One hopes that this will not just be another agreement to add to the
list of "Too many agreements dishonoured".

John

BEGIN

1. Sudan, S.Sudan sign security pact to defuse tensions

Fri Feb 10, 2012 10:24pm GMT
By Aaron Maasho

ADDIS ABABA Feb 10 (Reuters) - Sudan and South Sudan on Friday signed
a security agreement which aims to defuse tensions over oil payments
which officials had warned could spark a war between the two
countries.

Landlocked South Sudan took three-quarters of Sudan's oil production
-- the lifeline of both economies -- but needs to sell its crude
through northern export facilities.

Both countries have failed to agree on a transit pipeline fee. Juba
shut down last month its entire oil output after Khartoum started
seizing southern oil as compensation for what it calls unpaid fees.

Sudan's President Omar Hassan al-Bashir warned last week that the
tensions with South Sudan, which became independent in July, could
lead to war between the two countries.

Former South African President Thabo Mbeki, who has been trying to
mediate an end to the tensions, said the deal was a "non-aggression
pact" aimed at avoiding any armed conflict.

"This deal addresses those issues," Mbeki told reporters when asked
whether the agreement would defuse the threat of war.

The security agreement, brokered by the African Union in Addis Ababa,
said the two sides agree to "respect each other's sovereignty and
territorial integrity, non-interference in internal affairs, rejection
of the use of force, equality and mutual benefit; and peaceful
coexistence".

Apart from oil, Sudan and South Sudan need to find a solution to the
disputed border region of Abyei and to mark the joint border. Both
countries often accuse each other of supporting rebels on the other's
territory.       (Reporting by Aaron Maasho; Writing by Ulf Laessing)

http://af.reuters.com/article/sudanNews/idAFL5E8DACNA20120210

END1

2. Khartoum and Juba sign non-aggression pact

February 10, 2012 (KHARTOUM) – The governments of Sudan and South
Sudan have signed a non-aggression treaty in the Ethiopian capital
that is hoped to de-escalate growing tensions between the neighbouring
states.

The chairman of the African Union High Level Implementation Panel
(AUHIP) Thabo Mbeki said that the accord also provides for a
monitoring mechanism that would look into any allegations of
violations by either side.

"In the event that there are complaints or allegations from either
side... then they should be appointed to the joint mechanism," Mbeki
told reporters according to Agence France Presse (AFP).

The deal was signed by the head of South Sudan’s intelligence bureau,
Thomas Douth, and Sudan’s director of National Intelligence and
Security Services (NISS) Mohammed Atta.

In recent weeks the leaders in Khartoum and Juba have exchanged
warnings of possible outbreak of war particularly as the long standing
dispute over oil showed no sign of easing.

Last month, South Sudan suspended its oil production in retaliation to
a decision by Khartoum to seize part of its crude exported through the
north’s pipelines to satisfy what it claims to be financial arrears.

On top of that, the two countries accuse each other of supporting
rebel groups fighting their respective governments.

In particular Khartoum lodged complaints with the United Nations
Security Council (UNSC) detailing support it claims Juba gives to the
Sudan People’s Liberation Movement North (SPLM-N) fighting the
Sudanese army in the border states of Blue Nile and South Kordofan.

There have been several reports of aerial bombardments by Sudan Armed
Forces (SAF) inside the borders of South Sudan in the last few months.

According to the pact, the two sides agreed to "respect for each
other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity" and to "refrain from
launching any attack, including bombardment".

Mbeki urged both sides to ensure Friday’s peace deal is adhered to.

"We are very serious... it is the responsibility of both sides to act
now," he said.

It remains to be seen whether the agreement will produce any change on
the ground or tone down rhetoric from officials in the two countries.

Since its inception in October 2009, the AUHIP has worked tirelessly
to help Khartoum and Juba sort out their post-secession contentious
issues such as oil, borders, Abyei, national debt and citizenship.

But so far little progress has been made on resolving these items.
Last June, the Sudanese President Omer Hassan al-Bashir even scrapped
an AUHIP brokered framework agreement his assistant signed relating to
the conflict in South Kordofan.

Furthermore, another accord on Abyei crafted by Mbeki’s panel faced
difficulties in implementation after Khartoum later attached
conditions to fully withdrawing its troops from the disputed region.

In New York, the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon warned
Friday that tensions between the two nations could escalate if
outstanding issues are not resolved, urging peace and reaching
agreements on all issues.

"The moment has come for the leaders of both countries to make the
necessary compromises... that will guarantee a peaceful and prosperous
future for both nations," he said in a statement.

