New York, August 9, 2022 — South Sudanese authorities should immediately release journalist Diing Magot and ensure reporters covering protests and other events of public interest can work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday.

On Sunday, August 7, South Sudanese authorities arrested Magot, a freelance reporter on assignment for the U.S. Congress-funded broadcaster Voice of America, while she covered a protest over inflation and other economic issues in Juba, the capital, according to media reports and statements by VOA and the local media groups the Union of Journalists of South Sudan and the South Sudan National Press Club, which CPJ reviewed.

Police detained Magot, who was reporting for VOA’s South Sudan in Focus program, alongside several protesters; she was held at the Malakia Police Station and then transferred to Juba Central Prison, according to those sources and UJOSS President Patrick Oyet, who spoke to CPJ via messaging app.

Daniel Justin Boulo Achor, a spokesperson for South Sudan’s national police, told CPJ by phone on Tuesday evening that Magot had “not yet” been charged and that she remained under investigation. He said the country’s attorney general had granted police permission to hold Magot for an additional three days, beyond the initial 24 hours afforded under the law.

“South Sudanese authorities should immediately release journalist Diing Magot and ensure reporters across the country can work without the threat of arrest,” said Muthoki Mumo, CPJ’s sub-Saharan Africa representative, in Nairobi. “Journalists in South Sudan should not need to worry that they may be detained for simply doing their work to inform the public about what is happening in their country.”

The VOA statement said that Magot did not have her press identification with her at the time of arrest, and the South Sudan Media Authority, the country’s media regulator, “demanded a letter from VOA, confirming she is our freelance journalist and she was there on assignment.” 

The statement said that the broadcaster had provided a letter, but Magot was not released.

A team of lawyers has been assembled to represent Magot, but authorities have not allowed them to meet with her, according to the UJOSS statement.

When CPJ called South Sudanese Information Minister Michael Makuei for comment, he referred CPJ to the South Sudan Media Authority. CPJ called the authority’s managing director, Elijah Alier, and director-general for information and media compliance, Sapana Abuyi, but the calls did not connect. - Committee to Protect Journalists (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License)

UAE renewable energy company Masdar has announced on Friday the signing of an agreement with the Tanzania’s Tanesco an electric supply company limited, to develop renewable energy projects with a total capacity of two gigawatts.

Tanesco will develop renewable energy projects in the first phase with a capacity of 600 megawatts, including solar photovoltaic projects, and onshore wind energy, CEO of Tanesco Maharaj Chandi.

Chandi noted that his company will continue to cooperate in other projects to reach 2000 megawatts, adding that this agreement will make a major quantum leap in the development of the renewable energy sector in Tanzania.

The agreement reflects Masdar’s commitment to the Tanzanian market and support the achievement of the national goal of providing 5,000 megawatts by 2025, Abdullah Zayed the head of business development and investment at Masdar, added.

Zayed expressed his aspiration to work with Tanesco to develop these ambitious projects and support sustainable development.

The joint development agreement signed during the Tanzanian Energy Conference; under the agreement, Masdar and Tanesco will establish a joint company that will undertake the development of the project.

Tanzanian government is targeting an electrification rate for the entire country of 75 percent by 2035. - Nada Ali, Amwal Al Ghad

KAMPALA, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi's visit to China's Taiwan region has a negative impact on China-U.S. relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, a Ugandan official has said recently, reiterating the country's firm adherence to the one-China principle.

"As far as Uganda is concerned, our position has been very clear," said Okello Oryem, Uganda's minister of state in charge of international affairs, noting that Uganda will continue to adhere to the one-China principle, the core of diplomatic relations between Uganda and China.

The West including the United States must stop its interference in China's internal affairs, he said, expressing support for the countermeasures China has taken to safeguard its national sovereignty and territorial integrity. - Xinhua