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Security Council meets in Africa in bid to speed up Sudan peace efforts

Security Council meets in Africa in bid to speed up Sudan peace efforts

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The United Nations Security Council held a rare session away from its New York Headquarters today in a bid to spur peace efforts in Sudan, convening in a highly symbolic step in neighbouring Kenya and receiving pledges from the parties in one of the wars in Africa's largest country to reach an accord swiftly.

The United Nations Security Council held a rare session away from its New York Headquarters today in a bid to spur peace efforts in Sudan, convening in a highly symbolic step in neighbouring Kenya and receiving pledges from the parties in one of the wars in Africa's largest country to reach an accord swiftly.

After hearing from the principals involved and other African leaders, the 15-member body met in closed-door consultations to prepare a resolution to be adopted tomorrow, the second and last day of the meeting in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital.

The Council President for November, Ambassador John Danforth of the United States, announced that with respect to the North-South peace talks, the parties are expected to sign a memorandum of understanding tomorrow, committing themselves to completing their peace agreement and signing the accord by the end of the year.

In his statement to the Council, Sudan's First Vice President Ali Othman Taha said extended talks between the Government and the rebel group in the south, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement and Army (SPLM/A), had been fruitful and he hoped full agreement would be reached soon.

The parties were looking forward to genuine help from the international community as they continued the talks in Naivasha, Kenya, and it would be his Government's pleasure to sign the agreement before the Security Council, he added.

On the fighting in Sudan's western Darfur region, which the United Nations has called the world's worst humanitarian crisis, Mr. Taha said his Government would abide by security and humanitarian agreements with rebel groups, and he disagreed with Secretary-General Kofi Annan's statement that the Government had violated them.

He added that with the support of the African Union (AU), Sudan would engage in talks with the armed groups in Darfur so as to reach peace in the region, where about 1.45 million people have been internally displaced and Janjaweed militias stand accused of killing and raping thousands of villagers after rebel groups took up arms last year. Another 200,000 are living as refugees in neighbouring Chad.

Agreement on Darfur would fall in the context of the Naivasha accord which gave all the regions equal consideration in allocation of resources, Mr. Taha said.

SPLM/A leader John Garang expressed the hope that the parties to the conflict would offer the Sudan, Africa and the world, a Christmas and New Year present by signing a comprehensive agreement soon. He reiterated his organization's commitment to achieving peace and said remaining issues should not stand in the way of a deal and SPLM/A had no reason to cause any more delays towards signing the final peace accord.

The SPLM/A was looking forward to the formation of a Government of national unity, which would mark a new beginning in the democratization of Sudan that would embrace all Sudanese, including in development planning for the rural and urban populations as well as the observance of human rights, he added.

He warned that the Government's counter insurgency in Darfur had yielded no results and if left unchecked could lead to Sudan imploding with devastating effects on the country and the region. The best way was to implement the Naivasha accord and allow as many people as possible to join the government, he added.

Mr. Garang also welcomed holding the Security Council meeting in Nairobi since it showed the body was aware of the suffering of the people of Sudan and wanted to address the issue speedily.

Other speakers, too, praised the decision to hold the meeting outside New York, calling it a further demonstration of the Council's commitment to bring to an end the woes afflicting Africa. In his opening address, Mr. Annan said the move was a "rare and highly symbolic step."

Noting that this was an unusual meeting, Ambassador Danforth expressed the body's strong support to Sudan in order to ensure a "strong and viable" future for the country.

Host President Mwai Kibaki of Kenya appealed to the international community not to tire in its efforts and continue to work closely with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the AU to ensure that peace negotiations are sustained.

Speaking on behalf of the AU Chair, Nigerian Ambassador Alhadji Aminu Wali reiterated the Union's call on the parties to comply with the request to disarm the Janjaweed militia in Darfur and ensure that civilians were no longer attacked and that those who attack them were prosecuted.

President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, IGAD Chair, said dealing with southern Sudan is part of dealing with Darfur, and also noted that Somalia, another African country torn asunder by conflict, now had a transitional government and this should be backed by everyone. He proposed that African troops with outside financial and logistical resources were required.

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Video:

- Opening session [03 mins]

- President Kibaki [09 mins]

- Part I [48 mins]


- Part II [38 mins]