Commander's Assessment

1. Assessment.
The Nuba Mountains remain calm and the last week has not seen any significant events. The rainy season increasingly constrains operations.

2. Concerns.
Minor, yet enduring, tensions remain in the Western Jebels:

1. The stolen GOS car has still not been released by SPLA. Stalemate prevails despite continuing JMC efforts to mediate.
2. The meeting concerning the Karlanya killing of a nomad was not conclusive, although another meeting has been set, to be facilitated by JMC.

3. Intentions.
The welcome, wholehearted support of JMC by Military Intelligence in Khartoum enables us to proceed with establishing agreement with 15th Division over access to its units in southern Lawaga Province. We will take this one stage further in the coming week.

4. Mines and Mine Clearing.

1. Land Mine Action (LMA). Operations continued on Katcha AP minefield; cleared 67sqm. Conducted Integrated Approach on 29 Jul - to coordinate MRE activities with demining operations between LMA and SC(US). Second team continued with preparatory work on Krongo AP minefield.
2. Danish Church Aid (DCA). DCA has suspended demining operations in the Nuba regions until mid Aug.
3. Nuba Mountains Solidarity Abroad (NMSA). NTR
4. RONCO Consulting Corporation (JMM team). RONCO has suspended demining operations in the Nuba region until end Sep.
5. Federation Suisse de Deminage Both teams deployed to Western Jebels for detailed route, minefield recce and UXO destruction. Efforts continued to obtain accurate information regarding AT mine location on Wali-Salara route by liaising with local engineer units.
6. Additional Mine Activities. Continued preparations and coordination to instruct 4-day course on Impact Survey, designed to measure the effect of landmines on the 73 mine effected communities within the Nuba region. SLIRI Kauda and SLIRI Kadugli to form nucleus of two Impact Survey teams.
7. MRE Activities.
   1. DCA. OSIL and JASMAR MRE suspended.
   2. SC (US). Continued to conduct MRE in the GoS areas of the Nuba Mountains.
   3. UNMAS MRE. Conducted Integrated Approach at Katcha on 29 Jul with LMA and SC(US). LMA presented plan to SC(US), who will proceed to develop MRE plan to support demining operations. First time this has been attempted in Nuba region. Feedback very positive by all concerned. This will serve as model for future integrated activities.

5. CIMIC

1. UNAMIS. On behalf of the United Nations Advance Mission in Sudan UNOPS (United Nations Office for Project Services, the arm of the United Nations that provides management services for the UN system and member states under the slogan "managing forward"), represented by consulting engineer Mr Mutasim Ibrahim (from PEMECO Engineering Khartoum), visited this week Kadugli to identify optional sites for the establishment of a UNAMIS Regional Office that will initially include single-type accommodation for six persons. UNOPS (following two earlier UNDPKO missions) also discussed with several authorities if large buildings or plots of government land are available in Kadugli for a UN Compound to house all the present UN agencies and their expanded numbers anticipated after the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). In cooperation with the Ministry of Urban Planning and Public Utilities and its Minister, Ibn Omer Ahmed Saboon, a number of sites in and north of Kadugli have been identified.
   
2. UNICEF This week also saw the visit of a high level mission of 5 persons from UNICEF Headquarters New York to look into the prospect of upgrading the UNICEF Kadugli Outpost to a Sub Office in order to meet the needs of the population in the "upcoming peace era." The mission also visited Kauda.
   
3. UNIDO. The Dilling Office of the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation ("Fighting Poverty and Marginalization through Sustainable Industrial Development"), comprising (at the moment) 4 staff and headed by Dr Badawi Babiker Osman (National Programme Coordinator and former South Kordofan Minister of Agriculture) met with different organisations on its two-day visit to Kadugli. UNIDO will implement the UN Trust Fund Project on "Revitalization of Agricultural Productive Capacities in Post-Conflict Zones by Promoting Participation and Community Building for Food Security and Poverty Alleviation in Nuba Mountains Region of Sudan" over a 2 years period. The project is expected to assist a minimum of 6,050 households (representing an estimated population of 60,500 individuals) in about 40 villages (in SPLM and GoS administered areas) to increase their food production and reduce post harvest losses through application of improved agricultural implements, simple hand tools and basic food processing equipment. The overall goal of the project, in addition to an increase in food production, is "to contribute to training and basic commerce by strengthening the social and economic ties between the households, stabilizing communities and supporting the return of internally displaced persons (IDPs)." Apart from small farmers and IDPs, returnees and disarmed soldiers from and within SPLM areas will be directly involved in food production. As its leaflet makes clear, the project would complement other on-going activities by international organisations (and consequently their national counterparts).
   
4. Water Workshop. Last week's report mentioned the water workshop in Kadugli (from 27-28 Jul) organised by the South Kordofan State Ministry of Urban Planning and Public Utilities, State Water Corporation and Water and Environmental Sanitation (WES). A total of 30 recommendations were made. Given its scope, recommendations focussed on administrative and legal water management procedures, from forming a state coordination committee and issuing a water resources law to establishing a federal council on water tariffs, cooperation mechanisms between National Water Corporation and the State Water Corporation (who is paying what) and donor coordination. However, more pedestrian issues were also raised, from the urgency of conducting a grassroots level survey to identify the current water situation in the state to the preparation of an all-embracing proposal for rehabilitation and development of water resources (certainly in view of an expected increase of the population after the CPA has been signed).
   
5. Security Meeting The biweekly security meeting will take place Mon 16 Aug at 1000hrs in the CIMIC Centre.

W G PRIOR
Chief of Staff
For Head of Mission