Sudanese parties to sign wealth-sharing accord before Christmas

NAIROBI, Dec 23, 2003 (SUNA) — The joint technical committee of the government and Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) on the issue of the three areas at the current peace negotiations at Naivasha, Kenya, Monday continued its meetings which are due to be completed on Tuesday.

The joint technical committee on the issue of the sharing of wealth concluded its meetings on Sunday evening and submitted its report to the first vice-president, Ali Uthman Muhammad Taha, and SPLM chairman John Garang. The document included sharing of revenues and resources, the banking system, the monetary policy, the financial powers of the centre and the states and financing.

The document has adopted the percentages which were earlier agreed upon in Karen document and distribution of revenues according to them at the central, regional and local levels. The document also included agreement on the taxes and the percentages of the distribution of the revenues of oil. The document also specified funds as the mechanism for the distribution of the said resources.

As regards the banking system, it was agreed on establishing a central bank with a regional branch. The document was submitted to the two leaderships for approval, prior to its signing. The documents on the sharing of wealth and on the three areas are expected to be signed before Christmas.