The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has announced the launch of a $2.8 billion appeal to reach 43 million children in humanitarian emergencies worldwide, with for the first time ever the largest portion of the appeal – 25 per cent – going towards their education.

“Millions of children are being robbed of their education,” said Afshan Khan, UNICEF’s Director of Emergency Programmes, in a release.

“Education is a life-saving measure for children, providing them with the opportunity to learn and play, amidst the carnage of gunfire and grenades,” she continued. “This year, a quarter of our appeal is devoted to education. By educating the minds of children and young people we are building hope so they can envisage a better future for themselves, their families and their societies and help break the cycle of chronic crisis.”

The agency says it plans to dramatically increase the number of children in crises who are given access to education – from 4.9 million at the beginning of 2015 to 8.2 million in 2016. More than half – five million – will be Syrian children inside the country or in neighbouring countries.

Noting that its Humanitarian Action for Children 2016 has doubled since this time three years ago, UNICEF is warning that the twin drivers of conflict and extreme weather are forcing growing numbers of children from their homes and exposing millions more to severe food shortages, violence, disease, abuse, as well as threats to their education.

According to UN estimates, around one in nine of the world’s children is now living in conflict zones. In 2015, children living in countries and areas affected by conflict were twice as likely to die of mostly preventable causes before they reached the age of five, than those in other countries.

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The National Resistance Movement (NRM) and the Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) are to cooperate on the consolidation of peace in the region.

‘Besides discussing the implementation of the peace agreement, the two leaders also “opened a new chapter of relationship” between their respective movements or parties, the National Resistance Movement (NRM), which is the ruling party in Uganda, and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO), which spearheads democratic and institutional reforms in South Sudan,’ media sources quoted Machar’s official spokesman James Gatdet Dak, as saying.

Efforts to get a comment from the NRM spokesperson were futile by press time.

However, the development follows a two-day visit to Uganda by the SPLM-IO leader Dr Riek Machar Teny, who held talks on several issues affecting South Sudan and the region with President Yoweri Museveni at the State Lodge in Masindi on Monday night.

A press release yesterday by the SPLM-IO leader Dr Machar, issued on arrival in Addis Ababa, indicated that an agreement was reached to work together by starting a new page in relations between the two sides.

‘The two leaders discussed Uganda’s role in the implementation of the peace agreement which Machar signed in August last year with President Salva Kiir and other parties. They also discussed regional peace and security,’ the release adds.

The two sides have also agreed on consolidation of peace in the region through the implementation of Agreement on Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (ARCISS).

The issues discussed, according to the press release, include the controversial 28 states and how it is in violation of the ARCISS, and how it has impeded the formation of transitional government of national unity.

The other issues Machar mentioned are the lifting of the state of emergency which he said is restricting the movement of the opposition’s advance team and the implementation of provisions in the ARCISS regarding Sudanese rebels.

Machar’s visit is the first since violence broke out in South Sudan, prompting Uganda to send troops to reinforce Salva Kiir’s army against an onslaught by the SPLM-IO rebels.

The meeting between Machar and Museveni came only days after the two SPLM warring factions failed to form a transitional government by theFriday dateline set by the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC).

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President Yoweri Museveni and South Sudan’s Opposition leader, Riek Machar have held a meeting to discuss peace in South Sudan.

“I want to start a new chapter of peace and friendship,” Machar told Mr Museveni, who responded that he was available to support any peace initiatives to stabilize South Sudan.

The meeting took place at the Masindi State Lodge.

The President is camped in Masindi and Hoima where he is campaigning as NRM Presidential flag bearer in the up coming national elections next month.

Dr Machar, who arrived in the country with his 15 member delegation that included Ms Angelina Teny, the Chairperson of SPLM national committee for Security and Defense, Ambassador Ezekeil Lol Gatkuoth, the SPLM chairperson for the national committee on foreign affairs and Dr Peter Odwok, the SPLM national chairperson for the committee for training and research among others, briefed his host on the progress and steps so far taken to fully implement the negotiated peace process in South Sudan.

President Museveni and his guest also discussed a number of issues pertaining to the political, economic, security and humanitarian situation in South Sudan as well as the role and mandate of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (Igad) in bringing about lasting peace in South Sudan.

President Museveni commended the progress so far made in bringing about peace and stability in South Sudan and the positive response of the two sides.

Dr Machar’s visit comes in the wake of a faltering peace deal agreed upon in in Addis Ababa in August last year, that would pave the way for a unity government with Machar as Vice President and his political organization, the Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO), getting 10 ministerial posts.

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