Salva Kiir says northern Sudan making unity less attractive
November 15, 2008 (JUBA) — The President of Southern Sudan government Salva Kiir Mayadrit blamed its peace partner, the National Congress Party, for not contributing to economic development in the semi-autonomous region saying it makes unity less attractive.
Salva Kiir made his remarks during a meeting with the visiting Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak who was in Juba on November 10 for the first time.
Kiir told Mubarak that the self determination is a constitutional right of southern Sudan and Abyei people however the priority here should be unity. “This should be achieved by correcting whatever mistakes had previously been made” and development should be brought to the south during the six-year interim period between the signing of the CPA in 2005 and the date of the referendum in 2011.
“So far almost nothing had been done” Kiir told Mubarak, said Ayom wol the press secretary of the southern Sudan government president.
Last Monday visit is the first visit to southern Sudan of an Egyptian president since 1962 where president Jamal Abdel Nasser visited Juba. Before to arrive to Juba held talks in Khartoum with the Sudanese president Omer Al-Bashir.
During the meeting southern Sudan minister of regional cooperation Benjamin Barnaba Marial urged Egypt to intervene with Khartoum to secure promised Arab League projects
President Mubarak reiterated his government’s close attention to the Southern Sudan and its commitment to continue support for projects to improve conditions in the region and pledging to follow up the outstanding Arab League projects.
Following the meeting Mubarak told reporters: “I came to Juba for the first time and it gives you an indication that we are concerned about southern Sudan.” He said his government would set up a branch of Egypt’s Alexandria University in the southern.
(ST)