During his stay in Khartoum, Solheim met with Vice President Ali Osman Taha, as well as Presidential Adviser Salah Gosh, Minister of Energy and Mining Zubeir and State Minister for International Co-operation Niamlol Waksom. He also met with Abyei Administrator Deng Arop before travelling to Abyei on 20 January.
In Abyei, Minister Solheim met with representatives of the Misseriya and Ngok Dinka, as well as the Abyei Area Administration and UN officials. The question of the status of Abyei remains one of the foremost difficulties of the CPA implementation.
During his visit in Juba from 21 to 22 January, Minister Solheim met with President of South Sudan, Salva Kiir, with whom he discussed the challenges of the April election. The meeting also addressed the implications of the South Sudan referendum in 2011. Solheim emphasized the urgency of having post-2011 discussions on post-referendum arrangements and offered Norwegian assistance in such negotiations. While in Juba, Solheim also met with a number of ministers of the Government of South Sudan and attended a meeting with teachers and students at Juba University. In the meeting with the students Solheim highlighted the significant role played by the youth in facilitating social change and community development.
Minister Solheim noted that the most imminent and challenging issues facing the stakeholders in Sudan are embedded in disagreement over border demarcations and wealth sharing, particularly in the petroleum sector. Nonetheless Minister Solheim noted that there is room for optimism and referred to the willingness of the parties to openly discuss Southern secession.
The visit of the Norwegian minister to Sudan reaffirms the Norwegian commitment to assisting in the successful implementation of the CPA, and the long-term Norwegian engagement in aiding Sudanese progress.