Uganda president holds talks with South Sudanese leaders to try to avoid civil war

Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni inspects a guard of honor upon arriving at the Juba International Airport, ahead of meetings aimed at averting a new civil war after South Sudan’s First Vice President Riek Machar was placed under house arrest, in Juba, Apr. 3, 2025. (Reuters)
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Updated 04 April 2025
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Uganda president holds talks with South Sudanese leaders to try to avoid civil war

  • Goc said that the country’s leadership had assured Museveni of its commitment to implement the peace agreement
  • Uganda last month deployed troops to South Sudan to support the government

NAIROBI: Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni was expected to meet South Sudanese officials on the second day of his trip to the capital, Juba, as the UN has expressed concern of a renewed civil war after the main opposition leader was put under house arrest.
Museveni, who is among the guarantors of a 2018 peace agreement that ended a five-year civil war, held closed-door discussions with President Salva Kiir on Thursday.
South Sudan’s Foreign Minister Mohammed Abdallah Goc said that the country’s leadership had assured Museveni of its commitment to implement the peace agreement.

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Foreign Minister Mohammed Abdallah Goc said South Sudan’s leadership assured President Museveni its commitment to implementing the peace agreement.

South Sudan’s political landscape remains fragile and recent violence between government troops and armed groups allied to the opposition have escalated tension.
Uganda last month deployed troops to South Sudan to support the government, but it was criticized by South Sudan’s main opposition party SPLM-IO, whose leader Riek Machar is under house arrest on charges of incitement.
In early March, the armed group loyal to Machar attacked a UN helicopter that was on a mission to evacuate government troops from the restive northern Upper Nile State.
Western countries including Germany and Norway have temporarily closed their embassies in Juba while the USand the UK have reduced embassy staff.


Iraq says no sign gas supplies from Iran to resume soon

Updated 10 January 2026
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Iraq says no sign gas supplies from Iran to resume soon

  • Iranian gas supplies were halted due to a drop in temperature and Tehran’s need for gas, the spokesperson said
  • Iraq reported the halt in Iranian gas supply in December

BAGHDAD: Iraq’s electricity ministry said on Saturday there were no signs that Iranian gas supplies would resume to the country soon.
Iranian gas supplies were halted due to a drop in temperature and Tehran’s need for gas, the Iraqi ministry’s spokesperson said in ⁠remarks to the press, citing a Telegram message from Iran.
Iraq reported the halt in Iranian gas supply in December, owing to the shutdown of ⁠some generating units and load shedding at others.
The electricity ministry said 4,000 to 4,500 megawatts of power had been lost from the electrical system as a result.
Tehran supplies between a third and 40 percent of Iraq’s gas and power ⁠needs.
Iraq’s power demand during winter peak hours reaches about 48,000 MW, while domestic generation stands at roughly 27,000 MW, forcing the country to rely on imports to bridge the gap, electricity officials have said previously.