Your Excellencies
Ambassadors and High Commissioners
Representatives of the Sudan Government of National Unity and the Government of South Sudan
Vice Chancellor, Professor Barney Pityana
Deans and Representatives of the University of South Africa
Representatives of International Organisations
Distinguished scholars
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen
May I start by expressing my gratitude for the honour bestowed on me to deliver an opening address on this momentous occasion, which seeks to project the future of the Sudan against the backdrop of the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement which was signed in January 2005.
Let me take this opportunity to thank the University of South Africa (UNISA) for this noble idea of organising such a Conference and for bringing us together at this critical juncture in the history of the Sudan. While the first Conference of this kind was held prior to the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in 2004, Republic of South Africa and UNISA, in particular, must be proud to host this second conference.
Unisa is well-placed to host such a distinguished Conference. It is the only South African university to establish a campus in the Horn of Africa, located in Addis Ababa. It is one of the rare South African universities which has specialist courses on the Horn of Africa and scholars who have produced books on the Horn, scholars such as Prof. Ali Mazrui, has bestowed the accolade of 'a major scholarly success'. Another well-known scholar Prof. Hussein Adam, founder of the Somali Studies International Association, has described the work of a Unisa scholar on the Horn of Africa as 'highly-original' and 'breath-taking'.
I must say from the onset Sudan is important to both South Africa and the Continent not only because it is the biggest country in the continent, but it also shares borders with nine countries. Therefore whatever happens in the Sudan automatically has an impact in the nine countries and the entire Horn of the African region. The onus is upon us to provide conditions for a stable Sudan that will eventually have a positive impact on its people and its neighbours.
South Africa's focus and efforts have been driven by the desire to see peace, security and stability on the African continent and the Sudan has been one of our main priorities in this regard. The ruling party at its Polokwane national Conference and government gave particular focus to the situation in the Sudan. Many of my comrades still recall the pivotal role the Sudanese played in extending support to us against the apartheid government. Most of our leaders carried Sudanese passports during a difficult epoch of our struggle for an inclusive, non-racial and non-sexist South Africa.
Many of you will also recall the historic role of another son of the Horn of Africa. Ambassador Abby Farah, a Somali diplomat from the port city of Berbera, directed the United Nations Centre against apartheid and during a crucial period of 1989 led a United Nations Security Council delegation to South Africa. We applaud the courageous efforts of the numerous sons and daughters from the Horn of Africa.
This Conference provides us at this critical juncture with an opportunity to examine the possible future of the Sudan taking into consideration that in a few months time, April 2010 the Sudan will hold elections and thereafter South Sudan will hold a Referendum in 2011. Both these events are of profound importance to South Africa and the continent at large, as they will determine what kind of Sudan we will eventually have. Having said that, I must emphasise that it is only the people of the Sudan who can determine their destiny and not us as the international community. Our role is to provide support to the Sudanese, as our sisters and brothers. The recent October 2009 visit of Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe and myself was precisely to fulfil that objective, under the express instructions of President Jacob Zuma.
South Africa has not waited for the above events to take place; we have been very active in the Post Conflict Reconstruction and Development of the Sudan and continue tirelessly with these efforts. You would all be aware that, South Africa, the Government of South Sudan (GOSS) and the University of South Africa launched a Capacity and Institution Building Project in February 2005 for Southern Sudan. To date, more than 1 000 GOSS officials have been trained. The training project is about to enter into its third phase. The University of South Africa needs to be commended for the hard work and efforts towards achieving the objectives of the Capacity and Institution Building Project since its inception in 2005.
In an effort to make a contribution towards peace and stability in Sudan, the ruling party in South Africa has established relationships with the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) and the National Communication Partnership (NCP) and continue to find ways to engage parties involved in the Darfur conflict.
It is encouraging to see the progress that has been made since the CPA was signed in 2005. In this regard I would like to highlight the acceptance of the recent ruling regarding the status of Abyei by the International Court of Arbitration as well as the negotiations between the NCP and SPLM around the modalities of the 2011 Referendum. Despite some setbacks, talks are continuing to address the challenges faced by the parties towards the full implementation of the CPA. It is hoped that these talks will yield results that will benefit the people of the Sudan in the end.
