Khartoum’s Peace Negotiations Between Conflicting- Parties In Southern Sudan… YES.. We Can

The ongoing Sudanese initiative to bring together all the parties - without any exception or exclusion- to achieve peace in southern Sudan must be understood in its proper context, as an extension of efforts rather than a separate initiative from the IGAD initiative. Therefore, anticipated successes starting perhaps with the outstanding security arrangements should be calculated in favor of IGAD and not just for Sudan.

However that does not underestimate the fact that Sudan's initiative has increasingly gained momentum, especially that the divergence of positions of the parties to the conflict and the lack of confidence has been quite evident recently in Addis Ababa.

Premised on the broad shared commonalities and other specificities , IGAD members states and the spectra of Southern Sudanese leaders likewise, were unreservedly convinced that Sudan should be better able to understand the complexities of the South Sudanese problem, Taking into cognizance the historical, socio-economic dimension, Sudan is increasingly capable of influencing the conflicting parties, presenting new innovative ideas and proposals that should be more acceptable to the parties to the conflict.

Likewise, on the grassroots level, Khartoum remains the most qualified sponsor of negotiations from any other neighboring country. Being part of the Sudan, there is unmistakable and rather pronounced feeling amongst the absolute majority of the people in both countries - no matter what – that they are one people in two states. That probably explains why whenever security situations worsens at home, refugees voluntarily gush in their hundreds of thousands into Sudan's capital cities without security or psychological barriers of what so ever. At the end of the day, it is where they exceptionally do not feel strangers or unwelcome.

Sudanese government in return, did not fail them, despite meager resources and difficult living conditions in the Sudan, directives were timely issued, that all refugees from South Sudan, are to enjoy the equal treatments and rights by their fellow Sudanese citizens, including the freedom of movement, access to employment and public services. Such reciprocal acts of sentiments should continue to produce a 'virtuous cycle' of call and response between the Sudan and South Sudan, and facilitate Khartoum’s sincere and noble mission today

Again it’s absolutely important to pinpoint the fact that Sudan’s current initiative comes under the umbrella of IGAD, and has already gained the support and blessings of the AU and all countries of the region, United States, Britain and Norway as partners of IGAD. In fact, despite busy schedule, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, chose to arrive in Khartoum and participate in the opening sessions of the negotiations, as a manifest token of his commitment to the initiative.

By the same token, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Donald Yamahoto, has expressed his country's welcome for the South Sudan peace talks currently being held in Khartoum, appreciating the important breakthrough that has been achieved.

It is worth mentioning here that the United States has always attached importance to the Sudan's role in restoring peace in Sudan at the heart of its ongoing negotiations with Khartoum (Constructive Engagement).

By the same token, MamaRebecca Nyandeng the widow of late John Garang the former founded father of South Sudan, also said on her part, that she was happy with the role of President Al-Bashir because he is the “elder brother” and most qualified to mediate the South Sudanese peace process.

Pitifully, the civil war has already devoured the green and dry, destroyed plowing and offspring and tragically made of South Sudan today, a global byword for atrocities, chaos and self destruction.

The people of South Sudan are convinced that their country will go bankrupt or practically fail to exist; War needs to stop now at all costs. The international community, IGAD and donors alike, have stepped up its rhetoric threatening with severe economic and military sanctions on all parties involved in the civil war in southern Sudan, unless this senseless war comes to an end.

The deterioration in the situation in southern Sudan has almost reached a stage of no return. The war has ruined the economy, not only in the near term, but also for decades to come, according to the data from International Monetary fund (IMF).

That makes it incumbent upon the negotiating parties currently hosted in Khartoum, to listen to the voice of reason, remove and disqualify all narrow interests, manifest enough resilience and courage and make all concessions necessary to restore peace in the country.

There should be no mistake that it is very much in the interest of the Sudan, to have neighbors that are thriving especially South Sudan, because it would automatically translate in good progress for Sudan as well. Days have proven; Sudan cannot enjoy the fruits of peace when its immediate neighbors are in conflict and vice versa.

That is why; to do elevate its own interests, Sudan is of no option, than playing a more proactive role in building peace in South Sudan. Khartoum is increasingly aware that in the mid-and long-term, its direct security and economic interests are closely tied to the promotion of stability in South Sudan, and Juba should not think the otherwise.

Sudan was the hardest hit by the conflict in southern Sudan. In fact the very lack of security in the nascent state has created incubators of negative movements that continued to threaten security and stability of the Sudan.

The five years long civil war which affected the most important sectors, namely the oil sector the undeniable fact remains; if Juba wants to ensure that its country has a stable and growing economy, the oil needs to flow. In order to sustain peace, time has come to stop fighting and to begin developing infrastructure with the money that will come from oil revenues. To that effect, the communiqué of the 32nd extra-ordinary summit of IGAD in Addis Ababa pointed to the importance of rehabilitating the South Sudanese economy through bilateral cooperation between the Republic of South Sudan and the Republic of the Sudan.

The economies of both countries continued to suffer a severe downturn as a result of, inter alia, the loss/drop in the oil revenues, with South Sudan depending on oil for 98 per cent of its revenue. In other words, the viability of the two states is increasingly contingent upon ‘the unhindered’ flow and streamlining of oil from the fields in South Sudan, to the export terminals in Port-Sudan.

Time and again, for the viability of the two states oil need to be exported. The viability of the two states depends on good cooperation... enhancing trades... allowing free movement of goods and services between the two countries.

Today there is a full political will and a full agreement between the two countries, on the importance of immediately restarting the stalled oilfields and even increasing production according to three stages before the end of this year to reach 300,000 barrels per day.

Another good news; Officials in both countries are currently discussing the implementation of directives of President Al-Bashir to open border with South Sudan after the signing of Khartoum Declaration of Agreement on 27 June, in order to facilitate the movement of citizens and the flow of trade between the two countries, which includes road, rail and Nile River crossing points.

Conflicts have paralyzed the cross-border trade between the two countries that in return has adversely affected the economies of both countries. Paradoxically enough, at a time when the northern states of southern Sudan were on a brink of starvation, neighboring Sudan was concurrently suffering stagnation in marketing its surplus grain production.

Indeed, recovery, peace and reconciliation are not impossible. Let’s derive some lessons from neighboring Rwanda. How after the most horrible genocide and massacres in our modern history, which eliminated economy, infrastructure, health and education, Rwanda with its will, vision and reconciliation, based on our own traditional judicial systems in Africa, has reached today the ranks of the fastest growing countries in the world and most attractive to investors. There is no reason why South Sudan should lag behind.