Sudan Consortium urges progress in CPA implementation
March 21, 2007 (JUBA) — Participants in Sudan Consortium Meeting broadly called for accelerated action in carrying out certain key aspects of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) with a focus on increased budget transparency and good governance, along with a sustainable end to the violence in Darfur.
While the Consortium noted progress in a number of areas, many participants raised concerns that the pace of implementation of the CPA has been slower than hoped. Specifically, the lack of clarity with respect to the borders separating North and Southern Sudan make it difficult to calculate the share of oil revenue attributable to the South.
In addition, the Consortium called for stepped up efforts to ensure transparency in holding of national elections in 2009 that will be greatly influenced by the security and political stability of the whole country.
Sudan’s political leadership and international partners met to take stock of progress in implementing the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) which ended the 21-year conflict between Southern Sudan and the national government of the country.
At the national level, highlights for 2006 include high aggregate growth and some important pro-poor efforts. However, the the government didn’t make as much progress as envisioned in establishing structures for fiscal decentralization, or in assisting the populations in in marginalized areas.
Zubeir Ahmed El Hassan, Sudanese Minister of Finance and National Economy, said, “GoNU is committed to fulfill all its promises for consolidating peace and development in the country. Up to date, the GoNU has met all its obligations for ensuring implementation of the JAM projects as it paid about US$1.1 billion, 71% of its total commitments. In addition GoNU provided US$200 million for activities related to the CPA and Darfur Peace Agreement that were not included within the JAM framework.”
With respect to Southern Sudan and the GOSS, the Consortium welcomed the establishment of institutions at all levels, along with evidence of more active accountability and expanded capacity building efforts.
However, participants noted that the GoSS faces enormous challenges, and that financial management and accountability systems remain rudimentary as admitted by the President of GoSS, General Salva Kiir Mayardit. “We are indeed responsible for some of the problems given our lack of capacity and we regret that we have not been able to move faster on the capacity side.” he said. He also urged donors to honor their pledges.
Donors and NGOs participants stressed the importance of peace in Sudan as a whole, and expressed concern about the crisis in Darfur. Donors urged the government to take additional measures to facilitate the operation of humanitarian operations in Darfur. In Juba the participants commended the plan by General Mayardit to host an All Darfur Conference in Juba in April to boost the search for peace in the region.
Among the achievements over the past year, was the work of a National Constitutional Review Commission in Khartoum, along with the establishment of a Civil Service Commission. In the South, ministries have been established and staffed, and certain basic services, including access to safe water, are improving.
“We are pleased to see that the basic structures for sharing power and sharing revenues have been put in place, and that they are working,” said Ishac Diwan, World Bank Country Director for Sudan. “But it is critical that we see measurable progress on some of the difficult remaining areas, without which the potential benefits of the CPA could be undermined.”
Meeting for the first time in Sudan, the group scheduled discussions in Khartoum and Juba, the capital of Southern Sudan. The Sudanese delegation was led by Zubeir Ahmed El Hassan, Minister of Finance and National Economy, Government of Sudan and Riek Machar Teny, Vice President, Government of Southern Sudan and included 20 ministers and state ministers from the Government of National Unity (GoNU) and the Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS). About 38 international delegations from the international community and civil society participated, with the total number of participants exceeding 300.
Currently, the World Bank is present in Sudan as the administrator of the two Multi Donor Trust Funds (MDTFs) that were established at Oslo Conference in 2005, one for the national government and one for the south, to assist in reconstruction, rehabilitation, and development of post-conflict Sudan. As of February, 2007, the MDTF-S has signed 10 grants and supplemental grants totaling $138 million. The Government of Southern Sudan has contributed about US$195 million to these projects. The MDTF-N has signed six grant agreements totaling $89.6 million. The GoNU has contributed about US$141.7 million.
The consortium reviewed progress in achieving the goals of the Joint Assessment Mission (JAM) that preceded the Oslo conference, and worked identification of priorities for the second phase, which runs from 2008 through 2011.
It was agreed that a task force led by the GoNU and GoSS would review the current constraints to aid delivery and propose ideas and measures for accelerating the effectiveness of aid. Third, it was agreed that arrangements should be put in place for the next Sudan Consortium, scheduled for around October 2007 which be an occasion to renew pledges in light of plans to accelerate progress in the second phase of the JAM.
(ST/WB)