Sudan agrees to resume talks on post-secession issue; US pledged to support peace implementation in Darfur; Libya pledges to develop bilateral ties with Sudan; Uganda and Tanzania rejected Sudan’s bid to join EAC
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    • Sudan

    According to reports, former South African president and chairman of the African Union High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP), Thabo Mbeki, handed over a set of proposals to Sudanese president Omer al-Bashir to break the negotiation deadlock on post-secession issues between Khartoum and Juba. A new round of negotiations scheduled earlier in Ethiopia between the two countries was called off by Khartoum as the latter said it had "fundamental reservations" on Mbeki’s proposals to bridge the gap in positions. The ownership of Abyei, demarcation of joint border, Sudan’s national debt and fees of oil transportation, were among the issues still negotiated between the two countries. 1

    In another development, Head of Darfur Regional Authority (DRA) and leader of the former rebel Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM) Tijani el-Sissi said that Washington had promised to support politically and economically the implementation of Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD). LJM leader told that Washington reiterated its support to the peace deal and the American officials promised to support the DRA to ensure the full implementation of the peace document and back the resettlement of displaced people and refugees and development.2

    Meanwhile, reiterating his gratitude to the support received from Khartoum, the head of Libyan National Transitional Council (NTC) pledged to develop political and economic relations with Sudan. The NTC leader Mustafa Abdel-Jalil was in Khartoum to attend the convention of National Congress Party headed by President Omer al-Bashir. The head of the Libyan regime further said that bilateral relations, based on shared values of Islam and Arabism, would witness more developments in different fields. He unveiled the intention of his government to construct roads connecting the two countries and to improve telecommunications with Khartoum.3

    In other developments, reports noted that the Sudanese government faced a diplomatic setback after Uganda and Tanzania rejected its application to join the East African Community (EAC) citing concerns over Khartoum’s democratic practices and its treatment of women. It would be worth noting that EAC is the regional intergovernmental organisation comprised of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania. Article 3 (3) of the EAC charter stipulates that membership is contingent upon adherence to universally acceptable principles of good governance, democracy, the rule of law, observance of human rights and social justice. Furthermore, sharing joint borders is a requirement for the EAC membership which Sudan does not satisfy.4

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