts two-day Investment Conference in (Gurtong)  Over 80 percent of women with disabilities lack access to education (Catholic Radio Network)  AU Commissioner calls on South Sudan to mount more resources in fighting HIV/AIDS (Gurtong)  South Sudan: the 5th most corrupt country worldwide (Eye Radio)  Victim’s family asks President Kiir to revoke reinstatement of suspect (Sudantribune.com)  Central Equatoria State assembly opens fourth session (Bakhita Radio)  Wau bans “indecent dressing” (Eye Radio)  Jonglei’s accuses neighbours of cattle theft (Sudantribune.com)  Early marriages hit State (Gurtong)  African troops kill senior LRA commander, Uganda says (Reuters)  No improvement in Sudan’s 2013 corruption perceptions index (Sudantribune.com)

NOTE: Reproduction here does not mean that the UNMISS Communications & Public Information Office can vouch for the accuracy or veracity of the contents, nor does this report reflect the views of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan. Furthermore, international copyright exists on some materials and this summary should not be disseminated beyond the intended list of recipients.

Highlights

Kiir accuses SPLM members of behaving like opposition Sudantribune.com Juba, 03/12/13 - South Sudan president Salva Kiir has openly accused some members of his ruling Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement (SPLM) party of acting more like those opposed to the leadership of the country. “As you return, you must work very hard to unite the people in your states, structure your cabinet to align with the national cabinet so that resources are reserved to deliver services which our people are in need. You need to work very hard to structure the SPLM at all levels. This is very important since SPLM is behaving like the opposition”, Kiir told state governors during a Monday meeting. There is no opposition party, but the SPLM itself, added the president. Remarks by the SPLM chairperson, political analysts say, highlight the magnitude of tension from the internal wrangles within the party. The South Sudan leader, specifically cited states where governors often took unilateral actions without consulting the ruling party structures and unusual practices whereby some SPLM caucus members disagree with decisions from the executive. “These are things which must be corrected. There is nowhere members of the same party behave as if they are different parties. There is no secrecy. Things which are discussed and supposed to be treated as internal matters come out before they are even known by some members”, emphasised Kiir. This practice must be discouraged and all of us should work out ways to handle internal matters, he further stressed. The ruling party, according to Vice-president James Wani Igga, will hold its long-awaited National Liberation Council (NLC) meeting on 9 December, ending weeks of speculation that often left the public in disarray. Martin Majut Yak, the secretary for popular and syndicated organisation at the SPLM headquarters said the party leadership had confirmed that the NLC meeting will be held in the second week of this month. “So as the secretariat, we are preparing accordingly”, Yak told reporters in Juba. The meeting, he further said, would discuss a range of issues relating to the passing of the basic party documents, which was to be revised at the request of senior members to reflect international norms and standards. “The basic documents, which the leadership would hold discussion about, include the SPLM Constitution 2008, basic rule and regulations, code of conduct and its manifesto”, the official said. , the governor of South Sudan’s Eastern Equatoria state confirmed that the president indeed demanded that the party be restructured and the cabinet aligned at state levels to meet the policy of a lean government. “We are from the meeting which was organised by the president. He [Kiir] wanted to brief us about the policy of his government and about the structuring of the SPLM in the states,” he said in a statement aired on the state-owned SSTV. The country’s ruling party currently faces a tough test after is senior members, including former vice-president Riek Machar openly challenged Kiir’s recent pronouncement that the SPLM structures had been dissolved. (Back to Top)

Minister allows until weekend for registration of media houses

2 The Citizen Juba, 04/12/13 - The Minister of Information and Broadcasting Michael Makuei yesterday stated that he has given till the end of this week for media houses and individual journalists to register with the Ministry of Information or face automatic stoppage from operation. The order to register was fdirst given by the minister on 6th November 2013 during a press conference at the ministry specifically directed to media houses, private printing presses, media centres and all individual journalists serving in different media houses as fulltime practitioners or freelancers. Yesterday, a delegation sent by editors in chief of various media houses and led by Alfred Taban (veteran journalist and editor in chief of the Juba Monitor) met the minister to communicate their views on the directive for registration with requests that the minister suspend implementation of the directive until the media bills are enacted into law and the media authority formed. They also called on the ministry to speed up approval of the media bills and to engage in dialogue all stakeholders so that the bill is passed for implementation. In response, the minister renewed his call to journalists and media houses to comply or close down business as they wait for the media bills to be enacted and has given them until Sunda 8th December to make up their minds and register or close down to wait until the media bills are passed and then resume after that. (Back to Top)

