| FOLLOW US ON: FACEBOOK TWITTER FLIPBOARD TELEGRAM |
Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir and dignitaries from around the world will be attending the celebrations in the southern capital, Juba.
Sudan has announced its official recognition of its new neighbour - the first country to do so.
With three days to go before the independence of southern Sudan is declared on July 9th, the Government has revealed the agenda for the landmark celebrations.
A host of concerts, sports events and religious prayers are taking place all week, reaching a climax on the day itself in the capital Juba and across the country’s ten states. The main planned events will centre around the 8th, 9th and 10th July.
After two days of deliberation, members of Somalia’s Bari region consisting of civil servants and clan elders announced on Tuesday the formation of a new semi-autonomous region in northern Somalia.
It will be created inside the borders of the already existing Somali enclave of Puntland. They claim the new semi-autonomous region will be independent from Puntland and Somalia’s weak transitional federal government. Called Rasa-Asayr State, it comprises of towns and villages near the old historical-coastal town of Bargal in the mountainous eastern Bari region. The town will also serve as the administrative capital.
Speaking to VOA Somali Services, the new interim president, Farah Mohamud Yusuf (Dooha), a former founding member of Puntland, said they decided to establish the new semi-autonomous state after they lost confidence in Puntland government over its performance, security and services.
Somali politicians on Sunday announced the creation of a new state in the battle-scarred nation, a move condemned by Somalia’s fragile government, which said it could further fracture the already chaotic Horn of Africa country.
The creation of Azania was celebrated Sunday in a colorful ceremony in Kenya’s capital. Its creation brings the total number of new states to more than 10.
Kenya supports the new administration as it creates a buffer zone near its border with Somalia.
Azania President Mohamed Abdi Gandhi said his first duty is to retake his territory from al-Qaida-linked militant group al-Shabaab.
“Our aim of establishing this administration is to first liberate these regions,” he said. “We are not breaking away from Somalia.”
The Sultanate of Oman became the 75th country to recognize Kosovo’s independence on Friday by forging diplomatic relations with the government in Prishtina.
The Republic of Kosovo has established diplomatic relations with the Sultanate of Oman”, Kosovo’s deputy foreign minister Vlora Citaku, told reporters.