As Africans and as the international community, it is our responsibility to provide guidance and support to the Sudan as they prepare for the April 2010 elections. The South African government has pledged to assist the Sudan in preparation for these elections. At present, we are in the process of assembling an electoral assistance package in the run up to the 2010 elections and we are also following the developments around the referendum.
The South African government is dedicated to fulfilling its vision of an "African continent which is prosperous, peaceful, democratic, non-racial, non-sexist, united and which contributes to a world which is just and equitable". The interaction in forums like these with academics, intellectuals and scholars to discuss and provide options to the resolutions of the issues occupying our continent and its people is a step forward in achieving this vision. This conference could not have come at a more critical time in the history of the Sudan as it is about to hold elections on April 2010 and a referendum in January 2011.
As the Conference continues it will be essential to find common ground with regards to issues pertaining to the CPA, its achievements and challenges; the situation in Darfur and how it can be resolved, the upcoming elections, issues of viable statehood and nation-building as well as regional and international correlations and dimensions of the Sudan situation. I would like to urge you to assess among others the role that the African Union, the Arab League as well as the entire international community can play in resolving the crisis in Darfur and acceptance of the outcome of the elections and the referendum.
It is encouraging to note that there is so much interest to resolve the situation in the Sudan and that the Sudanese people themselves are keen to have peace and stability in their country, the region and the continent. Without peace, no real stability can be achieved. Without peace, there can be no meaningful cooperation and without peace, the vision of a prosperous continent cannot be realised.
I am confident that this conference will make an attempt to 'awake' via the various research papers and talks our 'unsuspected powers' and will provide an 'amazing' and 'responsible' outlook for the future of Sudan and its people, the region and the whole of Africa. As the recently released African Union High Level Panel report puts it "The Sudan nation is a microcosm of Africa's people with their diverse and multiple identities and is a meeting place for Africans from across the continent, who have converged on Sudan from north, south, east and west, over past centuries. Sudan is a bridge between North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa." It therefore leaves all of us with no choice but to assume fair leadership and resolve the challenges facing the people of Sudan as this will have a positive impact on all Africans.
Moreover, I am curious to know how many of you will unpack the debate Prof. Mahmoud Mamdani unleashed in his recent book, Saviours and Survivors, which I am glad to learn has also been published in South Africa. Of particular focus, is his claim in the last line of his book, where he states: 'In its present form, the call for justice is really a slogan that masks a big power agenda to recolonise Africa' (p.300). In this respect, I am sure many of you in the coming days will grapple with the imperatives of justice and reconciliation.
On another note, I am also aware of the growing role of religion in Sudan and in global politics. Recently, The Chief Whip of the majority party in Parliament, Dr Mathole Motshekga, met delegates from Sudan's National Assembly and the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly in Parliament, Cape Town. I will be amiss not to mention the religious factor, which also needs to be interrogated and discussed. I quote from Dr. Mathole Motshekga's statement of 28 October 2009.
"Mindful that the unstable political situation in Sudan is, amongst other things, brought by religious intolerance, the meeting agreed that in addition to the current political interventions South Africa is advancing in Sudan, it was also necessary that our country's religious community play an active role in fostering peace and reconciliation, particularly in the critical period leading to the scheduled Sudanese national elections.
It was agreed that Sudan's Peace and Reconciliation Committee, which is located within both the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly and the National Assembly, will consider urgent engagement with interfaith forums such as our Parliament's Interfaith Group and other extra Parliamentary bodies such as the National Interfaith Leadership Council (NILC). Further inter parliamentary interactions in this regard are important.’
In conclusion, I wish you fruitful discussions and I look forward to following your deliberations. On behalf of the South African Government, I wish to, once again, thank the University of South Africa and its partners, who were involved in the planning and coordination of this Conference.
I hope to see many of you again and invite you to join us, when we host a proudly African Soccer World Cup in June 2010. Working together, we can build a better Africa and a better tomorrow.
Thank you very much and as the Sudanese say in Arabic, Shukran. I thank you for your attention.
Issued by: The Presidency
25 November 2009