Assessment in South Sudan to Ddtermine migrant health needs Africa Press Organization Geneva, 03/12/13 - IOM South Sudan released the findings of its recent Migrant Health Assessment last week, providing health partners in the country with an up-to-date overview of the health challenges encountered by migrants. Funded by the IOM Partnership on Health and Mobility in East and Southern Africa (PHAMESA), the assessment is the first of its kind in South Sudan. The assessment identifies the key health vulnerabilities and needs faced by migrants, and provides reliable evidence for future collaboration between the government, partner organizations and IOM to address these needs. “Addressing the health and wellbeing of migrants is key to ensuring that migration contributes to sustainable development,” said IOM South Sudan Chief of Mission David Derthick. “It is our hope that this assessment will provide a basis for an informed discussion on the health of migrants in the country.” The assessment identified three key spaces of vulnerability – transport corridors, transit sites, and urban settings. One hundred and eighteen in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and key informant discussions were carried out with migrant workers and migrant female sex workers as well as truck drivers and their mechanics, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and returnees. Information was gathered on these populations' self-reported health concerns and the barriers and enabling factors they face in accessing health care services. Sharing land borders with six countries and having absorbed over two million returnees since 2005, South Sudan is a country largely characterized by migration. Despite the important economical and developmental contributions made by migrants, they face risks and challenges in terms of access to health services and exposure to unsafe traveling, working or living conditions. While migrants often start their journey healthy, the conditions of the migration process may make a migrant more vulnerable to ill health. These conditions include individual, environmental and societal drivers of health vulnerabilities, such as poverty, discrimination, language and cultural differences, separation from family and legal status. Describing the difficulties migrants can face in accessing health services, a migrant female sex worker from Uganda told IOM, “Some people go to the hospital but there is discrimination there. One woman went to the hospital, and even though she was very sick

3 and had been waiting first, she kept getting passed over in the line. Sometimes people even pretend they don't understand you when you go to the clinic.” The assessment report outlines 21 recommendations for partners and key stakeholders including the Government of South Sudan and UN organizations. Among these recommendations is the promotion of migrant-sensitive health systems, improved monitoring of migrant health and advocacy for migrant-sensitive policy development.

US special envoy to attend South Sudan investment forum Sudantribune.com Juba, 03/12/13 - The United States special envoy for Sudan and South Sudan is due to attend a two-day investment conference starting 4 December in the South Sudan capital, Juba. Donald Booth, according to the U.S Department of State, will meet government officials, diplomatic partners and civil society members and discuss several issues, including economic development, peace and security, human rights and good governance. “The trip will special envoy Booth’s second visit to South Sudan in his new capacity and will focus on U.S. support for investment and sustainable development in South Sudan”, party reads a statement from the office of the spokesperson. The envoy will attend the conference to support U.S. investment in South Sudan and to recognize the importance of South Sudan’s efforts to enhance its business and investment climate, it further noted. Over 600 “real” investors are expected to attend the two-day investment forum to take place from 4-5 December, under the theme, “Investment for Economic Diversification and Prosperity.” (Back to Top)

South Sudan first lady honored in Nigeria Sudantribune.com Juba, 03/12/13 - South Sudan’s first lady Mary Ayen Mayardit has been honored by the Nigerian community at a colorful ceremony held in the capital, Lagos last week. Ayen, who had visited the West African nation, received a gift with a sword inscribed at its edge. The accolade reportedly symbolised a weapon capable of defending South Sudan’s sovereignty from external threats. The first lady, who largely spoke through a translator, thanked the Nigerian community for the unique gift and vowed stronger future relations with them. Earlier on, Ayen and her Nigerian counterpart, Patience Goodluck Jonathan discussed possibilities of the new nation joining the African First Ladies’ Peace Mission (AFLPM). Formed in 1995, the AFLPM strives to promote peace and harmony in the continent. South Sudan’s first lady also toured the AFLPM secretariat in Abuja and later discussed with her Nigerian counterpart matters on stronger relations. While in Abuja, Ayen also met the South Sudanese community in the country and encouraged them to promote the good image of the world’s youngest nation. Parmena Makuet Riak, South Sudan’s head of mission in Nigeria described the first lady’s visit as a "real" boost to the new nation’s image in the West African country. Nigeria was one of the first African nations that recognized South Sudan’s independence when it seceded from Sudan on 9 July 2011. A member of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Lagos played a major role in peace efforts that ended over two decades of the north-south Sudan civil war. (Back to Top)

