Eritrean diplomat says his country first to support South Sudan’s self-determination

By James Gatdet Dak

May 30, 2010 (JUBA) – The Eritrean Consul-General in the Southern Sudan’s capital, Juba, said his country was the first to support the principle of self-determination for the people of Southern Sudan.

Alem Negash made the remarks during the celebration on Eritrean’s 17 years of independence, which was organized by the Eritrean community residing in Juba.

He said self-determination is a recognized right of a people worldwide, saying Eritrea was the first IGAD-member country that supported the call for self-determination of the people of Southern Sudan in mid 1990s shortly after it gained independence from the rest of Ethiopia.

Negash further commended the good relations between Southern Sudan and Eritrea.

Commenting on the upcoming referendum due in seven months, he said it was the right of the people of Southern Sudan to go to polls in January next year to determine their future destiny between unity and separation.

Speaking during the same occasion, the minister of Trade and Commerce and acting minister for Regional Cooperation, Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjamin, expressed his appreciation on behalf of the government for the bilateral cooperation between the two regions.

Eritrea was part of Ethiopia until 1992 when it broke away and established its own independent state following majority vote for separation in a referendum.
The country is currently among nearly 20 other countries in Africa, USA, Europe, Asia and Middle East that have opened their branches of embassies in Juba.

The Government of Southern Sudan has recently stepped up its diplomatic contacts with different countries’ Special Envoys, urging them to support the conduct of the referendum and to possibly secure recognition of the region’s independence incase its people would vote for separation.