(ST) http://www.sudantribune.com/Khartoum-and-Juba-sign-non,41574

END2

3. Full text of Memorandum of Understanding on Non-aggression and
Coopeartion - attached.

4. Record of Decisions - Meeting of Joint Political and Security
Mechanism (JPSM) - attached.

5. PRESS RELEASE

THE AFRICAN UNION WELCOMES THE SIGNING OF A MEMORANDUM OF
UNDERSTANDING ON NON-AGGRESSION AND COOPERATION BETWEEN SUDAN AND
SOUTH SUDAN

Addis Ababa, 11 February 2012: The Chairperson of the Commission of
the African Union (AU), Jean Ping, welcomes the signing of a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Non‐ Aggression and Cooperation
between the Government of the Republic of Sudan (GoS) and the
Government of the Republic of South Sudan (GoRSS) at the Joint
Political and Security Mechanism (JPSM) meeting held in Addis Ababa,
on 10 February 2012. The JPSM also agreed to a number of other
decisions regarding security relations between the two countries and
along their common border.

The MoU was signed by 1st Lt. Gen. Mohamed Atta Elmula Abass, Director
General for National Intelligence and Security Services, on behalf of
the GoS, and Major General Thomas Duoth Guet, Director General for
General Intelligence Bureau, on behalf of the GoRSS, in the presence
of the Chairperson of the AU High‐Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP),
former President Thabo Mbeki.

The JPSM was established in 2011, as the first inter‐governmental
mechanism between the Sudan and the newly‐independent Republic of
South Sudan. Meeting at ministerial level, it addresses security
concerns between the two countries in order to foster confidence and
reduce the likelihood of security issues escalating into conflict.
This was the second time the JPSM had met.

The MoU on Non‐Aggression and Cooperation includes a commitment by the
two states to respect each other’s sovereignty and territorial
integrity, a commitment to non‐interference in the internal affairs of
the other state and the rejection of the use of force, as well as a
commitment to equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence.
In the context of the heightened tension between the two countries,
the Chairperson of the Commission stresses that the speedy and full
implementation of the MoU will make a significant contribution to
promoting peace and reducing the likelihood of conflict.In addition to
the MoU, the two states also adopted a number of decisions on steps to
reduce tension along their common border. They agreed to the immediate
activation of the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mission
(JBVMM), which would have the task of monitoring the Secure
Demilitarized Border Zone (SDBZ) between the two countries and
investigate any allegations of violation by the two states. The two
states also agreed to the establishment of mechanisms and procedures
to investigate allegations and counter‐ allegations against either
state in areas beyond the border. Furthermore, they agreed that the
next meeting of the JPSM would be held in Juba on 8 March 2012.

The Chairperson of the Commission would like to recall that the JPSM
is not the only inter‐ state mechanism between the two states that is
working to reduce tension between them. The Abyei Joint Oversight
Committee (AJOC), which is mandated to address security matters in
Abyei as part of the Agreement on Temporary Arrangements for the
Administration and Security of the Abyei Area, also facilitated by the
AUHIP, has held three meetings to date. Together with the UN Interim
Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), the AJOC, of which the AU is a
member, has succeeded in reducing tensions in the Abyei Area. The
Chairperson calls on the international community to extend support to
the two states to facilitate the return of displaced persons to Abyei.

The Chairperson of the Commission expresses his appreciation to the
AUHIP, its Chair, former President Mbeki, its other members, former
Presidents Abdulsalami Abubakar and Pierre Buyoya, and the support
team, for their tireless work in promoting peace, prosperity and
mutual viability between Sudan and South Sudan, and in facilitating
the negotiations of all outstanding issues in their post‐secession
relations.

The Chairperson of the Commission calls on both parties to redouble
their efforts in the round of negotiations starting on 12 February
2012, to reach an agreement on all outstanding issues. He also calls
on the international community, which has provided significant support
to the efforts of the AUHIP, to continue to stand by it, as we enter
this next critical phase in the relations between the two countries.

L'UNION AFRICAINE SE FELICITE DE LA SIGNATURE D’UN PROTOCOLE D’ACCORD
DE NON-AGRESSION ET DE COOPERATION ENTRE LE SOUDAN ET LE SOUDAN DU SUD

Addis‐Abeba, le 11 février 2012: Le Président de la Commission de
l'Union africaine (UA), Jean Ping, se félicite de la signature d'un
Protocole d’accord de non‐agression et de coopération entre le
Gouvernement de la République du Soudan (GoS) et le Gouvernement de la
République du Soudan du Sud (GoRSS), lors de la réunion du Mécanisme
politique et de sécurité conjoint (JPSM) tenue à Addis Abéba, le 10
février 2012. Le JPSM est également convenu de nombre d’autres
décisions concernant les relations sécuritaires entre les deux pays et
le long de leur frontière commune.

Le Protocole d'accord a été signé par le Général de corps d’armée
Mohamed Atta Elmula Abass, Directeur général des Services nationaux de
renseignements et de sécurité, au nom du GoS, et le Général de
division Thomas Duoth Guet, Directeur général du Bureau des
renseignements, au nom du GoRSS, en présence du Président du Groupe de
mise en œuvre de haut niveau de l'UA, l'ancien Président Thabo Mbeki.

