What the NCP and SPLM must do in the next 10 months

What the NCP and SPLM must do in the next 10 months

By Constantine Obura Bartel

January 12, 2010 — One of the main causes of the current impasse in the Sudanese peace process is either the lack of a vision about where the country should go or the denial of generations’ long reality that the country by any measure of governance has never been or felt as one. As Hamid Eltgani Ali (January 10, 2010) tacitly acknowledges the complex and volatile nature of events in Sudan as a state and a nation, and here it comes “if there is a nation to begin with”.

The vision of a peaceful coexistence in a new and united Sudan was not taken seriously for different reasons by those who either vigorously opposed it or merely gave it the benefit of the doubt. With the champion of that vision Dr. John Garang no longer with us, I believe the second best vision has been put forward by Mr. Al-Dardiri Mohamed Ahmed, a leading figure at the NCP who has ruled out any possibility for averting the probable secession vote in the remaining timeframe. Mr. Al-Dardiri is reviving the vision of a peaceful coexistence by saying that the process should be “smooth, peaceful and attractive” to prevent any return to war (SudanTribune Jan 2010). What does this mean in practice? The way forward is to do the following:

Before the referendum: the two parties must setup a body to pick up the low hanging fruits preferably in the first quarter of 2010. These are important issues and areas that the two parties can agree on with little effort or persuasion. The immediate objective of the body is to put in place to articulate a policy framework comprising of an overall strategy for bilateral cooperation, with sectoral plans (for agriculture, industry and services) and issue-based plans (such as, transport and infrastructure, investment and local participation in the economy). The parties must establish an institutional basis and pledge resources to organise negotiating teams, formulate objectives and outcomes, and agree on the conduct of the negotiations and its continuation post the 2011 referendum. The low hanging fruits to be picked up are:

– The freedom and people’s rights of residence by establishing the status and regulations for the free movement of persons between the North and the South;

– A framework for Bilateral Trade Agreement that facilitates a favoured trading status between the North and the South;

– Establish institutions to jointly address issues of scientific and cultural significance.

This process should be co-chaired preferably by Mr. Al-Dardiri Mohamed Ahmed and an SPLM representative. The parties will agree on a number of stakeholders to observer the process. The new governments in the South and the North will decide what issues to include and exclude from the negotiations by putting forward their respective positions and timelines.

AFTER THE REFERENDUM:

The parties will work on a Convention of Free Trade Association (FTA) which establishes a preferential relationship for services between the North and the South and among Southern Sudan and its emerging economic partners in East Africa. The Convention would commit the two parties not to apply restrictions on the right to supply services within the territory of a Member State in respect of natural persons, companies or firms of Member States who are established in the territory of another Member State. A list of exceptions to this obligation will also be outlined and agreed upon.

I believe such an institutional arrangement, blessed by the political process to bring together technocrats from both sides of the peace divide will bring back the much needed sense of a shared direction and vision not only to the political process but to the development process as well. Important too are joint measures to guarantee the security of the rural populations especially in the bordering states.

These security and bread and butter issues that this group will discuss is a much needed discourse that has been absent from the table. Perhaps this would usher in the beginnings of a perfect community free from the imperfections of the nation state that the current Sudan has so vividly demonstrated.

The author is the Assistant Programmes Director at the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD), Switzerland Email: [email protected]