EU Promises To Support Sudan Referendum And Avails $120 Million

The Minister of Peace and CPA Implementation, Pagan Amum upon arrival to Juba International Airport on Sunday told the media that the European Union (EU) has promised to support the forthcoming referendum in order to take place on the 9th of January 2011.

Amum who arrived from Brussels the Headquarter of the EU admitted that they had a very fruitful meetings after meeting with the Commissioner of Development Assistance, Commissioner of Humanitarian Affairs, Foreign Minister of Belgium and EU Leaders of Parliamentary Groups.

Amum said they asked the EU to fully support the implementation of the remaining CPA issues like the border demarcation, Abyei referendum, Popular Consultation of Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile State. Amum said they requested the EU to support the conduct of the referendum and agreed on the 9th of January 2011 and send their observer mission to Sudan as early as possible.

“We have a very positive response from the EU they expressed their support to the CPA and they also indicted to us their decision to support the referendum which they would like to see conducted timely by 9th of January 2011. The EU is going to provide financial assistance to the government of Sudan, government of Southern Sudan and the Referendum Commission through the UN to facilitate the referendum.” Amum stressed.

“The EU said they are ready to send the observer mission as soon as they get the invitation from the Government of Southern Sudan and the Government of Sudan to observe the referendum right from the registration” Amum added.

“We have also received confirmation from the EU that the EU will respect the choice of the people of Sudan whatsoever the results of the referendum may be. We are happy with the responds” he continued.

Pagan Amum who is also the SPLM Secretary- General said despite the fact that the government of Sudan failed to sign the Coetaneous Agreement which denied the people of Sudan developmental assistance from the EU, when they arrived the Commission took the decision to avail 150 million Euros to support provision of basic social services especially in the war affected areas like Southern Sudan, Blue Nile, Southern Kordofan State including Eastern Sudan.

“We in the SPLM will work to ensure that Sudan normalizes its relationship and signs the Coetaneous Agreement to provide support for building stable states that recognize human right and provide good governance.” He added.

Pagan and his team met with the Belgium Foreign Minister of the EU. Belgium is going to assume the Presidency of the EU for the next six months in which Southern Sudan will be in a dire need for the EU and according to Amum they have good understanding.

Pagan is expected to brief the First Vice President of the Republic and President of the Government of Southern Sudan, General Salva Kiir Mayardit on the readiness of the EU to invite them to observe the referendum.

“The EU is going to provide 120 million dollars through the UN as well as direct funding to the Referendum Commission.” He concluded.

On Monday there is going to be the exposer of the negotiating teams to the issues being presented by experts and on Tuesday there will be negotiations in the clusters to deal with citizenships, security international treaties, natural resource, and management among other issues.