UK appoints ambassador to Republic of South Sudan
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by Toby Collins
July 10, 2011 (LONDON) – On 9 July the UK government appointed
Alastair McPhail as ambassador to the newly independent Republic of
South Sudan.
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UK’s new ambassador to the Republis of South Sudan, Alistair McPhail (bargenews)
On 9 July the Republic of South Sudan was established, after the vote
carried out in January 2011 in accordance with the Comprehensive Peace
Agreement signed with North Sudan in 2005.
McPhail has been working as Consul General to South Sudan since March
2011. During the 2004-2005 period he was UK Special Representative for
Sudan and during 2002-2004 Head of Sudan Unit in the Foreign and
Commonwealth Office.
The British diplomat attended every round of the negotiations on the
Comprehensive Peace Agreement from the first session at Machakos to
the final session at Naivasha.
He described the upgrading of the mission to an embassy as “a key step
in strengthening the relationship between our two nations. I look
forward to the years ahead”.
“We are committed to supporting the peaceful and prosperous
development of the new country. We already make substantial
contributions to the UN mission here, and UKAid, from the Department
for International Development, provides a great deal of development
support across a range of sectors,” said McPhail on his official blog.
The ambassador said the UK “will support South Sudan’s membership of
the Commonwealth and other international organisations.”
However, he was keen to stress that, “the international community will
help you but, as an independent country, the primary responsibility
will be yours. Accept it - with enthusiasm. You have talented people
and untapped resources. Use them. Your friends stand ready to do all
we can. Let us.”
Nicholas Kay, who previously responsible for South Sudan from the
Khartoum embassy is now responsible for a significantly smaller
country said on his blog that the UK is “ready for a new future in
Sudan,” and described McPhail as his “excellent colleague in Juba”.
At the independence day celebrations the UK’s foreign secretary,
William Hague, said the UK Government stands with the people of South
Sudan "as they seek a future of stability and prosperity" and will use
its “enhanced diplomatic presence” to work alongside the South
Sudanese people and to meet their aspirations.
By UN standards South Sudan will be one of the world’s poorest
countries but it has an abundance of natural resources. Taking
advantage of these resources and diplomacy to settle the remaining
issues with North Sudan will be significant challenges facing the
Republic of South Sudan for which the international community are in a
position to offer much needed assistance.
(ST)
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