Sudan and Egypt reach agreement on Nile water
(Mirayafm)
Egypt's Foreign Minister, Ahmed Abul Ghait, has announced that Egypt and Sudan have reached an agreement on Nile water. Addressing the press after meeting President-elect, Omar Al Bashir in Khartoum on Sunday, Abul Ghait said that all Nile basin countries should engage in dialogue to avoid conflict and cooperate to mutually increase revenues.
Abul Ghait who arrived in Khartoum on Sunday for a one day visit, is accompanied by the Egyptian Intelligence Chief, Omar Suleiman.
President of China Congratulates President Al-Bashir on his Election
(SUNA)
The President of China, Hu Jintao, has sent a congratulatory message to the President of the Republic, Field Marshal Omer Al-Bashir, on his election
In his message, President Hu Jintao affirmed the keenness of China to cooperate with Sudan for consolidating further the bilateral relations for the interest of the two countries and peoples
President Jintao said that he observed with admiration and pleasure the accomplishments scored by Sudan government and people under the leadership of President Al-Bashir for realizing peace and stability, pushing ahead the national reconciliation and socio-economic process, enhancing the citizens' living conditions and expanding the scope of foreign trade exchange
He stated in his message that Sudan and China are linked to each other with a longstanding friendship which is based on mutual respect, confidence and honest cooperation
NCP Rejects SPLM Charges on Supporting Militias in the South
(SV)
The National Congress Party (NCP) rejected the accusations of the SPLM to support militias in southern Sudan to destabilize the security and stability there considering that the said charges are not based on reality.
The Presidential Advisor, NCP Deputy Chairman, Ali Tameem Fartak said that what was said by Yasir Arman and his charges against the NCP are baseless as the SPLM entered the elections last April with three wings, one led by Salva Kiir and another led by Dr. Lam Akol and the third one by the independents who have declared their split from the movement and stand as independents.
He told Sudan Vision that the three wings confirms that the SPLM live internal conflicts, which caused wide violations and abuses in the elections in southern Sudan, adding that the conflict that is happening there are the implications of internal differences experienced by the SPLM.
" SPLM has to address these differences and find solutions to it instead of accusing the NCP" Fartak said affirming that his party does not benefit from the conflicts that occur in the south and hurt of it so much as it affects the ability of the SPLM in implementing the remaining items of the CPA.
Finance Ministry Considers Resources Utilization in Support of Unity
(SV)
In coordination with the Assessment and Evaluation Commission, the Federal Ministry of Finance and National Economy has considered formulation of a clear vision of attractive unity with emphasis on intermingling states.
State Minister for Finance, Dr. Luwal Deng discussed yesterday with the Commission Chairman, Plumbly Derek, mechanisms enhancing the prospects of a sustainable development as well as getting the participation of the private sector, civil society and UN organizations and foreign partners in setting a clear vision as to how to optimize the use of resources in a way that would support the unity of the country and facilitate entrenching of democracy in local communities on the heels of elections success.
The two parties agreed to establish a workshop with the participation of relevant parties for formulating the desired vision and charting a national economic roadmap.
Deng stressed the importance of promoting agricultural resources for realizing the objectives of the communities, their stability and bolstering of the option of voluntary unity, noting the possibility of adopting the recommendations of the intermingling states for presenting a model of attractive unity.
He further confirmed government’s commitment to equitable wealth sharing between northern and southern states, adding that representation of SPLM in the ministries of finance and oil targets that end.
Derek assured his commission’s concern with monitoring its activities in the fields development funding, approving recommendations on the intermingling of states.
The Southern Sector in the National Congress Party stated that the future of the South would be gloomy in the absence of the North, cautioning against the possibility that the SPLM would rig the referendum outcome as it had done with recent national elections in South Sudan.
The sector called for foreign and local monitoring of the plebiscite to guarantee fairness and transparency.
Sector Director, Jacob, reported that the party meeting suggested establishment of a mechanism for administering the self-determination referendum. He told reporters that the meeting focused evaluation and consultation on the result of elections in South Sudan as many SPLA violations had been reported.
