Sudan’s peace partners resolve some key outstanding issues on CPA
By James Gatdet Dak
August 8, 2008 (JUBA) — The Joint Executive Political Committee between the National Congress Party (NCP) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) have agreed on the formation of Electoral Commission and Abyei administration among a number of key outstanding issues in the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).
Machar led a high level SPLM delegation to the national capital on Sunday and co-chaired the Joint Executive Political Committee panel with the Vice President of the Republic Ali Osman Mohamed Taha for the last four days debating on the issues.
On Friday, the President of the Republic of Sudan, Omer Hassan al-Bashir issued a Presidential decree appointing Arop Moyak Monytoch (SPLM) as Chairman of Abyei Area Administration and to be deputized by Rahama Abdel Rahman Al-Nour (NCP) per the CPA and the recently signed Abyei Roadmap Agreement.
This comes after more than three and a half years of stalemate between the two parties since the signing of the CPA on January 9, 2005 and after exactly two months since the signing of the Abyei Roadmap Agreement on June 8, 2008.
The two Abyei leaders shall nominate five members to the Executive organ within two weeks after they take oath of office.
There shall also be established a legislative assembly in Abyei.
After Machar’s briefing to the Council of Ministers, the Minister of Information and Broadcasting and official Spokesman of the Government, Gabriel Changson Chang explained that the two parties also agreed on the former Vice President of the Sudan, Judge Abel Alier to possibly head a 9-member Electoral Commission in the country.
Chang further explained to the press that Abel Alier shall have a deputy and 7 other members, 4 from the North and 3 from the South, possibly across various major political parties in the country.
He also explained that the issue of national customs has been resolved and that up to 588 customs duty police officers shall come from Southern Sudan.
Minister Chang said a National Reserve Committee has been set up to tackle the dispute between the Central Bank of the Sudan and the Bank of Southern Sudan over management of foreign currency reserves.
The NCP-SPLM panel also resolved on the creation of GoSS Missions abroad and that the Sudan embassies and GoSS Missions shall collaborate and enjoy the same diplomatic privileges abroad.
Earlier, the Khartoum-based Government of National Unity (GoNU) rejected establishment of Juba-based Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) Missions in foreign countries, accusing it of acting like an independent nation and threatening not to recognize or give such Missions any diplomatic cover abroad.
(ST)