African Union says alarmed by distrust between Sudan’s peace partners
December 24, 2009 (KHARTOUM) — The African Union (AU) today said concerned by the continued tension and distrust between the two parties of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.
In a statement released today in Addis Ababa following a mission to Sudan last month, the AU’s Peace and Security Council said that the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) that ended two decades of north-south civil war needs to be “re-energised”.
The council expresses concern at the continuing lack of confidence between the dominant National Congress Party (NCP) and its peace partner the former rebel Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Movement (SPLM) regarding the implementation of the CPA, the statement said.
The Council pointed out that the two peace partners facing challenges in the implementation of the CPA and the general election in April 2010 as well as the preparation of self-determination for southern Sudan.
The AU Peace and Security Council said it was establishing a committee to help address the most pressing challenges.
The ruling NCP adopted this week a referendum bill after amending the initial text agreed with the SPLM. The move stirred anger among the SPLM MPs who walked out of the parliament while its chairman Salva Kiir wrote a letter to President Omer Al-Bashir expressing his “utter disbelief” demanding to review the law.
(ST)