info ; SPLM to nominate 5 women as Sudan’s ambassadors

[Jean-Francois Darcq]

SPLM to nominate 5 women as Sudan’s ambassadors



Thursday 3 April 2008 05:30.




By Isaac Vuni


April 2, 2008 (JUBA) — Five Southern Sudanese women would soon be
nominated to ambassadorial positions by President of the government of
Southern Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit, Sudan minister of foreign affairs,
Deng Alor has revealed.


Minister Alor stated that the ambassadorial quarter allocated by the
Government of National Unity in Khartoum to the Government of Southern
Sudan (GoSS) as stipulated in the CPA. In fact, out of ten
ambassadorial positions, only eight were filled by male during the
fiscal financial year 2007.


The SPLM foreign Affairs minister further disclosed that in this year
2008 budget, foreign affairs ministry has allotted various diplomatic
positions to Southern Sudan up to 45 including five ambassadorial
positions that ought to be filled by women who have been deprived from
the first allocation quarter of foreign affairs ministry during the CPA
era.


The ministerr made the above remarks when responding to question raised
by visiting African Union Ministerial Committee on post conflict
reconstruction of Sudan, that why GoSS has not appointed women in
Ambassadorial positions since it has initiated and adopted a popular
affirmative action for women’s twenty five percent positions at all
levels of governments to women who are also allowed to compete for the
remaining seventy five percent positions together with men.


Alor further disclosed that out of the ten five ambassadorial positions
allotted to government of Southern Sudan last year following the
signing of the CPA on 9th January 2005, all positions were occupied by
men except for those nominated individuals who failed to take up their
appointments for the best reasons known to them.


He advised all aspiring Southern Sudanese women for ambassadorial
positions should be more articulated in presenting issues of Southern
Sudan and of the whole Sudan wherever they are going to be posted.


Samon Kwaje, minister of agriculture and forestry of southern sudan
stated that the twenty five percent women’s mandatory positions at all
level of governments in Southern Sudan have been fairly fulfilled by
both governments of Southern Sudan and of national unity in Khartoum.


However he noted that out of 24 executive positions in GoSS only three
went to women and also out of ten governors of southern Sudan only one
female governor, two deputies Governors, one undersecretary, short of
twenty five percent with exception of 21 female Directors Generals in
various ministries of the government of Southern Sudan are fairly
allocated.


Meanwhile the director for Peace and Security of African Union
Commission, Geofrey Mugmya, announced that African Union commission
will soon open its liaison office in Juba to enable the commission to
observe and monitor implementation of the CPA; adding that within the
commission there will be a gender officer who will be directly dealing
with problems facing Southern Sudanese women especially in regard to
linkage with outside world.


(ST)