UN special envoy to South Sudan addresses political parties
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August 4, 2011 (JUBA) – The newly appointed UN special envoy to the
Republic of South Sudan, Hilde Johnson, briefed the political parties
on the roles her multi-purpose mission will play in the new nation at
a meeting in Juba on Thursday.
JPEG - 73.6 kb
UN SG special envoy, Hilde Johnson, briefing leaders of political
parties in the presence of South Sudan VP, Riek Machar, Juba (ST)
Johnson was appointed as special envoy to South Sudan by UN secretary
general, Ban Ki Moon, following the independence of the region on 9
July. She previously held the post of Minister for International
Development in Norway.
She was involved in the North-South Sudan peace negotiations in Kenya in 2005.
On Thursday in Juba she held her first joint meeting with leaders of
the various political parties in South Sudan, with the participation
of the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), during which
she briefed them about her new mandate.
In the meeting which was moderated by Vice President and SPLM deputy
chairperson, Riek Machar, Johnson said her role will include rendering
support on issues to do with security, development, institutional
building, democratic development and transformation of the “political
equation” in South Sudan.
She said these will include issues to do with the rule of law,
justice, diversity and inclusiveness in nation-building as well as
constitutional process and the upcoming elections after the four year
transitional period.
The special envoy said she will also mobilise donors to support South
Sudan and supervise the activities of the various UN humanitarian
agencies working on the ground.
Johnson who said she was inspired by the frankness in the expression
of views by the leaders at the meeting, adding that open disagreement
expressed in peaceful political debate was healthy.
At the meeting leaders of opposition political parties criticised the
ruling party, the SPLM, for allegedly reneging on the resolutions
passed in a conference held in October 2010. They said the conference
called for consensus and inclusiveness in the process of the
nation-building.
They said that the recent appointments of 66 new members to the
transformed national assembly and 30 to the council of states, did not
redress the inclusiveness issues as was agreed upon at the conference.
SPLM officials at the meeting denied the claim, saying a number of
other political parties consulted with the president and their members
were included in the national legislative body.
Vice President Machar congratulated the special envoy for her “tough”
mandate at the introductory meeting with the political parties. He
said President Kiir was in consultation with the political parties,
and have their members appointed to the two houses of parliament.
He called for cooperation between the political parties, the
government and the UN mission in the implementation of the roles
spelled out in the mandate given to the special envoy.
(ST)
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