Central Equatoria State Speaker urges ministers to table policies

4 Gurtong Juba, 03/12/13 - The Central Equatoria State (CES) Legislative Assembly Speaker Naphtali Hassan Gale has urged the state ministers who have not tabled their ministerial policies to do so. He said there are Ministers who have not adhered to the calls of the parliament demanding their ministerial policies for scrutiny. “I would like to urge the Honourable Ministers whose policy frameworks have not been tabled to the August House to do so,” Hassan said while delivering his opening remarks during the reopening of the State parliament yesterday after months of recess. He said the move will “enable the public know what they [Ministers] have to offer during their tenure in office and the parliament to exercise its oversight function,” Hassan said. He added that the tabling of the ministerial policies help both the legislature and the executive in bettering the need for better service delivery in the state. Hassan also called on the Ministry of Finance to present the annual budget to the House despite that the financial year has ended. The state government has not presented the 2013-2014 annual budget to the parliament for approval. (Back to Top)

Organization to extend aid services in Jonglei Gurtong Bor, 03/12/13 - The Church and Development (C&D) organization has officially launched services in capital, Bor, so that they are able to improve and extend their services to other counties in the volatile state. The founder and former executive director of Church and Development, Stephen Mathiang Kuch, has said that C&D is operating in three counties of greater Bor especially In Twic East, Duk and Bor counties. Mathiang said they are operating in areas of humanitarian and developmental activities such as delivering of humanitarian services to the targets vulnerable groups like Internal Displaced Persons (IDPs), returnees, flood victims and other group displaced because of the insecurity problems. Speaking to the public during the inauguration of the Church and Development services in Bor, Kuch said that they will be able to extend their services to some counties if they get more funding of their initiatives. He said that they identify beneficiaries through the help of state Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC) office, Chief Administrators (CAs) and local chiefs in the areas. Church and Development started it operation in South Sudan in 1996. He said that they have built a school in , one school in Kapat Boma, Makuch Payam, One school in located in Mach-deng and another school in Werkok and supplied scholastic materials. He said that C&D is facing challenges because of lack of funding and insecurity in the county. (Back to Top)

Organization hands over more than 60 shelters to Bor County returnees Gurtong Bor, 04/12/13 - The Care International has handed over more than 60 shelters to South Sudanese returnees who arrived in Bor County this year, enabling them to overcome challenges faced due to lack of shelter. The country director for Care International in South Sudan said that the project was initiated to help about 65 households with shelters, adding that 65% of returnees were women.

5 Last Saturday, Care International handed over the shelters to returnees in Bor County in corroboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the partners are to build some 100 shelters for accommodating returnees. She said that there are so many vulnerable people all over South Sudan and Care International have lots of work to do in the state. “For this particular project we work with relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC) and with UNHCR to identify female which responsible for their household,” she said. The Care International is working very hard to help both vulnerable men and women in South Sudan. They focus on empowering people so that they can hope to build the new country to become strong and powerful. The UNHCR officer, Mubashir Ahman, who witnessed the handing over of the shelters to County returnees and Internal Displaced peoples (IDPs) said that UNHCR have been carrying out multi-sectional projects in Jonglei state since 2006 in order to support returnee’s smooth reintegration in with their families of origin. He said that initially, the intervention were targeting refugees but have expanded over the past few years to IDPs returning from north Sudan (IDPs returnees) and long-term IDPs as well. As a protection agency, UNHCR has to ensure that protection mainstreaming approach is incorporated in all their intervention. In 2013, UNHCR supported construction of 65 transitional shelters for vulnerable returnees in Bor County through Care International and 80 transitional shelters for vulnerable returnees in County. The beneficiaries of this shelters project include elderly, persons with physical and mental disabilities, and single parents. Deng Ajak director of RRC has said that they are so glad to Care International for the support they have done to vulnerable communities or vulnerable returnees who came from Khartoum. (Back to Top) WES Governor briefs cabinet on Governors’ Forum Anisa Radio Juba, 04/13/12 - Western Equatoria State Governor on Tuesday briefed the state cabinet on the Governors’ Forum outcome. Bangasi told his cabinet that President Salva Kiir called for all SPLM members to take care of their own security and the security of the people, Anisa Radio reported. He added that the President told state governments to mobilize and sensitize citizens about the SPLM’s mission and vision. Mr Bakosoro revealed that President Kiir told governors about letters written against different governors originated from Juba. He reiterated that the president was very serious in dealing with greedy SPLM members. Mr Bakosoro warned citizens not to incite conflicts. (Back to Top)

