Brussels, 20/03/2012 (Agence Europe) - It is against the background of a recent, though still fragile, improvement in relations between his country and Sudan that South Sudanese President Salva Kiir is visiting the institutions of the EU on 20-21 March, ahead of the summit of the heads of state of the two neighbouring countries scheduled for Djuba in April. This very first visit to Brussels by the president since the independence of his country in July of last year provides the opportunity to discus the manifold challenges - security, humanitarian and development - facing this young nation, and to press the two parties, South Sudan and Sudan, to redouble their efforts to find a negotiated settlement to complex outstanding issues, such as the border areas claimed by both countries, the status of Abbyei, the issue of the citizenship of South Sudanese still living in Sudan and Sudanese living in the South, and the burning issue of how, with the help of the international community, it will be possible to make up for the oil revenue lost by Sudan. On Tuesday, President Kiir was due to meet European Council President Herman Van Rompuy, EU High Representative Catherine Ashton, Commission President José Manuel Barroso, Development Commissioner Andris Piebalgs, and International Cooperation Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva before holding talks on Wednesday with European Parliament (EP) President Martin Schulz and addressing the EP foreign affairs committee.
“The situation in the two countries remains a major priority for the EU. Encouraging progress was made last week in negotiations in Addis Abeba, chaired by Tabo Mbeki. The two sides will have to show flexibility in Djuba”, high ranking EU officials were saying on Tuesday, suggesting that the agreement on the line of the border and the agreement allowing the international community to help Sudan make up its budget deficit resulting from the loss of oil revenues were “very promising”.
Independently of the tension with neighbouring Sudan, South Sudan faces security problems resulting from inter-ethnic disputes. The government has begun a disarmament campaign, and is undertaking reconciliation and development efforts. All these issues were expected to be discussed in meetings with High Representative Ashton, accompanied by Rosalin Marsden, EU Special Representative for Sudan and South Sudan, and with José Manuel Barroso.
“The government has decided to join the Cotonou Agreement. Today it has written to Ms Ashton. The Commission will move quickly to assess South Sudan's eligibility”, added the high ranking EU officials. Swift accession, which would make South Sudan the 80th ACP country, would allow the country access to the resources of the forthcoming 11th European Development Fund, from 2013. For the moment, the European Commission has earmarked €285 million for South Sudan until 2013. Once aid from member states is included, South Sudan will be the recipient of some €700 million between 2011 and 2013. In 2012, ECHO, the Commission's humanitarian wing, allocated €45 million to meet the needs of displaced persons and refugees, and to address the issues of food and security. Access to humanitarian aid in the states of South Kordofan and the Blue Nile remain a major problem. (AN/transl.rt)