The United Nations panel tasked with monitoring the forthcoming
referenda on the self-determination of Southern Sudan arrived in
Khartoum today for a series of meetings with officials involved in
preparations and other key stakeholders.
It is the panel's third visit to Sudan since October and members are
scheduled to hold meetings with senior officials from the Government
of Sudan, the Government of Southern Sudan, the Southern Sudan
Referendum Commission (SSRC), international and domestic observer
groups, as well as and diplomats.
"The process of voter registration for the Southern Sudan referendum
that just concluded was transparent and largely peaceful and orderly,"
said Benjamin Mkapa, the chair of the panel and a former President of
Tanzania, upon his arrival in Khartoum.
"Momentum is building towards the vote on 9 January and preparations
remain on course. Now we are in the exhibi
tions and appeals period, which is an important phase in the process,
but we hope it can be concluded speedily and the vote can take place
on time in a peaceful and successful manner," he said.
The panel is playing a good offices role on behalf of
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to strengthen confidence in the
Sudanese-led referenda process, and to encourage the parties and
relevant authorities to resolve any significant problems or disputes
as they emerge.
The people of Southern Sudan will vote on whether the south should
secede from the rest of the country, while the final status of Abyei
will be determined in a separate vote, as set out in the 2005
Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) which ended two decades of war
between the north and the south.
Mr. Ban formed the panel after the parties to the CPA requested a UN
monitoring body to help enhance the credibility of the referenda and
ensure the acceptance of their result by their constituencies and the
international community.
Aside fr
om Mr. Mkapa, the panel's other members are António Monteiro, a former
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Portugal, and Bhojraj Pokharel, a
former Chairman of the Election Commission of Nepal.
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