Sudan: Bashir Visits China for Talks

Khartoum, Sudan

Sudan’s President Omar Al-Bashir, arrived Tuesday in Beijing, for talks with Chinese leader Hu Jintao during his four-day state visit to China on relations of the two countries.

Bashir landed at the Chinese capital in the early hours of Tuesday following delay over a change in flight plan of his visit scheduled on Monday. The controversial visit has been highly condemned by rights groups and the US government over China’s refusal to arrest Bashir who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for genocide.

The two leaders are expected to hold discussions with other senior Chinese officials on Wednesday on ties within the two nations and also on matters of disputed Abyei region which both the north and south claim.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei defended the Sudanese leader’s visit, terming it as quite reasonable due to Sudan’s friendly ties with China.

“In recent years, President Bashir has made many visits to foreign countries and was warmly welcomed by those countries. He will also be welcomed in China,” said Lei.

He added that Bashir’s visit would be conducive to the development of the traditional friendship between the two nations as well as the advancement of the peace process of north-south Sudan.

In an earlier interview with Chinese state media-Xinhua that the china-Sudan relationship is leading other African countries to search for real and loyal partner, praising China for helping his country to lessen impact of the US-led economic sanctions.

Dispute over possible citizenship of oil-rich Abyei has seen armed confrontations of troops from both sides which lay claim of the border state.  The UN Security Council on Monday unanimously passed a resolution to send 4,200 Ethiopian peacekeeping troops to Abyei to ease tension in the region.

Warrant of arrest has been issued against Bashir over genocide and war crimes allegedly committed in Darfur where over 300,000 people have died since 2003.

South Sudan is expected to become legitimately independent in July 9 following the January 9 overwhelming vote in favour of secession. The referendum was part of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement that ended 2 decades of north-south civil war.

Tripoli, Libya

Rebels Capture Government Arms Depot

Libyan rebel fighters have captured a significant weapons warehouse from forces loyal to Col Muammar Gaddafi in western part of the country near the town of Zintan.

The Tuesday’s seizure is seen as a major boost in arms for the rebels who are making a push for the capital, Tripoli just 50km away. The rebels impounded the heavy artillery including rockets, tankers and other munitions found in the networks of bunkers in the desert 25km from Zintan town following a NATO strike in the area on Monday.

Rebel reports claim that they overcame heavy fire from pro-Gaddafi troops and managed to clear remaining guards from the arms depot.

Elsewhere also rebels launched heavy gunfire against the well equipped government forces from a position in Dafniya frontline west of Misrata.

The International Criminal Court chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo has said that Libya has the major responsibility to implement the arrest warrant issued on Monday by the court against Col Gaddafi, his son Saif al-Islam and country’s intelligence chief Abdullah al-Sanussi.

Ocampo said that Col Gaddafi’s inner circle can be part of the solution, working together with other Libyans to stop the crimes. He said his office will investigate new crimes committed in Libya since the start of the revolution in February.

Rebels are battling to end Col Gaddafi’s 41-year rule in a resistance of what started as peaceful protest demanding his exit from power. It’s not known for how long the fighting will continue, as NATO continues to face more pressure to suspend its airstrike much of which has helped the poorly trained and armed rebels to uphold their opposition.

NATO has said it will not relent on its operation in Libya owing to the significant progresses achieved that have lessened attacks on civilians by the government forces. 

Mogadishu, Somalia

Somali Parliament Approves New PM

The Somali parliament on Tuesday approved Mohamed Ali Abdiweli as the new Prime Minister following his appointment by country’s president.

President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed appointed Abdiweli as prime minister following last week’s resignation of former PM Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo who stepped down in line with an agreement signed to end a transition stalemate.

Abdiweli was sworn in after an overwhelming vote in favour of his appointment by the country’s parliament. He received 443 out of 437 votes from members present, with four voting against, while the other two refrained from taking part in the exercise.

The 550-member parliament was expected to approve his appointment so as he would replace the designated premier who was serving after Farmajo’s resignation.

Earlier Farmajo had declined to resign following a wave of public support for him to stay but later relented on his stand in what he termed as being inconsideration of the interest of the Somali people.

His resignation was part of the UN-backed deal to clear way for formation of a new government and break political impasse between the president and the speaker of parliament who are both eyeing the presidency in 2012 who had been in conflict over what would happen when mandate of the current transitional government expires in August.

The deal signed in Kampala, Uganda extended office terms for the president, the speaker and his two deputies until august 2012 when fresh elections will be held, calling for establishment of a roadmap for elections and a new constitution.

The new premier is expected to name his cabinet within the next few days, as a national consultative meeting is expected to be held by Somali leaders to hammer out the way out and tasks expected of the new administration.

Somalia has had no functional government since President Siad Barre was ousted in 1991. Insurgent groups which control much of southern Somalia have been waging war against the UN-backed transitional government seeking control of the capital, Mogadishu.