IGAD calls for urgent summit on Sudan’s CPA implementation
April 13, 2007 (NAIROBI) — Foreign affairs ministers from the Eastern African region meeting in Nairobi Friday called for an urgent summit to discuss the implementation of the Sudan Peace Agreement, saying key deadlines had lapsed.
The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) ministerial meeting, which convened here to review the progress made in implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA), lamented the loss of momentum on its implementation.
“We recommend an urgent extra-ordinary meeting of the IGAD Assembly of Heads of State and in this regard, instruct the executive secretary of IGAD to undertake the necessary consultation and make preparations for the summit,” the communiqu said.
Kenyan Foreign Minister Raphael Tuju chaired the meeting, which convened here to discuss the Sudanese peace accord and review the progress made in the deployment of a regional peacekeeping force in Somalia.
The ministers noted that progress had been made in the implementation of the CPA, which ended a 21-year long war between the largely Christian Southern Sudan and the mainly Arab North. The conflict was about the distribution of power.
The Sudanese parties agreed to implement six key protocols, mainly focusing on the distribution of power between the North and the South on a 70-30 formula, in addition to the integration of the former rebel army, the Sudan Peoples Liberation Army into the national army. They also agreed on the equal sharing of oil wealth on a 50-50 basis.
“The implementation of the CPA in some important areas is lagging behind schedule as stipulated in the CPA and therefore causing loss of momentum. The council (of ministers) underlines the need to accelerate the implementation and set timelines.”
Sudanese officials attended the meeting, which also called for an urgent deployment of the troops to Somalia to contain the escalating security situation in the country.
“We are using three approaches to stabilize Somalia, one is the deployment of the AMISOM — the African Union Peace Support Mission for Somalia — but this is not the solution to Somalia ‘s problems, we need to work on political dialogue and build a homegrown force for Somalia, which would be cheaper,” Tuju told journalists.
The ministers called on the warring parties in Somalia to cease the hostilities and called on the international community to take urgent steps to calm the worsening security situation in the Horn of Africa region.
“The prevailing security situation in Somalia affects not only the peace, security and stability of the Horn of Africa but poses a threat to global peace and security,” the communiqu said in part.
The IGAD states, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, Somalia and Uganda, agreed to provide individual support to Somalia.
(Xinhua)