AU To Support Sudan Despite Referendum Results

28 July 2010 - (Juba) – The African Union Summit in Kampala, Uganda has agreed to support Sudan despite the outcome of the referendum in January 2011.

The African Union delegates who met since the end of last week, on Monday discussed the progress of CPA and the stance of the African leaders on the ICC arrest warrant.

The Government of Southern Sudan was represented by the minister of regional cooperation and the minister for peace and CPA implementation.

Addressing the press upon his arrival from Kampala at Juba Airport on Tuesday, the Minister for Peace and CPA Implementation, Pagan Amum said that the African leaders agreed to support the timely conduct of the referendum.

[Pagan Amum]: “We are happy to inform you that the CPA was discussed, particularly the need to ensure that the referendum is conducted in time by the 9th of January, and we are happy that this is now the position of the entire continent, by the summit and the leadership of our continental organization supporting the conduct of the referendum in time and to ensure that the choice of the people of southern Sudan is respected and recognized. If the choice is unity, Sudan will receive support to build a peaceful, democratic and multicultural society. If the choice is separation and a new state of southern Sudan emerges, this state will receive recognition by the continental organization. We believe largely this is now the position of the continental organization.”

Pagan Amum further dismissed sentiments that conflicts would emerge over the north-south border if demarcation does not take place before the referendum.

[Pagan Amum]: “We would like to ensure that the border is demarcated so that there is no problem between the south and the north. And if there are difficulties by the parties as it is, then we will seek third-party intervention to demarcate the north-south border and also the Abyei border. If the process of the demarcation is not completed now, we will have six months after the referendum to complete it. So, there is going to be no ground for any conflict because of the borders. We will subject ourselves to legal means in order to sort this out, because the Sudanese people have suffered a great deal of many wars and we don’t want our people to suffer from any other war again.”

Over the past few months, the head of the African union, Jean Ping expressed skepticism over the vote for a separate state in Sudan.

However, Pagan Amum said the Government of Southern Sudan is impressed with the recent positive response from the continent concerning the right to self-determination by the people of southern Sudan.