South Sudan struggles to avert ‘catastrophe’JUBA: Street sweepers in South Sudan’s capital Juba have cleaned up the blood and bullet casings after gun battles at the presidential palace, but salvaging peace will be a far harder task, analysts warn. But for those trying to stop South Sudan from collapsing entirely, even a flawed peace deal is better than none at all. ‘No future here’The peace deal was based on buying loyalty with power and cash, two critical elements never delivered. Over a third of South Sudan’s population are expected to face severe food shortages over the coming months, and there is a real risk of what the UN has termed a “hunger catastrophe”. “It halted the fighting, created a framework for reform, transitional justice and elections and prevented regional powers being further sucked into South Sudan’s war,” Copeland said.

Source: Manila Times July 18, 2016 06:11 UTC