SA govt delegation heads for southern Sudan
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, Feb 3, 2005 (PANA) — A South African delegation of government officials and academics will visit New Site, Kapoeta
County in Sudan from 5-11 February on the first phase of a joint capacity-building project on the reconstruction of the region.
The project follows the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA)
signed between the Khartoum government and the Sudan People’s
Liberation Movement (SPLM) 9 January to end nearly 22 years of
civil war in southern Sudan.
The South African Foreign Affairs Ministry-Sudanese People’s
Liberation Movement-University of South Africa (DFA-SPLM-UNISA)
project is intended to play an integral role in the
implementation of the CPA for southern Sudan.
South Africa currently chairs the African Union (AU) Committee on
Post-Conflict Reconstruction of Sudan and the DFA-SPLM-UNISA
project is expected to impact positively on the mandate of the
committee.
The delegation is led by deputy foreign minister Aziz Pahad and
includes deputy finance minister Jabulani Moleketi and other
officials from the departments of Public Service and
Administration, Defence, Safety and Security, Intelligence and
the South African Management Development Institute (SAMDI) and
UNISA.
The project aims to equip the SPLM leadership and other southern
Sudan cadres with skills and experience to participate equitably
at all levels of governance during the Pre-Interim and Interim
Periods, and to discharge their civic duties and deliver basic
social services and infrastructure to the people of the region.
The signing of the CPA marked the start of the six-month Pre-
Interim Period (January-July 2005) during which the SPLM has to
assemble and constitute a government for South Sudan and nominate
members to form part of central government in Khartoum.
An Interim Period (July 2005-July 2011) will follow, during which
the SPLM has to govern in South Sudan, and participate in central
government in Khartoum in a comprehensive and effective manner.
Foreign ministry spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa said Thursday that
the ministry will provide political and diplomatic support for
the project, while the SPLM will identify, design and deliver
workshops, short courses and academic programmes on selected
issues and themes, and UNISA will co-ordinate the academic aspect
of the project.