ADDIS ABABA, Nov 24 – President Omar El Bashir of Sudan and Sudan People’s Liberation Movement Army (SPLMA) Chairman Salva Kiir have reaffirmed their commitment to respect the outcome of the country’s national Referenda slated for January next year.
Addressing a one-day special Inter Government Agency for Development (IGAD) Summit on Sudan in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, President Bashir and Mr Kiir who is the President of Southern Sudan assured that they will continue to seek peaceful resolutions to issues that may divide them instead of returning to the war.
The IGAD Assembly chaired by Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and attended by President Kibaki among other IGAD leaders, encouraged dialogue to reach a consensus on outstanding issues in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) and Post-Referendum arrangements.
In a Communiqué released after the Summit, the IGAD Assembly welcomed the dedication of the parties to achieve consensus on the Abyei Protocol.
The IGAD Assembly, at the same time, called upon the Sudan North and South leadership to approach the next round of negotiations with a spirit of compromise cognisant of the need to guarantee the rights of the affected people.
The IGAD Regional leaders also appreciated the progress made towards reaching a framework Agreement on resolving issues that threaten full implementation of the CPA.
On Somalia, the IGAD Assembly regretted the internal wrangles and lack of cohesion among the leadership of the Transitional Federal Institutions (TFIs) in the country.
The IGAD leaders who included President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, El Bashir of Sudan and Ismael Omar Guilleh of Djibouti urged the Somali President and the country’ parliament to provide political and ideological leadership that will ensure total harmony among the two institutions.
The IGAD Assembly affirmed its unwavering and continued support to the TFIs of Somalia in their endeavour to restore peace and stability for good governance and delivery of basic services to the citizenry.
The regional leaders called for international support to enforce, naval blockage and No-fly zone over Somalia, sanctions recommended by the African Union to stop shipments of weapons and ammunitions to armed militia fighting the transition government.
The Assembly was addressed by President Kibaki who is the chair of IGAD sub-committee on Sudan, who reassured of the IGAD member states total commitment in the search for a lasting peace in the Sudan and Somalia.
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