Today, via teleconference, the U.S. Charge d'Affaires in Khartoum, Bob Whitehead, Juba Consul General Barrie Walkley, and USAID Sudan Mission Director William Hammink gave a press briefing on the status of preparations for the January 9th referendum on Southern Sudan. They also spoke about the support and the technical assistance that the United States has provided to support the parties as they work towards a full and timely implementation of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement.
Mr. Hammink said, "As you may know, the referendum is a key provision of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement, the CPA, which ended the long and deadly North-South civil war. Since the government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement signed that agreement, the U.S. government has provided assistance to the two parties to help… more »
About the Author: Ambassador Barrie Walkley serves as the U.S. Consul General in Juba, Sudan.
Early Monday morning, I was present as Salva Kiir Mayardit, First Vice President of Sudan, registered to vote in the Southern Sudan referendum. The crowd's excitement was tangible as Vice President Kiir arrived at the voter registration center next to the John Garang mausoleum in Juba, presented the required identification document, and received his voter registration card. President Kiir received cheers from the assembled crowd when he held up his finger, stained with purple ink, to prove that he had registered.
Later in the day, I accompanied Justice Chan Reec Madut, Chairman of the Southern Sudan Referendum Bureau, on a visit to Torit, Eastern Equatoria, to observe the process there on the first day… more »
Speaking today at the United Nations headquarters in New York, Secretary Clinton said, "...Yesterday marked a milestone in the history of Sudan. Voters from Southern Sudan began lining up to register for the referendum by which they will decide their own future. Holding this referendum, resolving the status of Abyei, and all of the conditions of the CPA represent the promise of self-determination made to the Sudanese people under the Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 2005. The United States believes that these are promises that must be kept. It is critical to peace and stability, not only for Sudan but also for the neighbors, some of whom are here today, and the rest of Africa represented by others, that the referendum for Southern Sudan be held peacefully and on time on January 9th. And regardless of the outcome, the will of the people… more »
Greetings from Khartoum! With January 9, 2011 fast approaching, last week I returned to Sudan to urge the parties to make progress on arrangements to ensure a peaceful future for the Sudanese people.
While much work remains, the arrival of referendum materials in Sudan last week was a step forward in preparations for the vote on January 9. I had the pleasure of participating in a ceremony on Friday where international partners formally presented referendum materials to Sudanese officials. The materials were procured by the United Nations… more »
Special Envoy to Sudan Scott Gration, Assistant Secretary Johnnie Carson, and National Security Council Senior Director for Multilateral Affairs Samantha Power participated in a special briefing at the Washington Foreign Press Center this morning to highlight U.S. diplomatic efforts on Sudan. During his remarks, Special Envoy Gration highlighted the actions that the parties need to take to ensure that peaceful referenda that reflect the will of the Sudanese people take place on time in January.
He said, "with just 79 days remaining until January 9th -- that's the day when the Southern Sudanese are scheduled to hold the referendum on self-determination -- there is just no more time to waste. Between now and the start of registration in mid-November, the Southern Sudanese Referendum Commission must finalize voter registration… more »
Most U.S. food assistance to Sudan is "in-kind" aid -- food that is grown by farmers in the United States, purchased on the open market, then shipped to Sudan. Voucher programs, on the other hand, offer an alternative and complementary approach that gives families access to foods they are already familiar with and boosts local economic activity. Recently, USAID awarded its first grant for a food voucher program in Sudan, a landmark initiative that will nourish hungry families by lowering the cost of life-saving foods already available in… more »
Last week, all eyes were on New York City as senior diplomats from around the world gathered for the UN General Assembly meetings. In the meeting rooms and corridors of United Nations Headquarters, we worked diligently with our international partners to elevate the importance of Sudan on the world stage and urge the North and South to take swift action to prevent destabilizing conflict and remain on the path of peace.
