May 1, 2007

Sudan to conduct census of citizens beginning in November 2007

Under questioning from a member of parliament, the Minister of Presidential affairs stated that a fifth census of the population will be conducted, beginning in November. The expected cost will be $100 Million (US?). The governement will pay $40.7, donors $33 M, and the EU will cover the rest.
http://www.unmis.org/english/2007Docs/mmr-may17.pdf

UPDATE: The census has been postponed until April 2008.
UPDATE: The census has been completed in early May 2008. Some areas were unreachable - not enough vehicles, etc., and fighting in Darfur made it necessary to make estimates of population in some areas.

Eastern Front fighters to demobilise in June 2007

Four months after announcing the move, and eight months after signing the peace agreement, Eastern Front soldiers will demobilize on June 1. This will remove a security threat to the work of the central Sudanese government in eastern Sudan.

An estimated 1,800 former rebel fighters -- currently in western Eritrea and rebel-held east Sudan -- are to decide whether to return to civilian life or join the Sudanese army or police.

The Eastern Front was formed in 2005 by the eastern Sudan's largest ethnic group, the Beja, and the Rashidiya Arabs. The group has similar aims to its better-known counterparts in Darfur -- greater autonomy and control of resources.

http://www.sudan.net/news/posted/14633.html