Time running out on Sudan peace deal

Members of the Troika have recommended the Sudanese parties signatory to the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, CPA to urgently speed up the final implementation of the peace deal.

The Troika members have expressed their concerns over areas of the peace deal not yet implemented with issues at hand not resolved.

The Troika, an international Community comprising of the United States, United Kingdom and Norway sees it as a danger between the two regions of Sudan.

9th July this year will mark the end of the CPA and when the two regions: North and South Sudan will be autonomous.

After several meetings in Sudan and South Sudan this week with key government officials that led to their assessment of the situation in the country, Troika told the press in Juba International Airport on Saturday in a joint statement read by the Norwegian Ambassador Tom Vraalsen that, “We stressed the urgent need to reach agreement on post-CPA arrangements as well as mechanisms to resolve these issues after July 9, 2011.”

Trioka ambassadors: Tom Vraalsen, Michael Ryder of UK and Ambassador Princeton Lyman of USA to Sudan arrived in Khartoum in the course of last week before reaching Juba on Friday the 3rd of June.

The three met Sudanese top government officials and South Sudanese President including his key officials in Juba.

Tom underscored progress in some areas of implementation of the accord and a common understanding that appears to be emerging between the two parties; Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, SPLM and the National Congress Party, NCP on how a number of issues can be resolved.

“However, we remain greatly concerned that key issues such as the management of the petroleum sector, border arrangements and citizenship are yet to be agreed,” Ambassador Tom said.

He further pointed out that; “we remain deeply concerned about the situation in Abyei and urged the Government of Sudan to remove all Sudanese Armed Forces, SAF from the oil rich region.”

It called on the two parties to agree on immediate security arrangements and withdraw all unauthorized forces from Abyei as stipulated in the Kadugli agreement. It urged the deployment of the United Nations Mission in Sudan, UNMIS into the Abyei zone.

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