The importance the Obama Administration places on Sudan was highlighted at UNGA as the President, Secretary Clinton, Ambassador… more »
Speaking to heads of state and Sudanese leaders at United Nations headquarters in New York today, President Obama discussed the responsibility of all parties to fully implement the peace agreement that ended Sudan's civil war, called for accountability for crimes, and directly addressed the people of Sudan about how the United States would support those who work for peace.
President Obama said, "At this moment, the fate of millions of people hangs in the balance. What happens in Sudan in the days ahead may decide whether a people who have endured too much war move forward towards peace or slip backwards into bloodshed. And what happens in Sudan matters to all of sub-Saharan Africa, and it matters to the world."
The President continued, "I want to thank Vice President Taha and First Vice President Kiir for being… more »
Today, Special Envoy to Sudan Scott Gration gave a briefing at the State Department on his recent visit to Juba and Khartoum. In this time of intensified diplomacy ahead of the January 2011 referenda, Special Envoy Gration made his 20th official trip to Sudan last weekend, had meetings in Khartoum and in Juba, and laid out for authorities in both capitals U.S.' expectations for the full implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).
Special Envoy Gration said, "We seek a definitive end to the conflict in Darfur, to the gross human rights abuses, to the genocide that has existed there. And we seek to make sure that Sudan never again becomes a haven for international terrorists. more »
As Special Envoy Gration wrote in August, as the countdown accelerates to the January 2011 referenda on self-determination for Southern Sudan and Abyei, the United States is redoubling its efforts to engage our Sudanese and international partners.
U.S. strategic priorities in Sudan remain: full and timely implementation of the North-South Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) that results in a peaceful post-2011 Sudan, or an orderly path toward two separate and viable states at peace with each other; a definitive end to conflict, gross human rights abuses, and genocide in Darfur; and that Sudan does not again become a safe haven for international terrorists.
During this critical period, the Obama Administration… more »
DipNote is the official blog of the U.S. Department of State —a place to share stories, discuss experiences, and inspire new ideas on the important foreign policy issues of the day. more »
I certainly hope that these elections will be held freely and peacefully. The United States is well served by Secretary of State Hilary Clinton's tenure.
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Khalid A. writes:
Major Gen (Ret) Gration has spelled out the "carrots" on offer to the Government of Sudan . It is an impressive list. Cynics will note that similar promises were…
more »
Assistant Secretary Crowley (Dec. 7): "We see two possible paths for Cote d'Ivoire going forward,...one that maintains Cote d'Ivoire's role as a leader in Africa ... one that leads to isolation from the global community." more »
![A southern Sudanese woman receives her voter registration card, Nov. 15, 2010. [AP]](https://swap.stanford.edu/was/20100322163935im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2011_1122_sudan_m.jpg)
![Southern Sudanese woman registers to vote in Melut, Nov. 15, 2010. [AP Photo]](https://swap.stanford.edu/was/20100322163935im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2010_1115_sudan_voter_registration_m.jpg)
![Sudan referendum materials as seen in Khartoum, Sudan, Oct. 30, 2010. [State Department Photo]](https://swap.stanford.edu/was/20100322163935im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2010_1103_SudanReferendumMaterials_m.jpg)
![Senior officials brief on Sudan, Oct. 22, 2010. [State]](https://swap.stanford.edu/was/20100322163935im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2010_1022_sudan_m.jpg)
![Food aid being distributed in Darfur, Sudan, 2010. [USAID Photo/ Public Domain]](https://swap.stanford.edu/was/20100322163935im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2010_1013_sudan_food_distribution_m.jpg)
![President Obama speaks during a Ministerial Meeting on Sudan, Sept. 24, 2010, at the UN. [AP Photo]](https://swap.stanford.edu/was/20100322163935im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2010_0928_un_sudan_m.jpg)
![President Obama shakes hand at meeting on Sudan at UN in New York, Sept. 24, 2010. [White House]](https://swap.stanford.edu/was/20100322163935im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2010_0924_obama_sudan_un_m.jpg)
![Traditional court in Agok, Sudan, on Aug. 14, 2010. [AP File Photo]](https://swap.stanford.edu/was/20100322163935im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2010_0914_sudan_m.jpg)