Ikwoto, Budi communities request peace dialogue Emmanuel Radio , 04/12/13 - Didinga communities of and the neighbouring Ikwoto County called for peace dialogue to resolve their differences. The two communities placed their request to the state government and the Catholic Diocese of Torit during the peace dialogue at Lorege, Lotukei in Budi County, Emmanuel Radio reported.

6 Torit Catholic Diocese Vicar General Arkangelo Lokoro Pio tasked the two county commissioners of Budi and Ikwoto to meet the request before Christmas. Fr Arkangelo appreciated the outcome of the Lorege dialogue that resulted in a final peace agreement between the Toposa and Didinga communities. State advisor on peace and security Claudio Suleiman Liling said Eastern Equatoria Government and the Church would discuss the demand for Budi and Ikwoto peace dialogue. Mr Liling asked the communities to maintain in harmony and celebrate Christmas in peace. The advisor also called for voluntary disarmament, saying security was the responsibility of every citizen. (Back to Top)

UN starts drone surveillance in DR Congo Daily Monitor Kampala, 03/12/13 - The UN mission in Democratic Republic of Congo has started to deploy unarmed surveillance drones to monitor rebel activity near the forested borders with Rwanda and Uganda. This is the first time any UN mission has deployed drones. The first two were launched from the eastern city of Goma, which was last year briefly occupied by M23 rebels. The UN force in DR Congo played a key role last month in defeating the M23 but other militias still operate. The BBC's Maud Jullien in eastern DR Congo says it has long been suspected that various armed groups in the North Kivu province get their supplies from neighbouring countries. Both Rwanda and Uganda have denied repeated accusations that they supported the M23 rebels, which were recently defeated with the help of the 22,000-strong UN mission in DR Congo - the world's largest. UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous told the BBC that the drones, or "unarmed, unmanned aerial vehicles" would be the "tool of choice" to monitor the activities of armed groups and the movement of civilians. "We need to get a better picture of what is happening," he said. He said that if they were successful in DR Congo, they could also be used in other UN peacekeeping missions. UN force commander in DR Congo Alberto Dos Santos Cruz told the BBC the drones would only fly over Congolese territory, as they have no mandate to operate in neighbouring countries. The drones are made by an Italian firm, Selex ES, a subsidiary of the Italian giant Finmeccanica. UN officials expect three more to be deployed in the coming months - one by the end of December and two more by the end of March 2014. They will be deployed across North Kivu, which has been one of the areas worst affected by two decades of conflict in the mineral-rich eastern DR Congo. They have a range of 250km (155 miles) from their base in Goma. Technicians say other bases could easily be set up, which would allow for a broader surveillance. Congolese Defence Minister Alexandre Luba Ntambo says the drones will help the army against rebel groups. "Once we know exactly where they are hiding, our operations will be much more efficient," he said.

7 Despite the defeat of the M23, numerous other armed groups still roam eastern DR Congo, including the FDLR, whose leaders are accused of involvement in the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. (Back to Top)

