SUDAN: UN ENVOY WARNS OF CHALLENGES IN IMPLEMENTATION OF PEACE ACCORD

SUDAN: UN ENVOY WARNS OF CHALLENGES IN IMPLEMENTATION OF PEACE ACCORD
New York, Jun 4 2009 4:00PM
The top United Nations envoy to Sudan has warned that although much progress has been made in healing the strife-torn country's divides, difficulties remain, ahead of a meeting in the United States on the issue.

The Secretary-General's Special Representative, Ashraf Qazi, said that many challenges face the signatories to the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) that ended a 21-year civil war between north and south Sudan.

Mr. Qazi, who also heads the UN Mission in Sudan (<"http://www.unmis.org/english/en-main.htm">UNMIS), was speaking after a meeting on Wednesday with the President of the Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) and the First Vice-President of Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit.

"I had a very good meeting with the President and this is an important time because we all are preparing for the conference that will take place in Washington later this month," said Mr. Qazi during his one-day visit to Juba, the capital of Southern Sudan.

"The United States has taken the initiative to act in concert with the international community to help both signatories implement the CPA on schedule because the CPA time period will be completed in 2011," he added.

In the meeting, Mr. Qazi discussed the security situation in the south, elections, the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) programme for ex-combatants, and the preparations for the 2011 referendum on whether the South should secede or remain united with the rest of the country.

The President expressed appreciation for the role of UNMIS, which recently dispatched some 120 civilian, military and police personnel to Jonglei State, where thousands were taking refuge after inter-tribal violence left hundreds dead, including many women and children.
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SUDAN: TOP ENVOY WELCOMES WITHDRAWAL OF GROUPS FROM DISPUTED AREA

SUDAN: TOP ENVOY WELCOMES WITHDRAWAL OF GROUPS FROM DISPUTED AREA
New York, Mar 12 2009 9:00AM

The top United Nations envoy to Sudan today welcomed the withdrawal of the last remaining forces of two groups from the disputed town of Abyei, which lies in an oil-rich area close to the boundary between the vast African nations' north and south.

Ashraf Qazi, the Secretary-General's Special Representative, said that with this move, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) have left the local Joint Integrated Units – combining forces of both parties – as the only military force in the town.

Last May, deadly fighting broke out in Abyei, which led to the destruction of much of the town and the sudden displacement of tens of thousands of residents.

The following month, an agreement was reached on a road map seeking to restore stability to the region, spurring civilians who had fled as a result of the violence to start to return.

Mr. Qazi today voiced hope that progress made on the withdrawal from Abyei will opent he door to other advances in implementing this road map, including the funding of the Abyei Area Administration.

"This shows how much the parties can do when they work together as partners," he said. "This kind of cooperation can serve as a model as we tackle the remaining challenges ahead."

The envoy lauded the parties for their efforts to keep the arbitration process on track, noting that this shows the potential for progress in putting all elements of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) into place.

That pact was signed in January 2005, ending the 21-year war between the SAF and the SPLA that killed at least two million people and displaced 4.5 million others.
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UN MISSION REPORTS CALM AS SUDANESE PRESIDENT VISITS STRIFE-TORN DARFUR REGION

UN MISSION REPORTS CALM AS SUDANESE PRESIDENT VISITS STRIFE-TORN DARFUR REGION
New York, Mar 8 2009 2:00PM

Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir, who was indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) earlier this week, visited the war-ravaged Darfur region today, accompanied by the top United Nations official for Sudan among other members of the diplomatic corps.

During the visit to the capital of North Darfur, El Fasher, where the UN peacekeeping operation in the region (UNAMID) is based, the President addressed the local population at a rally.

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the Sudan Ashraf Qazi arrived in El Fasher with Mr. Bashir, who the ICC has issued an arrest warrant against for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the western region of Sudan.

Since the ICC made its decision, several humanitarian agencies, aiding some 4.7 million people in Darfur, have been barred from working in the region by Khartoum.

"The Government of Sudan's order suspending 16 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) will have devastating implications for the citizens of Darfur," said a joint statement issued by six UN agencies, including UN Children''s Fund (UNICEF) and UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

"Aid operations in North Sudan, the largest humanitarian emergency in the world costing over $2 billion annually, will be irrevocably damaged," read the statement.

Meanwhile UNAMID reported that the security situation in Darfur remains relatively calm with the exception of an increase in banditry in El Geneina, West Darfur.

The UNAMID force and police continue to conduct their normal activities throughout the region and over the past 24 hours the blue helmets conducted 25 confidence-building patrols, seven escort convoys, 11 night patrols covering 40 villages/IDP camps, and 87 police patrols in and around camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs).

On 6 March, UNAMID Police Commissioner Micheal Fryer led a night patrol to Zam Zam IDP camp, where he met the Umda, a traditional leader.

An estimated 300,000 people have died in Darfur, either through direct combat or because of disease, malnutrition or reduced life expectancy, over the past five years in Darfur, where rebels have been fighting Government forces and allied Arab militiamen, known as the Janjaweed, since 2003.
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