During his visit in Khartoum, the Foreign Minister met with Presidential Advisors Mustafa Ismail Osman and Nafie Ali Nafie, Foreign Minister Deng Alor, Minister of Energy and Mining Ahmed al-Hassan Zubeir and Sayed Al Khatib before travelling to Higlig. The Minister made clear Norway’s longstanding support to Sudan and highlighted the urgency of agreement between the Parties on the format for negotiations on post-2011 issues.
In Higlig, South Kordofan, Minister Støre met with representatives from the Ministry of Energy and Mining to discuss the management of Sudan’s oil reserves and the Norwegian contribution to capacity building and technical assistance in the petroleum sector. Minister Støre highlighted that the oil resources are limited if no new fields are discovered in the near future, and noted that there is a great need to develop other economic sectors. The Minister reaffirmed Norwegian commitments to support the Sudanese petroleum sector and expressed a willingness to expand our assistance to the wider energy sector, including support to capacity building in the years to come.
While in Akobo, Jonglei, the Minister met with the local authorities, ICRC and WFP as well as representatives of Norwegian Peoples Aid and visited a local hospital. The Minister stressed that Norway is concerned that the humanitarian situation in South Sudan, in particular the draught and the escalated food scarcity, may contribute to destabilisation in vulnerable areas. Støre emphasized that the UN is an important coordinator of the humanitarian response, including the process of stabilisation and protection. Norway has therefore already responded to the UN Humanitarian Appeal with an additional contribution earmarked the food crises for 2010.
In Juba Minsiter Støre met H.E. Salva Kiir, First Vice President of the Republic of Sudan and President of the Government of Southern Sudan, H.E. Dr Riek Machar, Vice President of Southern Sudan, Minister for Energy and Mining John Luk and SPLM Secretary General Pagan Amum. In South Sudan, the Minister stressed that Norway will engage in the broader planning on how development partners can play a supportive role for South Sudan’s future growth strategy and fight against poverty. Norway will continue to be a long-term partner in capacity and state building in the South, the Minister avowed.
Meeting with government representatives in the North and the South, the Minister emphasized that time is of essence with regards to discussions on outstanding CPA and post-referendum issues. This will entail an inclusive agreement that addresses the concerns of each side, and that lay the framework for good relations in the future – irrespective of the outcome of the referendum. Lessons learned from the experiences of the elections and of the National Election Commission should be drawn upon to secure a credible and transparent referendum process. These lessons are not simply about process, but also about the internal functioning of the commissions themselves. The Minister was encouraged to hear that the Presidency will meet soon and appoint the referendum commissions for Southern Sudan and Abyei and highlighted that it is imperative that they set to work immediately, in close cooperation with the UN. Norway will contribute 5 mill US dollars (NOK 30 mill) to the technical preparations of the referendum.