Egypt’s Mubarak appears resigned to South Sudan independence
February 7, 2010 (KHARTOUM) – Egypt’s top official for the first time appeared to acknowledge that South Sudanese will likely choose to secede in the self determination referendum scheduled for early next year.
The Kuwait based Al-Jarida newspaper said that Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak made rare remarks speaking of “peaceful” separation between North and South Sudan during his visit to the city of Sohag last week.
Mubarak has reportedly criticized Khartoum for lacking the will to preserve the unity and warning that there are regional powers wanting to fuel conflict in the area which he described as “vital to Egypt”.
The Egyptian media which is mostly controlled by the government, have omitted any reference to this portion of Mubarak’s speech.
The issue of South Sudan secession is sensitive one to Cairo largely due to its impact on the Nile water agreement and the possible reallocation of share with the new state even though legal experts say that the water agreements are still binding to the new state.
The Nile basin countries which have been fiercely pushing for amending the water agreements will hold a meeting in Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm Al-Sheik next week. Egypt and Sudan have veto right over any modification of the 1929 and 1959 agreements.
With almost 80 million people, Egypt’s water demand is projected to exceed its supply by 2017, according to a government reported published last month making the regional power more concerned than ever on maintaining the unity of Sudan.
Last year, sources at the Government of South Sudan (GoSS) told Sudan Tribune that Kiir cut short his visit to Egypt “after feeling uncomfortable with the level of pressure exerted by Egyptian officials on the issue of preserving Sudan’s unity”.
Al-Jarida newspaper quoted Egyptian sources as saying that Cairo also fears massacres in Khartoum against Southern Sudanese and Northerners in the South which they believe will witness armed conflicts.
The matter of South Sudan was to be discussed with visiting Sudanese 2nd Vice President Ali Osman Taha who held meetings today with Prime Minister Ahmed Nazeef. Taha’s visit received little coverage by Egyptian newspapers for unknown reasons.
Nazeef expressed his country’s support to Sudan in order to achieve unity and stability citing its attempt to rally the international community behind conserving the country’s unity being an advantageous option to Sudanese people.
He noted the Darfur reconstruction conference to be hosted by Cairo next March that will focus on building development projects and repatriating displaced Darfuris.
The Egyptian official also revealed that the High Education ministry is establishing a branch of Alexandria University in South Sudan city of Wau.
Taha is scheduled to meet with Mubarak before he ends his three day visit on Tuesday.
(ST)