GOSS delegation finishes regional tour with stop in Kenya

February 20, 2009 (NAIROBI) — The delegation of the Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS) assigned to brief regional countries on the current political development in the Sudan on Friday morning concluded its three-week tour with a stop in Kenya during which they met with the Kenyan Minister for Foreign Affairs and Former President Daniel Arap Moi.

The ruling party of Southern Sudan, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), had strong associations in Kenya during the 1983-2005 insurgency in which SPLM played a leading role. The regional tour comes as Sudan’s president faces intense international and domestic scrutiny for war crimes charges and while the 2005 peace agreement (CPA) is said to be under extreme duress.

Minister for Regional Cooperation Barnaba Marial Benjamin led the delegation, which recently also visited Uganda, Ethiopia and Egypt, while Benjamin himself was also in the United States in January and in Zimbawe this month to meet with President Robert Mugabe and his Defence Minister.

South Sudan’s delegation paid a courtesy call to the Kenyan ministry of Foreign Affairs, where they were received by the Kenyan Minister for Foreign Affairs Moses Watengula. According to an SPLM press release, the Sudanese diplomat voiced concern over “loopholes and hitches” in the implementation of the CPA “which became apparent and require intervention by the regional countries to pressure peace partners to respect and value the document.”

Benjamin said that “laxity in the implementation has contributed to political outcry,” stated SPLM.

The Southern Sudanese delegation also comprised Minister for Telecommunication Ger Aloung, Chairperson of Regional and International Cooperation of Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly Hon. Agnes Lasuba, and the Director of Protocol in the Ministry of Regional Cooperation Sebit Bullen.

After the meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs the delegation drove to Nakuru to meet Former President of Kenya Daniel Arap Moi at his Kabarak home. Moi is Kenya’s special envoy to Sudan.

“The government and the people of Southern Sudan value the role former President Daniel arap Moi played during the advent of war in the Sudan which claimed lives and material. Former president Moi initiated and supported peace negotiations during his tenure in office to ensure that the people of Southern Sudan attain a lasting peace,” stated SPLM.

The 2005 peace treaty mandates that Sudan is to hold elections by mid-2009. It is not known whether this will occur.

(ST)