Canada’s FM, Sudan’s FVP discuss peace progress and development
March 28, 2008 (JUBA) — The visiting Canadian foreign minister held yesterday talks with the Sudanese First Vice President on the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). He further discussed with South Sudan officials Ottawa’s contribution in development plans.
Directly following his arrival to Juba on Thursday morning March 27th 2008, Maxime Bernier met with the First Vice President of the Republic of the Sudan and President of the Government of southern Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit, to discuss on achieved progress of the CPA implementation and the challenges facing the peace deal.
The meeting further dealt with the southern Sudan reconstruction and how Canada could support development plans.
In a separate meeting, GoSS Minister of Regional Cooperation, Barnaba Marial Benjamin, detailed to the Canadian minister the needs of the south and exposed projects where Canada could be of effective assistance to the Southern Sudan.
Barnaba suggested that Canada brings direct bilateral assistance in terms of technical and capacity building, as well as keeping the support via the Joint Donor Team (JDT). He also called upon the Canadian Government to establish a presence in Southern Sudan by opening a Consulate General in Juba.
In order to dispel fears of misuse with regard to the direct aid, Marial assured and emphasized to the visiting delegation the zero tolerance level GOSS is upholding concerning corruption. He also briefed the delegation on the effective structural systems that had been assembled into place to ensure good governance.
Bernier said that Canada is ready to identify and commence some of the projects that will alleviate poverty and enhance the standard of living, such as micro-finance projects among others that the technocrats will discuss later with southern Sudan officials.
Canada has assisted Sudan on a national level via the Multi-Donor Trust Fund (MDTF)/World Bank on Gender programming in Sudan (strengthening Women’s role in peace building and reconstruction), Mine action support to the repatriation process in South Sudan, Security System Reform and Peace building in Sudan, Peace building and strengthening Parliamentary institutions in Sudan, and a assisted in a further, few more areas.
The Canadian Minister also met Riek Machar Teny, the Vice President of GOSS to discuss the on going efforts to settle peace in northern Uganda.
On Friday morning March 28, Bernier met with the Minister of Legal Affairs and attended the opening of the legal library at the Ministry.
Maxime Bernier, paying his first official visit to Sudan, on Tuesday March 25 urged the Sudanese government to stop attacks in the war-torn region of Darfur. He also called on the government to implement fully a fragile peace agreement that ended two decades of a separate civil war between north and south in 2005.
He visited the capital of North Darfur state where he inspected a displaced camp. He further stressed Canada’s commitment to participate in the International Donors Conference on Darfur in order to reaffirm Canada’s commitment to support the long-term programmes on development Darfur.
However he warned that the future of bilateral relations with Sudan depends on making progress on the issue of Darfur.
“I asked them also to end attacks on civilians, to respect the human rights of the Sudanese people and to proactively facilitate the deployment of the AU-UN hybrid peacekeeping mission.” Bernier said.
(ST)