Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane chairs the AU Ministerial Committee on Post Conflict Reconstruction and Development in the Sudan (PCRD)

The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation and Chair of the African Union (AU) Ministerial Committee on Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development in the South Sudan, Ms. Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, opened the AU Ministerial Committee on Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development in the Sudan (PCRD), today, 30 January 2010, in Addis Ababa, on the margins of the Ordinary Session of the AU Summit. Supporting the Minister was Ambassador Ramatane Lamamra, AU Commissioner.

The Committee, chaired by Minister Nkoana-Mashabane, comprises Algeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal and the Sudan.

The meeting reviewed developments in the Sudan since its last meeting, as they relate to the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), bearing in mind the momentous events that Sudan will be witnessing over the coming months – namely, the April 2010 election and the January 2011 referendum for south Sudan.

In line with its mandate, the meeting reviewed the status of post-conflict reconstruction and development in Southern Sudan. In this regard, it highlighted the contributions made by members of the Committee and other African countries in the areas of human resource development, food security, development of energy, resettlement of refugees and IDPs, education, health, capacity building, road construction and urban development, and urged for renewed efforts in support of post-conflict reconstruction and development in the Sudan.

The South African Government, in particular, has partnered with the Southern Sudanese Government and the University of South Africa in Capacity and Institution Building Project for Southern Sudan. Since the launch of the Project in February 2005, over 1 000 Sudanese officials in both the Sudan Government of National Unity and the Government of Southern Sudan have received training in South Africa and New Site, Southern Sudan. Training has been in the following fields: leadership and management, diplomacy, public service administration, public finance management, legal affairs, correctional services, policing, local government administration and intergovernmental relations, government communications, and management of government information, broadcasting, radio and public relations.

In addition, the Government of South Africa and the Governments of Germany and Southern Sudan entered into a tri-lateral partnership to boost the training of Correctional Services Officers, judges in Southern Sudan and the Legal Affairs personnel to support the strengthening of the nascent legal system of Southern Sudan. Similarly, a trilateral partnership between South Africa, the Sudan and Norway has been finalized in the training of police in Northern Sudan, Southern Sudan and Darfur.

The South African Public Administration Leadership and Management Academy (PALAMA) are in the process of assisting the Government of Southern Sudan to establish a Management Development Institute for the training of civil servants in Southern Sudan.

The South African Department of Higher Education is also involved in assisting Southern Sudanese higher education students to enroll in South African higher education institutions.

The meeting stressed the need for the Sudanese parties to spare no efforts to overcome the challenges facing the implementation of the CPA, including the successful conduct of the elections and the democratic transformation of the country, border demarcation, resolution of the issue of Abyei, on the basis of the decision of the Permanent Court of Arbitration, and addressing the issue of insecurity in south Sudan.

As part of its efforts to revitalize its work, the Ministerial Committee agreed to undertake a visit to the Sudan in the coming weeks, with a view to assess development needs and challenges in light of the evolving situation in the Sudan as well as start making the necessary preparations for the convening of a conference on post-conflict reconstruction in the Sudan, in the first quarter of 2010, as called for by the Tripoli Plan of Action of 31 August 2009.

Since its establishment, the Committee has undertaken a number of missions to the Sudan to support the CPA implementation and encourage the parties to live up to their commitments. It has also strived to mobilize support both from within and outside Africa in support of post-conflict reconstruction efforts. In May 2009, the Committee dispatched senior officials’ mission to the Sudan to assess the situation and identify areas where AU member states could be of assistance.

As the chair of the Committee, the Minister undertook a visit to Sudan to appraise herself about the issues at hand. During her visit she held discussions with her Sudanese counterpart on Post Conflict Reconstruction and Development (PCRD), the conflict in Darfur, the 2010 election and other matters related to the implementation of the Sudan Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).  She also participated in the High-Level Conference on the role of the international community in the implementation of the Sudan Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) Conference on Sudan organised by the United States of America in June 2009, in yet another endeavour to find a peaceful solution to the challenges facing the Sudan.

For more information contact the Chief Director for Public Diplomacy, Mr Saul Kgomotso Molobi, on 082 940 1647.

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30 January 2010