[ Home ] [ Speeches & statements ]

30 March 2008

South African Foreign Minister, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma will today, Sunday, 30 March 2008 depart for Khartoum, Sudan where she will lead an African Union Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development Committee Ministerial meeting to Khartoum and Juba scheduled from 31 March to 2 April 2008.

The afore-mentioned Ministerial Committee is composed of Foreign Ministers of Algeria, Gabon, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and the Sudan.

Minister Dlamini Zuma will lead this delegation of Foreign Ministers to Sudan within the context of South Africa position's as Chair of the African Union (AU) Ministerial Committee on Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development in the Sudan.

The AU Ministerial Committee for the Post Conflict Reconstruction and Development in the Sudan was mandated by the AU Summit of Heads of State and Government in July 2003 to:

* assess the needs and the magnitude of post conflict challenges in Sudan
* mobilise, as broadly as possible, African support for post conflict reconstruction and development in Sudan; and
* sensitise the international community about the magnitude of post-conflict reconstruction in Sudan and mobilise their support accordingly.

In June 2004, an African Union Assessment Mission to the Sudan identified the following priorities for post conflict reconstruction:

* the imperative to focus on the needs of vulnerable groups
* disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration
* primary health care, including the immunisation of children and maternal health
* de-mining; and
* support for civil society.

Accordingly, this session of the AU Ministerial Commission on Post Conflict Reconstruction and Development in Sudan Committee meeting is expected to:

* assess progress on the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA); and
* brief the Sudanese authorities on their assessment of the implementation of the CPA.

Minister Dlamini Zuma is expected to return to South Africa on Wednesday, 2 April 2008 ahead of the South Africa–Democratic Republic of Congo Binational Commission where she will support President Thabo Mbeki.

Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development Projects Currently Underway

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on development assistance for policing in the Sudan was signed in May 2007 and fact-finding mission to the Sudan (Khartoum, Southern Sudan and Darfur) was undertaken by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the South African Police Service (SAPS) in December 2007. The next step is to convene a meeting between SAPS and the Sudan Police (both North and South) to develop a business plan for the implementation of the training.

The implementation of the DFA-Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS)-University of South Africa (UNISA) Capacity and Institution Building Project for Southern Sudan is proceeding according to plan. To date, 16 training programmes have been implemented and 804 GOSS Officials have been trained. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Unisa undertook an assessment mission to Southern Sudan in September 2007 to align the project with new priorities and to assess the training facility that has been made available by the GOSS in order to conduct some of the training in Southern Sudan.

The United Nations and Partners Work Plan for Sudan for 2008 were launched in Geneva on 11 December 2007. The amount requested was US$2,29 billion, of which US$1,8 billion is for humanitarian assistance, US$686 million for early recovery and US$425 million for recovery and development. Secured funds are at US $450 million.

The Common Humanitarian Fund and the Central Emergency Response Fund continue to support emergency humanitarian needs throughout the Sudan, in particular in Southern Sudan and Darfur. The United Nations (UN) is in the process of finalising the UN Development Assistance Framework, which outlines a longer-term plan for recovery and development throughout the Sudan and in line with the five-year strategic plan of the government of the Sudan.

Enquiries:
Ronnie Mamoepa
Cell: 082 990 4853

Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
30 March 2008