South Sudan Foreign Policy (1-2)
By Suzanne Jambo
April 16, 2013 – This is the first part of an article genuinely attempting to provoke our thinking. The Republic of South Sudan, RSS no doubt is a new nation; ‘news’ to the world, her neighbours and yet to harmonize internal and foreign ‘policy’ let alone make a statement on her presence on the map of the world, yet!
“I want to go down the corridors of history very briefly to show that we, the Sudanese, are indeed a historical people, and that the ‘new’ Sudan has an anchor in history. If we cannot find an anchor in history, then we either create one or dissolve the union peacefully.” Speech of the Late Hero, Dr John Garang during the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, CPA in Kenya, 9th January 2005.
This was a profound statement by the Late Hero who knew clearly that the people of South Sudan ought to have the option of either voluntary unity or a preferred independence option. February 2011 the South Sudanese spoke and determined their destiny; 98% opted for own freedom, independence and a new country was born; the RSS. July 9th, 2011 the Republic of South Sudan became the world’s newest nation. Africa’s youngest nation too.
So what sort of foreign relations and policy do we aspire toward as a people and what issues facing the new RSS?
It is obvious that the new state of RSS needs a comprehensive and coherent foreign policy doctrine to support her national interests and safe-guard her hard sacrificed for freedom and independence. It is also evident that the RSS nascent nation faces many challenges and obstacles in building a viable foreign policy and service. The RSS is very young, highly traumatized due to prolonged conflicts, lacks trained and skilled diplomatic and general other personnel, never had a fully fledged diplomatic missions overseas, it is a land locked nation etc, and of course, the resources needed are enormous to build, from scratch, an extensive global diplomatic network. However, the RSS has plenty of potentials to explore, share and provide the world as well as hands-on knowledge on the ability to transform many nations from war to peace. Its arduous determined journey to justice, struggle and advocacy for freedom and reaching its goal; negotiating for a peaceful settlement of the more than 38 years two civil wars conflicts and attaining her independence, per her people’s wishes. The RSS is a vast country with huge endowed land with national resources, oil, minerals, agriculture, tourism and other potentials. Thus, there is an absolute need to identify and develop a visionary neighbourly and global foreign relations and policy.
It is worth noting here that the SPLM comes with a wealth of hands-on foreign relations and advocacy experience manifested during its struggle 1983-2005, significantly with former liberation movements-cum ruling parties especially in the southern Africa region, civil society organizations, governments especially within the East Africa region as well as other African countries such as Ghana and Nigeria. Notably too, the SPLM, through its synergic socialist ideals enjoys cordial solidarity relations with, among others, the Labour Party of Norway. These are extremely solid basis for building on even stronger ties and relations. Not to preclude the latter years (1999 onwards) cordial relations with the Benelux and Scandinavian countries such as the Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, and Sweden. The USA and UK relations were always extremely strategic and practical, so to speak. These relations, no doubt, coupled up with the latter years of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, CPA’s six and a half years interim period, precisely 2009 the SPLM aggressively embarked on the development of its visionary foreign policy and a framework. The approach it took was 2-folds; internal and external. Clearly, a foreign policy and relations is a reflection of national aspirations, direction and harmonization/amalgamation of/between internal and foreign relations. Thus, the concerned SPLM secretariat mandated with its foreign policy formulation undertook to internally ‘go down memory lane’; developed one-one interviews with visionary SPLM leaders in varied levels and age groups to inform the process; ‘who are/were our friends during the struggle….’ and also got advise on the formulation direction etc. Likewise, the SPLM grouped together its Diaspora ‘think tanks’ and was able to hands-on identify hosts countries’ own policies on South Sudan’s struggle for freedom and her people’s interest. The external dimension was the second tier in the SPLM foreign policy formulation via a categorization process; friends of the SPLM-cum South Sudan and those countries of strategic/common interests etc. Importantly, even as early as 2009, the SPLM worked on the possible scenario of an independent South Sudan; would be the world’s youngest nation, the SPLM ensured to include the need to build allies with countries on pro-people, pro-environment, progressive, sound and ‘state of the art’ ultra modern development policies and countries of track record too. This is in summary the SPLM written and formulation process of its visionary foreign policy and framework.
So, the question begs, how is it that the SPLM; the RSS ruling party and yet there seems to be a lot of ‘diplomatic vacuum’, despite SPLM’s own wealth of foreign relations and good will abound toward the RSS? Honestly, I have no clear answer, but shall try to share how can we improve and move to greater foreign relations. This attempt shall intermittently touch on both ‘solutions’ and challenges alike.
No doubt the on-off good and strained and ‘forever’ full of negotiations ‘relations’ between Juba and Khartoum, RSS immediate neighbour and former part of a one country has a major role to play, specifically vis-a-vis posing serious challenges to the nascent RSS nation. The dynamics of on-off trade, ‘close-open’ borders, friendly-cum hostile and even reaching threat of war etc relations do not help the RSS young state. Extremely destructive and draining. It is worth noting that H. E. Comrade President Salva Kiir has chosen to emphasize a ‘sisterly peaceful’ relations right from the outset with Khartoum. Easily said than done particularly, in the case of the two Sudans; (North) Sudan and the Republic of South Sudan. This said, the RSS must strive to create a good and sustained working North –South based on a thorough pro-active engagement, understanding, strategies and dynamics between Juba and Khartoum.
The RSS must further strive to develop strong relations based on ideals, harmonious approaches and multi-layered interactions when developing its foreign, specifically so regional relations and cooperation with all neighbouring and other African countries, which, should be drawn on commonalities, solidarity, regional security and trade etc. Paramount, it is vital in the case of both the two Sudans and RSS’ regional relations/cooperation that the RSS must critically acknowledge the ‘people-people’ cultural ties and heritage.
Our methodology when doing so must be based on a visionary driving force reflecting our vision and mission as a country not far from the ruling party’s, the SPLM for clear reasons such as we were mandated by the people during the 2010 elections outcome and thus their vested trust on the SPLM. This however, must be completely balanced by the RSS’ timeless national interests, political-colourless and of course geo-regional and global trends; political, security, economy etc. Critically important, diplomatic appointments processes and calibre of appointees must ensure utmost national interest of the RSS and her global representation. These appointees must be professional, highly committed individuals, with track record and patriotic. It is important we ensure that there will be no conflict of interest; personal vs. national on one hand and between personal, ideological vs. host country’s interests etc. These individuals must know, ready to learn and committed to market, farther RSS’ national interests including diplomatic relations development and nation-building crucially too. The process of their appointment must be credible, many countries have mechanisms such as (the) parliamentary committee on defense and foreign relations as to relying only on certain high ranking individuals e.g. the President, the Vice President/or any other concerned minister(s). Lest we end up with a diplomatic mediocre infested by incompetent, nepotistic and tribalist calibre of individuals (mis)resrepresenting the RSS. It is worth noting here, that the RSS is blessed with a vast number of Diaspora population, some of whom would, no doubt do an excellent job in representing the new nation.
Suzanne Jambo is a South Sudanese lawyer, communities & human rights activist and is the current SPLM Secretary for External Relations and can be reached via email: [email protected]