Sudan’s Bashir thanks ministers before announcing new cabinet Sudantribune.com Khartoum, 03/12/13 - The Sudanese president, Omer Al-Bashir, has thanked his cabinet ministers and state’s ministers for their participation in the broad base government prior to announcing the new cabinet formation. Bashir, who addressed the cabinet extraordinary session on Tuesday, expressed appreciation for efforts exerted by ministers and state’s ministers to improve performance in the previous period, stressing that cabinet reshuffle was not driven by poor performance but necessity for change. The president demanded the ministers to continue carrying out their responsibilities until the new cabinet is announced. The leadership office of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) is expected to approve the new cabinet in its periodic meeting on Wednesday and announce it on Thursday. However influential government sources told Sudan Tribune that the presidency is continuing consultations on the upcoming cabinet change describing it as "major". The same sources predicted that the new cabinet wouldn’t be announced on Tuesday and pointed that it may take another three or four days. It stressed that senior government officials, including the presidential assistant, Nafie Ali Nafie, and the minister of electricity and dams, Osama Abdallah, expressed desire not to hold any executive position, pointing that the final decision would be made by president Bashir. According to the sources; NCP’s secretary of foreign relations, Ibrahim Ghandour, is the frontrunner among the three candidates for the position of the minister of foreign affairs. Bashir didn’t yet make the decision to resolve the government, a move that would be made in conjunction with the announcement of the new cabinet. The council of ministers spokesperson, Omer Mohamed Salih, told reporters following the meeting that Bashir affirmed to ministers that they have carried out their work in harmony and with high sense of responsibility which enabled them to make many accomplishments in difficult domestic, regional, and international circumstances. In the same context, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) led by Mohamed Osman Al- Merghani confirmed its participation in the new government despite objection from large segments of its constituency and leaders. The state’s minister at the ministry of agriculture, Jaafar Ahmed Abdalla, who is also a prominent DUP leader, said that their participation in the new government would be based on national agenda and to meet the challenges facing the country. He told the official news agency SUNA that the DUP doesn’t seek to gain government posts but aims to serve national issues on top of which are peace and security. Abdalla said that differences within the DUP on participation in the government come at a time when the country is facing great dangers and in need for political and economic reform, pointing out that those issues don’t belong to the NCP alone but all political parties. The DUP leader, Mohamed Osamn Al-Merghani, has recently refused to accept the resignation of a leading figure in the block which objects to joining the government, Hassan Abu Sabeeb, but the later held a news conference on Tuesday and called upon Al-Merghani not to join the new government and to cancel political partnership with the NCP.

8 He said that those who join the government represent themselves not the DUP and its constituency, asserting that the decision to join the current government was made without consulting with the party’s competent bodies. The DUP sealed a political partnership with the NCP in December 2011 and was granted several posts in the cabinet. At the time, Al-Mirgahni went against the dominant opinion of his party saying the different regional conflicts pose a threat to the national and territorial integrity. Abu Sabeeb who was seen a NCP figure in the past further said that they would continue mobilising DUP constituency against joining the new government even if names of DUP ministers appeared in the new cabinet. "The current mobilisation reflects the position of the DUP’s constituency including the students, farmers who categorically refuse to join the government", he added. (Back to Top)

Thousands of Sudan’s NISS members stage show of force in Khartoum Sudantribune.com Khartoum, 03/12/13 - Sudan’s National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) asserted its ability to swiftly deal with rebel plots and squash them to protect the nation and its territorial integrity. The country’s security apparatus on Tuesday concluded a military parade that included 7,000 of its members which marched through different districts of the Sudanese capital over the last few days causing traffic jams and infuriating drivers. Al-Khalifa Square in Sudan’s twin capital city of Omdurman witnessed the conclusion of this unusual display of force. The NISS Deputy Director Major General Salah al-Tayeb who addressed the parade stressed that the government is keen on peace and that they are not war mongers but that they will only accept a "peace with dignity with our heads high". Al-Tayeb said that this procession was meant as a clear message to those who live in luxury hotels in the capitals of Europe as well as Kampala and other international cities in reference to rebel groups who joined ranks under the umbrella Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF). The NISS official accused the rebels of begging foreigners for food and arms to kill their fellow countrymen in Sudan. He resolved that the youths of Sudan are ready to crush the insurgency this summer adding that the parade comes in the context of the training and physical preparation to enforce the directives of president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir to establish security and stability in the country. Battles are reportedly ongoing in Sudan’s West Kordofan state which borders South Kordofan between SRF and the Sudanese army with both sides claiming to be making major strides. The border states of South Kordofan and Blue Nile have been witnessing armed conflict between the Sudan People Liberation Movement North (SPLM-N) which is a member of SRF and the Sudanese army since 2011. This month several senior Sudanese officials announced that troops are heading to Darfur, South Kordofan, and Blue Nile, saying that the government troops would carry out a major military campaign to eliminate the armed rebellion. (Back to Top)

Sudan’s NCP splinters apply for registration of new party Sudantribune.com Khartoum, 03/12/13 - A splinter group of the ruling National Congress Party headed by Gahzi Salah Al-Deen Al-Attabani announced that applied for the

