UN special envoy to South Sudan addresses political parties
6 min readAugust 4, 2011 (JUBA) – The newly appointed UN special envoy to the Republic of South Sudan, Hilde Johnson, briefed the political parties on the roles her multi-purpose mission will play in the new nation at a meeting in Juba on Thursday.
- UN SG special envoy, Hilde Johnson, briefing leaders of political parties in the presence of South Sudan VP, Riek Machar, Juba (ST)
Johnson was appointed as special envoy to South Sudan by UN secretary general, Ban Ki Moon, following the independence of the region on 9 July. She previously held the post of Minister for International Development in Norway.
She was involved in the North-South Sudan peace negotiations in Kenya in 2005.
On Thursday in Juba she held her first joint meeting with leaders of the various political parties in South Sudan, with the participation of the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), during which she briefed them about her new mandate.
In the meeting which was moderated by Vice President and SPLM deputy chairperson, Riek Machar, Johnson said her role will include rendering support on issues to do with security, development, institutional building, democratic development and transformation of the “political equation” in South Sudan.
She said these will include issues to do with the rule of law, justice, diversity and inclusiveness in nation-building as well as constitutional process and the upcoming elections after the four year transitional period.
The special envoy said she will also mobilise donors to support South Sudan and supervise the activities of the various UN humanitarian agencies working on the ground.
Johnson who said she was inspired by the frankness in the expression of views by the leaders at the meeting, adding that open disagreement expressed in peaceful political debate was healthy.
At the meeting leaders of opposition political parties criticised the ruling party, the SPLM, for allegedly reneging on the resolutions passed in a conference held in October 2010. They said the conference called for consensus and inclusiveness in the process of the nation-building.
They said that the recent appointments of 66 new members to the transformed national assembly and 30 to the council of states, did not redress the inclusiveness issues as was agreed upon at the conference.
SPLM officials at the meeting denied the claim, saying a number of other political parties consulted with the president and their members were included in the national legislative body.
Vice President Machar congratulated the special envoy for her “tough” mandate at the introductory meeting with the political parties. He said President Kiir was in consultation with the political parties, and have their members appointed to the two houses of parliament.
He called for cooperation between the political parties, the government and the UN mission in the implementation of the roles spelled out in the mandate given to the special envoy.
(ST)
U.S. Support to Peace and Security in South Sudan
Fact Sheet
The United States has been deeply engaged in Sudan, having led international efforts to broker the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement that ended decades of civil war between the country’s north and south and as the lead international donor both during and after the war.
Promoting Peace and Security
- Last summer, with President Obama’s leadership and personal engagement, the United States launched an intense international diplomatic and development effort to keep the parties on the path of peace. In September 2010, at a special meeting of presidents and foreign ministers during the UN General Assembly in New York, the President rallied the international community to join the United States in its call for a peaceful, on-time referendum for Southern Sudan.
- Sudan was a key focus of Vice President Biden’s trip to Kenya, Egypt, and South Africa last June that helped to build regional cooperation on CPA implementation. The Vice President’s regular engagement with Sudanese leaders and regional leaders, including with African Union High-Level Implementation Panel Chairman Thabo Mbeki, has been a critical part of U.S. diplomatic efforts on Sudan.
- Secretary Clinton met personally with the parties from both sides in Addis Ababa in late June 2011, where she brokered a deal to end violence in the Abyei region and facilitate the deployment of Ethiopian forces to amplify the peacekeeping presence in the region. She has been in close contact with her counterparts throughout the region, and has reached out frequently to senior northern and southern Sudanese officials by phone.
- Ambassador Susan Rice led efforts to build and maintain multilateral support at the United Nations for peace in Sudan, leading the UN Security Council to Sudan twice in the last nine months. The Troika—a partnership among the United States, United Kingdom, and Norway—has played a critical role in diplomatic and development planning with its Sudanese and international partners.
- Special Envoy Princeton Lyman, his predecessor, Scott Gration, and numerous other U.S. Government officials have shuttled tirelessly between Washington and Sudan, where they have pressed the Sudanese leaders to reach agreement on the issues that will define their future relationship.
Investing in People and Building Capacity
- In South Sudan, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is helping to strengthen democratic participatory governance, to enhance access to health care, education and clean water, and to improve basic infrastructure such as roads, bridges, and electricity. U.S. efforts spearheaded by USAID continue to boost agricultural productivity and trade, and help local governments improve their ability to manage resources and meet citizens’ needs. Since the signing of the CPA, USAID has worked closely with the Government of Southern Sudan to provide one million people with access to clean water, to help increase children’s enrollment in schools nearly fourfold, and to establish tools like microfinance institutions to help jumpstart economic opportunities.
- The United States played a critical role in ensuring that the Southern Sudan Referendum Commission had the capacity to hold a credible, on-time referendum in January 2011. USAID supported the procurement of registration and voting materials, voter education, and domestic and international observation to ensure that the Southern Sudan Referendum Commission and Bureau had the capacity to hold a credible, on-time referendum.
Steadfast Partnership
- Following its declaration of independence, the United States will establish full diplomatic relations with the Republic of South Sudan, upgrading the U.S. Consulate General in Juba to a U.S. Embassy on July 9. Ambassador Barrie Walkley, the U.S. Consul General in Juba, will serve as Chargé d’Affaires pending the appointment of a U.S. Ambassador to Juba.
- This fall, the United States will host an international engagement conference that will provide the Republic of South Sudan with a platform to present its vision for the future of its country and engage partners on priority areas of support and collaboration.
- The United States stands with the people of both Sudan and South Sudan during this time of great hope and immense challenge. Our commitment extends beyond July 9, and we will continue to expand on our deeply-rooted partnership in the years ahead.
Learn more about the U.S. engagement on Sudan at: http://www.state.gov/s/sudan
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