South Sudan minister tells unions leaders to avoid politics
(ST)
A minister from regional government of Southern Sudan has on Sunday cautioned union leaders and their members against engaging in partisan politics as the region heads towards the 2011 referendum.
There are many unions in different parts of the southern Sudan and have memberships disseminated across different political affiliations hence their leadership must strive to be neutral, said Dr.Luka Monaja Tombe while addressing a congratulatory meeting of the election victory of Southern Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit organized by various trade Unions in Juba on Sunday.
President Kiir continues to receive telephone calls from inside and outside the country besides personal visits by those living in Sudan. Majority travels as far as from rural villages and other towns to express their sincere thanks, appreciations for the job well done in the last five years which culminated in his elections and congratulations for winning elections by such a bigger percent, Monoja explained.
"There is no such kind, most loved, caring and friendly president I have ever found. I have never got one," described one of the presidential aides who is equally accused to be one of those confusing President from giving particular attentions to the public.
The current GOSS caretaker cabinet affairs minister who cautiously told union officials not to force their members to support a particular party as they risk becoming irrelevant to the labor movement, is also quoted as saying that unions must strive to promote unity and harmony between Government and workers by not dividing its membership using politics.
"Labor leaders and their members must reject attempts by politicians to drag them in politics;" Monoja said stressing that labor union should embrace peaceful initiatives, adding that the labor movements have been instrumental in achieving this by resisting being dragged into politics for far and quite too long and have succeeded.
"I when was young labor unions used to be instrumental and acted as bridges between and government and employees. All problems of salaries, benefits and other entitlements are promptly addressed by labor unions before resorts to strike are taken," Monoja explained to the union leaders while chatting with him at his residence.
He urged them to continue with this same spirit because if union leaders engage in politics, the labor movement will become irrelevant to its members, he said.
Appealing to trade unions to use dialogue and collective bargaining as ways of fighting for better conditions of service for members, he said unions must desist from creating conflict between Government and employers, adding that industrial unrest should be the last resort in resolving conflict.
As you may be aware, strikes are very injurious so we should always embrace dialogue. It is very easy to put this region on fire through activities such as strikes, he said.
(ST)
Threats, Stakes Associated with South Secession Revisited
(Opinion)
The power of interests struggle within the SPLM has been decisively settled in favour of secessionist faction represented by the movement hardliners and falcons. In yesterday's editorial, we related the balanced statements of Lt. Gen. Malik Agar in warning of the serious consequences if the South secedes.
Meanwhile, some other prominent figures within the SPLM insist to send confusing signals on the issue of secession in an attempt to make unity in realistic terms a remote possibility.
However, President Al Bashir, during the presidential elections campaigns in the south, put it clearly that they will respect the choice of the southerners affirming that he will be very sad if they opt to secession.
Notwithstanding, the necessities of the national security to apply strategic thinking to map out our appropriate response to contain the potential threats and stakes associated with South Sudan secession.
We must not forget that the moments of secession, if it happened, will not pass without leaving its stamp on the political, social and economical aspects of the entire Sudanese life.
No event in our history, as Sudanese nation, deserves our highest degrees of alert and preparedness, farsightedness and wisdom other than the moments when South goes its own way.
The course of the everyday politics and the complications accompany implementation of the CPA have distracted the attention of the policy and decision makers, strategists and scholars from, strategically, thinking of the secession fallout.
The potential threats and stakes to the national security associated with the secession of the South stem from variety of reasons and factors.
They can be related to the expected unfinished, or, at best, the hasty implementation of the CPA, the inherited bitterness which can be easily ignited, the acute political polarization dominating the era before the referendum and, effectively, the external interventions trying to manipulate conditions to achieve self serving goals.
Either South separates or remains within a united Sudan, the historical and national responsibility imposes on us, the present-day politicians, strategists and scholars, the burden of averting the country's curses.
This will not be possible without taking the issues to the platform of aggressive and tough kind of strategic thinking that will take into account all possibilities, threats and dangers to forge for them the necessary strategic response.
We are almost running out of time to waste it on emotional illusive issues. Let us take enough time and spend great efforts with gain to face the emerging threats and stakes.
The safe road to our future passes, entirely, through the strategic handling of future events at this right moment
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