Le JPSM a été créé en 2011, comme premier mécanisme
intergouvernemental entre le Soudan et la République du Soudan du Sud
qui venait alors d’accéder à l’indépendance. Se réunissant au niveau
ministériel, il traite les questions sécuritaires entre les deux pays,
afin de favoriser la confiance et de réduire le risque de voir les
problèmes sécuritaires dégénérer en conflit. C’est la deuxième fois
que le JPSM se réunit.

Le Protocole d'accord de non‐agression et de coopération comporte un
engagement des deux Etats à respecter mutuellement leur souveraineté
et intégrité territoriale, un engagement à ne pas s’ingérer dans les
affaires intérieures de l'autre et un rejet du recours à la force, de
même qu’il réaffirme leur attachement à l’égalité, à la promotion de
relations mutuellement bénéfiques et à la coexistence pacifique. Dans
le contexte de la tension accrue entre les deux pays, le Président de
la Commission souligne que la mise en œuvre rapide et intégrale du
Protocole d'accord contribuera de manière significative à la promotion
de la paix et à la réduction du risque de conflit.

Outre le Protocole d'accord, les deux Etats ont également adopté
nombre de mesures visant à réduire la tension le long de leur
frontière commune. Ils sont convenus de l'activation immédiate de la
Mission conjointe de vérification et de surveillance des frontières
(JBVMM),qui aura pour tâche de surveiller la Zone frontalière
démilitarisée sécurisée (SDBZ) entre les deux pays et de mener des
enquêtes sur toute allégation de violation par l’une ou l’autre des
deux parties. Les deux Etats sont également convenus de mettre en
place des mécanismes et procédures d’enquête sur les allégations et
contre‐allégations de l’une ou l’autre des deux parties dans les zones
situées au‐delà de leur frontière commune. En outre, ils sont convenus
que la prochaine réunion du JPSM se tiendrait à Juba, le 8 mars 2012.

Le Président de la Commission voudrait rappeler que le JPSM n'est pas
le seul mécanisme interétatique qui œuvre à réduire la tension entre
les deux Etats. Le Comité de surveillance conjoint d'Abyei (AJOC), qui
est mandaté pour régler les questions sécuritaires à Abyei, dans le
cadre de l'Accord sur les arrangements transitoires pour
l'administration et la sécurité de la zone d'Abyei, également conclu
sous les auspices du Groupe de mise en œuvre de haut niveau de l’UA, a
tenu trois réunions à ce jour. De concert avec la Force intérimaire de
sécurité des Nations unies pour Abyei (FISNUA), l’AJOC, dont l’UA est
membre, a réussi à désamorcer la tension dans la région d'Abyei. Le
Président de la Commission exhorte la communauté internationale à
apporter un soutien aux deux Etats, afin de faciliter le retour, à
Abyei, des personnes déplacées.

Le Président de la Commission exprime sa gratitude au Groupe de mise
en œuvre de haut niveau de l’UA, à son Président, l’ancien Président
Mbeki, et à ses autres membres, les anciens Présidents Abdulsalami
Abubakar et Pierre Buyoya, ainsi qu’à l’équipe qui les appuie, pour
leur travail inlassable en vue de la promotion de la paix, de la
prospérité et de la viabilité mutuelle entre le Soudan et le Soudan du
Sud, et pour leur rôle de facilitation des négociations sur toutes les
questions pendantes dans les relations post‐sécession entre les deux
Etats.

Le Président de la Commission appelle les deux parties à redoubler
d'efforts dans le round de négociations qui commence à compter du 12
février 2012, afin de parvenir à un accord sur toutes les questions
pendantes. Il appelle également la communauté internationale, qui a
apporté un appui significatif aux efforts du Groupe de mise en œuvre
de haut niveau de l’UA, de continuer à le faire, particulièrement au
regard de cette nouvelle phase critique dans les relations entre les
deux pays.

--
Abibo Eric Ngandu
AUHIP Communications
AU Lisaison Office in Sudan (AULOS)
Tel 1: +249 955 55 72 44 (Republic of South Sudan)
Tel 2: +249 927 39 30 18 (Republic of Sudan/South Sudan)
Tel 3: +251 913 12 11 97 (Ethiopia)
Email 1: auhip.communicati...@gmail.com
Email 2: abiboericnga...@yahoo.com

END5
______________________
John Ashworth

Sudan, South Sudan Advisor

ashworth.j...@gmail.com

+254 725 926 297 (Kenya mobile)
+211 919 695 362 (South Sudan mobile)
+27 82 050 1235 (South Africa mobile)
+44 750 304 1790 (UK/international)
+88 216 4334 0735 (Thuraya satphone)

PO Box 52002 - 00200, Nairobi, Kenya

This is a personal e-mail address and the contents do not necessarily
reflect the views of any organisation

Memorandum.of.understanding.on Non.Aggression.and.Cooperation.Sudan-South.Sudan.02.10.12.pdf 2796K Download

Record.of.Decisions.Meeting.of.JPSM.02.10.12.pdf 625K Download