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ADDIS ABABA - 10 Oct 2012

AU Statement on Aid Access to South Kordofan, Blue Nile

The African Union High Implementation Panel issued the below statement by e-mail this morning explaining the status of ongoing negotiations on aid access to South Kordofan and Blue Nile states. The statement refers to the 'Tripartite Initiative' of the African Union, League of Arab States and United Nations:

Statement

On the implementation of the Tripartite Initiative

The Tripartite Partners and the Sudanese Government held a series of meetings at the level of both the Coordination and the Technical Committees to adopt the necessary steps towards the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two sides on 5 August 2012.

The meetings concluded, and at the request of the Sudanese Government, that the Tripartite Partners would prepare an Action Plan for needs assessment and distribution of humanitarian aid to war-affected civilians in the South Kordofan and Blue Nile States. The Plan, which was communicated to the government on 8 October 2012, is based on data and information provided by the Sudanese Government.

Based on the Plan, and once the Government’s final views with regard to it are obtained, it is expected that the Tripartite Partners will proceed within the framework of coordination and consultation with the Sudanese Government for  the immediate implementation on the ground.

On the other hand, and within the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding, signed on 4 August 2012, between the Tripartite Partners and the SPLM-North, the Tripartite Partners went through simultaneous contacts with the SPLM-North to inform them of what has been reached and to seek their views in this regard.

In fact, the Tripartite Partners have endeavoured for approximately ten days, through multiple channels of communications, to obtain the views and observations of the SPLM-North.

The Tripartite Partners look forward to getting the SPLM/North’s response to their request by indicating its views and observations, at the earliest time. Taking into consideration the humanitarian situation of the war affected civilians in both states, which cannot tolerate any delays, the option for immediate commencement of the implementation of the Action Plan in the locations where the Government confirmed its ability to secure the distribution and assessment teams, strongly presents itself. There remains, once the views and observations of the SPLM-N are received, the need to secure the teams that will operate in areas under its control.

The implementation of the assessment and distribution plan requires a commitment towards a cease-fire and a cessation of hostilities from both sides, as provided for in the two Memoranda of Understanding. This is a requirement necessitated by the humanitarian situation in the two states that would promote the achievements arrived at on 27 September 2012, in Addis Ababa, as a result of the last round of negotiations between Sudan and South Sudan. These positive outcomes have encouraged the Partners to appeal to both sides and urge them to take a positive decision.

Regrettably, reports of shelling the city of Kadugli, on 8 October 2012, which resulted also in a mortar shell falling in a compound occupied by the United Nations, could adversely affect the chances of activating the Tripartite Initiative on the ground and with the desired speed.