9 registration of their new political party saying they will name it the "Reform Now Movement". On 21 November, Al-Attabani said their group of Islamist reformists are resolved to form a new party and indicated they would call it "Reform and Renaissance Party". The announcement can after an ultimatum by the NCP Shura council giving them 10 days to bull back from their public criticisms against the party. In a press conference held at his house in Khartoum North on Tuesday, the reformists leader said they have applied for the registration of their new party, adding ""I do not see what prevents our authorisation, we have completed all the requirements". Attabani said they have no problem with their old political party, expecting that other NCP members from different states will join them. The former presidential adviser and leader of the NCP bloc at the parliament went further to say they are not automatically hostile to the ruling party or any other political. He said they will praise them if they do well and criticise them if they fail to meet the expectations of the street. He said the new movement is still under the process of establishment and things pertaining to its structures are adjustable even the name, stressing they want their movement to be national, popular, reformist, transparent, open and flexible. The NCP reformists criticised last September austerity measures taken by the government and killing of peaceful protesters by the security agents. Since last year they call for more transparency and accountability in the management of the state. They also called to inject "new blood" into the government saying the current NCP team is ruling the country since 24 years and is less responsive to the needs of Sudanese people. The new party like the NCP and the Popular Congress Party or the Just Peace Forum (JPF) call for an Islamic state in Sudan. They all were part of the National Islamic Front. The PCP of Turabi broke away in 1999 after, the JPF in 2009. The first was about the role of military in power, while the party of Bashir’s uncle was established against the CPA. The leader of the new party said they can file a constitutional petition challenging Bashir’s candidature in case he declare his intent to run for the 2015 presidential elections. He also did not exclude his participation in the next elections. Attabani also reaffirmed their readiness to defend the actions and decisions taken during the past 24 years when they were part of the NCP government. (Back to Top) December 03, 2013

FEATURE - South Sudan, World's Newest Honeymoon Destination By John Tanza on VoA News, 03/12/13 - When newlyweds fly off on their honeymoon, they head for the sandy beaches of the Cayman Islands, Tahiti, the Maldives and -- landlocked South Sudan? That's where Australian couple Matthew and Emily Albert headed on their honeymoon, and they came away with enduring memories and some words of advice for the authorities in the world's newest nation: ease up on visa requirements and improve transportation, and South Sudan could become a hot tourist destination. "We were made to feel very welcome from the outset and got to see a country that is pristine in so many ways -- pristine in terms of not being overly done for tourists but also in terms of the environment and magnificent scenery," Matthew Albert told South Sudan in Focus. But just as the couple is likely to face a few bumps and challenges along the (hopefully) long road of marriage, they ran into a few in South Sudan.

10 "The biggest challenge was transport, just getting from one place to another," Albert said. "We went to Juba to Bor and to Nimule. The road to Nimule is fantastic so that was very easy. Getting to and from Bor from Juba, though, was very difficult. We flew up, and that was very comfortable. But getting back we decided to take a boat down the Nile River. The trip was very long," Albert said with a wry laugh. In Nimule, the couple visited the national park, and saw the place where John Garang, the late leader of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement, which fought the government in Khartoum for more than two decades in a civil war that that ended in 2005, hid out during the bitter conflict with the north. Garang served briefly as the first vice president in a Sudanese unity government, before being killed in a helicopter crash in July of 2005. Another perk that South Sudan has for honeymooners and other tourists is that it is as yet unknown as a tourist destination. In Nimule National Park, Albert said, he and his wife were able to "see the animals in very close proximity with no one else in the park." "That is something we'll remember for a very long time. It's an asset that South Sudan has," he said. The couple also visited a Dinka cattle camp, which Albert said was one of the highlights of the trip. "I think the people of South Sudan should be so proud of their country," he said. The government, meanwhile, could do its part to help make the world's newest nation an easier-to-get-to destination for tourists by easing up on visa requirements. Albert said that, at present, visitors to South Sudan need to have a "letter of invitation" from someone in the country to get a visa. "But to tourists and most people who want to go on honeymoon in South Sudan, they're not going to know somebody," he said. "I think it would be fantastic if that little thing could be removed only because it's a barrier to people coming to South Sudan and spending some of their money in South Sudan to help the economy along," Albert said. (Back to Top)

For further information or media enquiries please contact: UNMISS Spokesperson Tel.: +211 (0) 912 06 7149 or Mobile: +211 (0) 912 396 539

United Nations Mission in South Sudan - Public Information Office www.unmiss.unmissions.org UN House Juba 03, P.O. Box 29, Juba, South Sudan 11