Khartoum, SPLM sign Nairobi peace Declaration
Sudan, Politics, 6/5/2004

The Sudanese government and the southern rebels, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), signed on Saturday Nairobi Declaration on the final round of talks aimed at ending 21 years of civil war.The two sides also signed six peace protocols.

They were signed by Sudanese Vice President Ali Osman Taha and SPLM leader John Garang in the presence of Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki.

The signing ceremony was attended by Kenyan Foreign Minister Kalonzo Musyoka, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher and Arab League Chief Amr Moussa.

Kenyan special envoy for peace in Sudan Lazoro Sumbeiywo was also present with representatives of the diplomatic missions here and IGAD. The representative of the UN secretary general was also present.

Arab League chief Moussa underlined that success of the Sudanese negotiations would have its effect on events in the entire area. He said that he was pleased about that historic event.

Moussa added that the Arab League had always given top priority to the Sudanese issue and supported all previous agreements. He said that the Arab League supported cooperation with IGAD, the African Union, the European Union and the UN as well as all powers that showed interest in this issue, mainly the Norwegian government and other governments.

Moussa referred to the prominent role played by Kenyan diplomacy in those difficult negotiations, and said that such success could have never been achieved without an honest negotiator and mediator helping to reach peace.

The AU representative said that he was pleased with that result, adding that the AU had been closely following up the Sudanese peace negotiations. He congratulated the Sudanese parties on their accomplishment which he descrisbed as great.

He referred to strenuous efforts exerted to remove impediments to the peace process.

On his part, the representative of the UN secretary general of the Horn of Africa affairs expressed appreciation for efforts exerted to reach those agreements.

He praised Sudanese Vice President Taha and SPLM leader Garang for their efforts to reach peace.

Several protocols on various issues had been signed, he said adding that the two parties should agree on the executive steps of ceasefire and all other measures to put the peace agreements into force. He said that the UN would not spare any effort for bringing about peace in Sudan.

Norwegian Minister of International Cooperation Hild Johnson hailed efforts exerted to reach those agreements, adding that she was satisfied with the outcome.

She also expressed thanks to those who made any effort to reach this historic result.

Johnson called on the international community to support the Sudanese peace march and put an end to Darfur conflict and other pending issues in Sudan.

Taking the floor, the Kenyan delegate thanked the Arab League secretary general for efforts exerted by the league to achieve peace in Sudan and for the financial aid that the league promised Sudan after the signing of the peace agreement.

He said that the Sudanese people had the right to self-determination, to preserve Sudan's territorial integrity and to live in security and enjoy democracy and respect of human rights.

Following the signing of the Nairobi Declaration, SPLM leader John Garang delivered a speech in which he hailed efforts which Egypt and its President Hosni Mubarak had exerted to solve the problem in his country. In his speech he also commended endeavours made in the same direction by the Arab League, Libya, Nigeria, Kenya, all of Africa and the world community.

Khartoum and the SPLM are planning to develop southern Sudan and are determined to make use of Sudanese resources to enable the Sudanese people to reap the fruits of peace in the near future through setting up infrastructure projects in the south, including roads, bridges and dams, according to Garang.

He called for decentralised governance in the entire of the Sudan and said the ruling Congress party will be a main partner in the national unity government, which means that all political powers were ready for political partnership.

Garang proposed a social contract to be hammered out that would be linked to the peace declaration and in which all principles of social and economic development would be defined.

He added that Sudan was not owned by the SPLM, but rather that the entire Sudan was for all the Sudanese.

The SPLM chief called for working to end the bloodletting in Darfur and expressed hope that force would not be used there.

He called for solving all problems in Sudan including those in Darfur and eastern Sudan.

Garang congratulated the representative of the government on the occasion and said all the world was keen on achieving peace in the Sudan.

Following John Garang's speech, Sudanese First Vice President Ali Osman Taha took the floor and described the signing of the protocols and the declaration as a historic event and a great breakthrough.

Sudan is determined to stay the course of peace, he said. Peace will open the way to new social, humanitirian and political ties between Sudan and all world countries, he said.

We started the negotiations with adamant resolve to achieve peace to benefit all the Sudanese, he said.

The signing of the declaration ushers Sudan into a new stage of cooperation with the world at large, he said.

He lauded each and every one who had contributed to efforts which culminated in signing the agreement, especially the IGAD, the Arab League and the Afican Union.

Taha also thanked the African leaders who were keen on achieving peace in Sudan.

Special thanks went to the Kenyan president, people and government for hosting the negotiations.

Previous Stories:
  Khartoum, Darfour rebellions exchange accusations over violating the truce   (6/3/2004)
  Sudanese opposition welcome peace agreements protocols   (5/29/2004)
  Khartoum, southern rebels sign the last protocols; Sudan: the peace agreement is ready   (5/27/2004)

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