Sudanese Vice President seeks to broaden new government
Sep 1, 2005 (Cairo) — The new leader of southern Sudan, Sudanese Vice President Salva Kiir, said on Thursday he wanted to bring more northern opposition groups into a new north-south government in Khartoum.
Kiir, chosen as leader of the former rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) after John Garang died in a helicopter crash in July, began his first official trip abroad by meeting Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
He assured Egypt that he was not a secessionist and would work to ensure that Egypt’s southern neighbour stays united.
Sudanese unity is the main aim of Cairo’s Sudan policy because of Egypt’s dependence on the waters of the Nile, all of which flow through its southern neighbour.
Kiir is expected to have meetings in Cairo with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), an opposition coalition of which the SPLM was part until it signed a peace deal with the Khartoum government in January.
The largest remaining group in the NDA is the Democratic Unionist Party, traditionally close to Egypt and one of the largest parties in the Arab north of Sudan.
“We are working hard to bring on board the rest of the members of the NDA who have not yet joined the government,” Kiir told a news conference after seeing Mubarak. “So whatever agreement that we’ll sign here will be implemented,” he added.
The formation of the new coalition government, which became possible after the January peace deal, was delayed after Garang’s death on July 30. Last week, an official from the former rebel group said it may be announced by Sept. 7.
According to the peace deal that ended a more than 20-year north-south civil war, the ruling National Congress Party will form 52 percent of the government, the SPLM will form 28 percent and other political groups will form the remainder.
Kiir also said Egypt could help Sudan by encouraging Arab businesses to invest in the south, which was devastated during more than 20 years of war between the SPLM and the government.
Egyptian presidential spokesman Suleiman Awad said Egypt had agreed to set up a consulate in the south Sudanese city of Juba.
Reuters/ST.