Sudanese president signs Abyei roadmap agreement

June 8, 2008 (KHARTOUM) — The Sudanese president has signed today a roadmap agreement stating the establishment of an interim administration in Abyei and the return of the displaced population following last month fighting between the northern and southern Sudanese forces.

Due to rejection of the conclusions of Abyei Boundary Commission by the National Congress Party the disputed Abyei area remains since three years after the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CAP), without administration.

The signing ceremony was attended by the First Vice President and president of Southern Sudan Government, Salva Kiir Mayadrit and the Vice-President Ali Osman Taha as well as a number of national and southern Sudan officials and traditional leaders of Abyei.

Salva Kiir and Ali Osman Taha countersigned the text of the roadmap, while al-Dirdiri Mohamed Ahmed signed for the NCP and Deng Alor for the SPLM.

The agreement — reached by a joint committee from the two partners of the national unity government — includes four points dealing with security arrangements, the return of the displaced persons, the interim administration and the international arbitration.

Under the security arrangements, a battalion of new Joint Integrated Units (JIUs) has to be deployed to the area within ten days. The JIUs are flanked by a police force to be deployed after consultation between the national and southern Sudan ministries of interior. Also, a UN peacekeeping force is allowed to take place in the disputed area.

Once all these forces are deployed, the parties have to withdraw their troops “outside the administrative area of Abyei as outlined in the attached map.”

The signed roadmap states the return of the displaced population to Abyei after the completion of security arrangement which is expected to be implemented by the end of June. According to the deal, the National Unity Government has to take the necessary measures to achieve the return programme in partnership with the international agencies and organisations and through the Administration of Abyei.

On the third section of the inked accord, the presidency has within two weeks to appoint the interim administration. The President the interim administration is to be proposed by the SPLM and the Vice-President of by the NCP. Both are to be from Abyei.

However in their nominations for the two positions, “the parties have to take into account the considerations of compatibility, reconciliation and harmony.” The NCP included this point in the roadmap to signify its rejection of the former SPLM representative in Abyei Edward Lino.

The attributions of this administration are defined by the CPA, the roadmap agrees.

The presidency provides the necessary funds to manage Abyei area, for purposes of providing basic services and operation management in accordance with the provisions of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement

“Without prejudice to the sharing wealth formula contained in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, until the final demarcation of Abyei area in accordance with the arbitration decision and taking into account the outcome, the revenue of the oil fields located region subject to arbitration will be shared in accordance with the arrangements for the apportionment of wealth included in Abyei Protocol,” the agreement says.

According to Abyei Protocol, the oil revenue from oil produced in Abyei area shall be shared during the interim period as follows: fifty percent to the National Government; forty two percent to the Government of Southern Sudan; two percent to Bahr el Ghazal region; two percent to Western Kordofan; two percent locally with the Ngok Dinka; two percent locally with the Misseriya people.

The National Unity Government allocates 50 percent and the southern Sudan will concede 25 percent of their revenues from the oil produced by the disputed area to fund development programme in the north-south Sudan border areas.

On the international arbitration, “the parties resort to a professional specialized arbitration body agreed upon by the parties to resolve the conflict over the findings of the experts of Abyei Boundary Commission.

According to the conclusions of the five experts the territory of the nine Dinka Ngok chiefdoms extends north to the Bahr al-Arab (Kiir River) area. But Khartoum insists that the river is the border line between the north and the south Sudan.

According to the agreed roadmap, the parties have “to determine the rules of arbitration which include the designation of a professional arbitration body, a mechanism for the selection of arbitrators, matters referred to arbitration, rules for arbitration proceedings, how the decision-making and implementation of the decision of the arbitral tribunal.”

The entire arbitration process, including the issuance of the final decision, should not exceed six months from the date of establishment of the arbitral tribunal. Nonetheless, it can be extended for a period not exceeding three months.

If the parties failed to reach agreement on the arbitral tribunal or the rules of arbitration, matters referred to arbitration, rules for arbitration proceedings, the Secretary-General of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague appoints, during fifteen days, an arbitration body to rule the matter, establish procedural rules in accordance with the rules of the International Arbitration Court and norms of international order.

(ST)