Visiting African Union delegation reviews South Sudan development
By Isaac Vuni
April 1, 2008 (JUBA) — construction of hydro electricity power and cement factory are vital component of reconstruction and development of southern Sudan to ketch up with modernization, Nakosazana Dlamini Zuma, team leader of African Union ministerial committee for post conflict construction of Sudan has said.
Zuma said cement factory is one of the vital components of development to electricity power and promised to seal the two projects to potential donors whenever she goes. She was responding to request made by GoSS cabinet affairs minister Luka Monoja.
Addressing southern Sudanese cabinet ministers and seniors constitutional post holders Tuesday afternoon, she said they are impressed with what they saw today in Juba compared to three years back. “We are encouraged by your own passionate of what you want to do for your people of southern Sudan” she remarks. Adding that, they in the AU ministerial committee on post conflict reconstruction of Sudan will advocate for Sudan wherever they go make sure that we sale your projects to potential donors and investors, Zuma declared.
She said the implementation of the remaining provisions of the CPA agreements by both signatories’ parties to the accord was vital for post conflict reconstruction and development in Southern Sudan.
Zuma, who is also the South Africa minister of foreign affairs, was accompanied by M Deng Alor Kual, Sudan minister of foreign affairs, Ato Mesfin Seyoum Mesfin, Ethiopia minister of foreign affairs, twelve Ambassadors, two counselors, plus other twenty one dignitaries.
The height levels African Union delegations are on two day official visit to Juba, the capital of Southern Sudan, to acquaint themselves with progress and problem facing implementation of the CPA, today afternoon held meeting with Southern Sudan government ministers, governors, commissions and specialized committee chairpersons of Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly at parliament premises.
The Senegal government representative pledged to help in building southern Sudan civil servant capacity while Gabon government to help in training in oil management field.
The committee comprises of the Republic of South Africa, Ethiopia, Egypt, Nigeria, Kenya, Gabon, Senegal, African Union Commission and Sudan.
Earlier on arrival the delegates had paid tribute to mausoleum of late John Garang de Mabior and a courtesy call to GoSS Vice President Riek Machar.
The GoSS minister for Cabinet affairs, Luka Monoja in giving the overview of GoSS challenges, disclosed that there was persistence insecurity problem along the south- northern frontiers were northern civilian militia instigated by Khartoum government are trying to alter the border by re-demarcating southern oil reach areas to northern Sudan.
Monoja also noted that food security remains a major problem in southern Sudan because the people could not produce for themselves hence they have become full dependent, 90% , on food supplied from neighboring countries.
Although Sudan is oil producing country “we, the people of southern Sudan are still purchasing fuel from Kenya, a country that does not produce oil but buy crude oil from Khartoum government, what a shame to our partner in the CPA,” he posed.
Minister Monoja further complaint that southern Sudan lack hydro electricity power yet it has a natural power, Fulla rapid, if constructed could supply across African continent at it has capacity to produce more than 2000Megawatt and appeal to African Union to support Goss in realizing such a vital argent of industrial development.
All major towns of south are diesel supply and they are not working effectively to save the people especially in medical fields.
“We have huge cement deposit at Kapoeta and other pats of southern Sudan but they are laying underground exploited partly due to lack of means for constructing cement factory and partly due to lack of technical know how , therefore we need your support as African brothers because government of southern Sudan is still very young,” he pleaded.
Minister Monoja further stated that it would be good for African Union Committee for Post Conflict Reconstruction and Development to urge other progressive African countries to send their professionals to come and train southern Sudanese human resource from within than sending them abroad otherwise its costly to the young government of southern Sudan that is only three years in office.
“We also need you to assist us in retuning our three public universities of Juba, Wau and Malakal that were forced to become internally displaced in Khartoum during the war time.” He said.
Regarding the IDPs, the minister said there are chronic three millions southern Sudanese in northern Sudan waiting to be transported back to their homes but it seems they are unlikely to return in time for fifth Sudan population and housing census. Partly due to their children who had been brought up in Arabic education instruction compounded with lack of facilities in southern Sudan compared to Khartoum they were brought up.
While the GoSS minister of finance and economic planning outlined the top six priorities of the government of southern Sudan as being Security to safe guard and implements the CPA, roads construction to promote economic development and to attracts potential investors to southern Sudan, primary health to render quality service to people of southern that have endured lack of proper medical care for more than two decades compounded with lack medial personnel, equipments and facilities that led to 30% of children born in south to survive, basic education required qualified teachers because only 40% of southern children are today attending school hence 15,000 teachers would be needed to enable the balance of 60% children to go to school, Water supply managing construction and maintenance is vital for people’s live and the six priority is livelihood improvement by offering skills training programmes to increasing capacity of the people to enable the adopt modern cultivation than relying on old method of producing agricultural produces.
He said there are I200 former child soldiers that need demobilizing to civilian’s life and the exercise would required the sum of six billion Sudanese pounds to for effecting demobilization and integration into civilian life, and I would be grateful if your individuals countries support us in this vital project, requested Kual.
He went on assuring AU delegates that, if there is development in southern Sudan nobody will think of going back to war, therefore “I appeal to you our African leaders to assist and support GoSS with developmental programmes including skills upgrading to civil servants.”
The finance minister appealed to African Union member’s states to explore business opportunity in cattle marketing with the people of southern who have millions heads of cattle roaming without market.
Contributing to the long debates, GoSS minister of interior, Paul Mayom Akech, appealed to African Union to assist in resolving the question of border demarcation as an urgently matter to reduce prevailing insecurity along Southern and Northern boundaries.
In his welcoming remarks, the minister of regional Cooperation, Benjamin Marial said that African Union Ministerial Committee Visit to Juba was very significant to people of south Sudan and that it’s the first time Au give message directly to the people of south Sudanese regarding post conflict reconstruction and development.
Minister Marial explained that people of Southern Sudan are beginning to feel the benefit of peace through establishment and confirmation of GoSS states and local governments in the whole south Sudan war affected areas and the marginalized Sudanese.
The regional cooperation minister revealed that the Republic of South Africa has trained 820 southern Sudanese civil servants from the CPA was signed three years ago, Republic of Kenya trained 350, Government of Egypt offered 400 yearly university scholarships to southern Sudanese students besides constructing electricity in five states of southern Sudan now in progress.
While the government of Uganda has assisted in training southern Sudanese in banking management and also offered schooling opportunity for southern Sudanese to study in Uganda and pay school fees like any Ugandan students.
He further said the major task for the government of southern Sudan are ensuring reconstruction and development in all parts of southern Sudan, fair and free election in year 2009 and referendum to determine the political destiny of the people of southern Sudan to either remain in a united Sudan or south to became a sovereign, adding that the three events are going to be very rough hence people of the south are hoping for free and fair election including referendum exercise but it would requires the watchful eyes of the African union.
The chairperson of the commission of the African Union, Mr. Alpha Oumar Konare has appointed Ambassador Oluyemi Adeniji of Nageria as special envoy for the implementation of the CPA signed on 9th January 2005. His appointment came as a result of inter alia who requested the commission to take all necessary steps to fully support the implementation of the CPA and in conformity with decision of AU peace and Security Council held on 24th August and November 2007.
It should be recalled that the AU supported the negotiation process that led to the signing of the CPA and is one of its guarantors. The au has since 2003, established a ministerial committee on the post conflict reconstruction of the Sudan chaired by the republic of South Africa.
Tomorrow the committees are to meet with SPLM leaders from Southern sector, women groups and UNIMIS representative in Juba.
(ST)