Conflict complicates S. Sudans EAC entry

Bavaria · 2014-07-23T13:03:07+00:00

Conflict complicates S. Sudans EAC entry Share Bookmark Print Email Rating President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete congratulates the first South Sudan Republic President General Salva Kiir in Juba for the countrys attainment of independence. PHOTO I FILE By By Zephania Ubwani Political Platform Reporter Posted Wednesday, July 23 2014 at 12:13 In Summary South Sudan, applied to join EAC on June 10th, 2011, a month before it gained independence. A verification committee from Arusha visited the country in July 2012 with the aim of establishing Jubas conformity with the admission criteria. Arusha. South Sudans bid to join the East African Community (EAC) is on scrutiny again after it was put on hold for some time. A high-powered delegation led by the EAC secretary general Dr. Richard Sezibera was in Juba, the capital of the strife-torn country, recently to evaluate the situation on the ground. The worlds newest nation, which gained independence in July 2011, has been plunged into bloody internal conflict since December last year when the eagerly-awaited negotiations were about to start. The war, pitting the government forces loyal to President Silva Kiir and rebels aligned to the former Vice President Dr. Riek Machar, has claimed tens of hundreds of lives and hundreds of thousands displaced from their homes. The EAC secretariat said in a statement that its high level technical mission was in Juba to have a better understanding of South Sudans preparations to join the bloc. The Arusha team was there also to provide Juba government officials with valuable guidance on the way forward for their countrys negotiations to accede to the EAC. The purpose of our mission is basically to share with the government on what needs to be done as the country (South Sudan) prepares to start negotiations to join EAC Dr. Sezibera told journalists in Juba on Tuesday last week. He added that the technical team from the Arusha-based Secretariat would brief ministers and high level technocrats there on the modalities of EAC accession process. President Kiir has appointed his minister for Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjamin and the minister for Finance and Economic Planning Aggrey Tisa Sabuni to spearhead the process. The negotiation process will be quite tedious, involving and calls for diplomacy, Dr. Sezibera said, adding that the bloc has confidence that the two ministers will handle the process with their usual commitment to the continued success of EAC-South Sudan engagement. He reassured the Vice President James Wani Igga and other senior government officials in Juba that the Community was committed to work closely with the government of South Sudan to ensure smooth negotiation process. He challenged the media there that they have a sterling role to get the country to embrace regional integration with passion, dedication and commitment for the benefit of the present and future generations. South Sudan, applied to join EAC on June 10th, 2011, a month before it gained independence. A verification committee from Arusha visited the country in July 2012 with the aim of establishing Jubas conformity with the admission criteria. Based on recommendation of the report by the Verification Committee, the EAC Heads of State Summit in November 2012 directed the Council of Ministers to negotiate the admission of South Sudan into the bloc. In November 2013, a High Level Mission from Juba, comprising ten ministers, the deputy Speaker and other senior officials, was at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha to express the countrys readiness to start negotiations. However, a month later the country was plunged into deep crisis after fighting broke out following alleged coup attempts by forces loyal to the outsted vice president Dr. Machar. A Summit of the EAC Heads of State held in Arusha end of last April resolved that the process to admit South Sudan into the bloc be postponed to September or October this year. That would allow Juba to undertake national preparations and consultations. Both sides of the warring parties in the conflict were urged to resolve their differences peacefully. Conflict complicates S. Sudanâs EAC entry - Political Reforms - thecitizen.co.tz

Thread starter Bavaria
Start date Jul 23, 2014

Bavaria

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Conflict complicates S. Sudans EAC entry