UK supports Ethiopian peace force to Sudan’s Abyei
By Tesfa-Alem Tekle
July 2, 2011 (ADDIS ABABA) – The UK government has lauded the crucial role Ethiopia is playing to settle the tensions between North and South Sudan over the contested territory of Abyei.
On the sidelines of AU Summit in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and the UK’s Minister for International Cooperation, Andrew Mitchell, held separate discussions on the situation in Sudan’s Abyei region at the weekend.
The Government of Sudan and South Sudan, which becomes independent in seven days time, on June 20 signed accord brokered by the African Union in Addis Ababa to demilitarise the volatile border region of Abyei.
Following the accord, Ethiopia agreed to send one brigade of peacekeeping forces to the region. The UN Security Council earlier this week unanimously authorised the deployment of a 4,200-strong Ethiopian peacekeeping force to the disputed central region.
Andrew Mitchell said the UK government strongly supports and welcomes Ethiopia’s decision to deploy peacekeepers in Abyei.
Prime Minister Meles on his part said his country will remain committed to restore peace and stability in Abyei, which is claimed by both North and South.
Ethiopia is seen as credible partner by both North and South Sudan and its role to resolve the recent crises was highly appreciated by both sides. The horn of Africa country has also contributed 2,400 Blue Helmets to Darfur as well as five tactical helicopters as part of a joint UN-AU mission there.
Abyei has recently been subject to conflict, with fears that the dispute between North and South Sudan may escalate into a return to civil war. North Sudan’s army took control of the region and dismissed Abyei’s civilian administration in contravention of the 2005 peace deal. Khartoum says it acted after its soldiers were attacked by Southern groups and it acted in the interest of security.
The fertile oil-producing area was supposed to hold a self determination referendum in January but it did not go ahead over disagreements over who was allowed to vote. South Sudan’s referendum went ahead and saw an overwhelming vote for separation from the North.
Addressing heads of states and delegates at AU summit in Equatorial Guinean capital, Malabo, Africa Union commissioner Jean Ping called upon all parties in Sudan to work together in implementing the outcome of South Sudan’s referendum
The summit held under the theme ‘Youth and Sustainable Development’ reviewed continent’s situations peace and security, economic development and democracy.
The US state department said today that Ambassador Princeton Lyman, US Special Envoy for Sudan is due to arrive in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa late on Saturday, in a bid to support on-going talks between the parties to the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement to resolve matters pertaining to the future relationship between Sudan and South Sudan.
The statement also said Lyman would work to help the parties reach a cessation of hostilities agreement in Southern Kordofan were the Northern army is fighting members of Sudan People Liberation Movement (SPLM). The southern sector of the former SPLM rebels have governed South Sudan since the 2005 peace deal but many SPLM members – mostly in South Kordofan and Blue Nile – will remain part of North Sudan after the South separates.
The SPLM say the recent conflict started after the Northern army attempted to disarm them, while Khartoum says it was responding to the occupation of a police station by members of the SPLM.
South Kordofan lies on the border with South Sudan. The contested and yet to be fully demarcated border is one of the issues the US says Lyman will address on his visit.
“In Addis Ababa, the Special Envoy will join African Union High-Level Implementation Panel Chairman Thabo Mbeki in his efforts to encourage the parties to reach agreements on resource sharing, disputed border areas, citizenship, and other matters to allow the peaceful transition to independence for South Sudan”, the statement said.
South Sudan is due to officially become an independent state on July 9. The US Special Envoy is expected to attend the celebration in Juba aftering traveling to Khartoum for meetings with senior Sudanese officials.
(ST)