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{{The Sudanese foreign minister, Ali Karti, announced that Sudan is awaiting the arrival of the newly appointed US envoy to see if he will offer a clear “road map” to resolve the issues between the two countries or not, saying that Khartoum’s cooperation with him depends on the nature of his mission.}}

“If the new U.S. envoy has a clear roadmap for relations between Khartoum and Washington, including helping to resolve the remaining files, we welcome this role but if he goes to other issues we will certainly move away from him,” Karti told Sudan state radio in an interview today.

“Sudan will look at the performance of the new U.S. envoy [to see] if he was interested in the relations between Sudan and the United States and its focus on a specific program” he added.

Sudan has been under the US blacklist of states sponsoring terrorism since 1993 on allegations of harboring Islamist militants despite reports of Sudan being a cooperative intelligence partner of Washington in the “war on terror” over the last decade.

Sudan is also subject to comprehensive economic sanctions since 1997 over terrorism charges as well as human right abuses. Further sanctions, particularly on weapons, have been imposed since the 2003 outbreak of violence in the western Darfur region.

Late last month, Donald Booth, former ambassador who served in different parts of the African continent, was named special envoy for Sudan and South Sudan.

The diplomat who served in Ethiopia, Zambia and Liberia “has extensive experience promoting peace and prosperity across the African continent”, the White House said.

The White House also said that Booth will work with the African Union (AU) and the international community to facilitate the resolution of pending issues between the two countries, including Abyei referendum and the disputed border zones.

He also seeks to aid efforts aimed at ending the ongoing conflicts in Darfur, Southern Kordofan, and Blue Nile “as part of a holistic solution to Sudan’s human rights, humanitarian, and governance crises”, the White House underlined.

In a related issue, Karti said that the visit of South Sudan’s president, Salva Kiir, to Khartoum last Monday came in the wake of estranged relations between the two countries.

He said that border issues and the delay of border demarcation as well as problems caused by the rebel Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF) in South Kordofan and Darfur led to shutting down the oil pipeline carrying South Sudan’s oil through Sudan’s territory.

In September of last year, both Sudan and South Sudan signed a series of cooperation agreements, which covered oil, citizenship rights, security issues, banking, border trade among other issues.

In March this year the two countries signed an implementation matrix for these cooperation agreements but in June, Sudan’s president, Omer al-Bashir, ordered the suspension of South Sudanese petroleum exports through Sudan’s oil installations, accusing Juba of providing shelter and support to the SRF.

South Sudan rejects accusations of rebel support leveled by its northern neighbor and in turn alleges that Khartoum is aiding David Yau Yau’s rebellion in Jonglei state.

Karti noted that Juba recently witnessed positive political developments which paved the way for the visit, pointing to the positive outcome of the visit including resuming oil flow and Juba’s commitment to resolve the outstanding issues particularly the security issue.

He also underscored the crucial role played by movements of ordinary citizens, civil society organizations, and the parliaments in bolstering relations between Juba and Khartoum.

The foreign minister pointed to the positive role played by Sudan’s popular delegation including political, economic, cultural, and sports representatives which visited Juba prior to Kiir’s visit to Khartoum.

{Sudantribune}

{{A statue of former president Nelson Mandela will be erected at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, the Saturday Star reported.}}

This was part of a celebration for the building’s 100-years of existence, said Arts and Culture Minister Paul Mashatile.

“Work is at an advanced stage to mount a statue of Tata Madiba at the Union Buildings as part of its centenary celebrations,” he was quoted as saying.

City of Tshwane spokesperson Blessing Manale welcomed the statue and the centenary celebrations.

Mandela was discharged from the Medi-Clinic Heart Hospital in Pretoria on Sunday to recuperate at home following a lengthy stay for a recurring lung infection on 8 June.

His home has been reconfigured to ensure he receives the correct care, and some staff who had been at the hospital are also caring for him at home.

His condition was last described by the presidency as critical and stable, but at times unstable.

– SAPA

{{Nigerian soldiers have tracked down and killed 50 members of the Islamist sect Boko Haram in its northeastern stronghold, an army spokesman said on Saturday.}}

Army units mounted the operation after suspected Boko Haram fighters killed 20 people in two attacks on Wednesday and Thursday in villages in northeastern Borno state.

“Troops pursued the terrorists to their camps and with air support about 50 terrorists were killed in a shoot-out,” army spokesman Sagir Musa told reporters in Maiduguri.

Boko Haram, which wants to impose sharia law in northern Nigeria, and other splinter Islamist groups, are the biggest threat to stability in Nigeria, Africa’s top oil exporter.

The military sometimes exaggerates its successes and plays down its own casualties and the deaths of civilians, residents of Borno state and rights groups have said. Musa said the number of civilian casualties caused by the latest army offensive was not yet known.

More than 160 people were killed in violence linked to Boko Haram last month – one of the bloodiest periods since President Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency and a military crackdown in three northeastern states in mid-May.

{agencies}