AU pledges to be first to recognise independence
AU Preliminary Statement on the referendum process, 16 January 2011
The Chairperson of the African Union (AU), Bingu Wa Mutharika, who is also the President of Malawi, has pledged to recognise the independence of Southern Sudan if the referendum results are declared in favour of separation. "South Sudan is a baby of the African Union, so I don’t know how a parent can have a baby and waits for someone else to tell him that you have a baby,” Mutharika said, adding that it would be sad if the new nation followed the way of some other African nations.
Speaking to the press at the Govnernment of Southern Sudan (GoSS) Presidential Palace in Juba, he stated: Surely it will be useful for us to be the first to recognise the existence of South Sudan and then let the others follow,” he stated.
Bingu Wa MutharikaThe AU chairperson flew from Ivory Coast to Khartoum on Wednesday to discuss with President Omar Al Bashir the successful conduct of the referendum and the Darfur conflict, before flying on to Juba to meet with GoSS President Salva Kiir. In Juba he said he was to be briefed by Kiir on what happened in the referendum and his expectations afterwards. From Juba he proceeded on to Addis Ababa for the AU session.
Mutharika also pledged to assist Southern Sudan in the event of independence. Assuming that you the people of Southern Sudan vote for independence, there will be a lot of challenges of making a new state, and this requires the role of the African Union and the international community to come in because we must put in place mechanisms to make sure that your government starts functioning as quick as possible,” he said. He cited challenges such as road infrastructure, schools, hospitals and agricultural facilities to ensure food security.
"South Sudan is not a poor state, it has resources."
Southern Sudan lacks infrastructure - most of the roads outside Juba are in poor condition. States and counties that produce food, like Kajo-Keji, struggle to transport it to Juba. The country relies heavily on imported food commodities and other consumer goods. Food prices are already sky-rocketing in Juba and currently there is a shortage of petrol in the town. SUDANVOTES spoke to some motorbike taxi riders, commonly know as 'boda-bodas', who said a liter of petrol that used to cost three Sudanese pounds is already at seven pounds.
In addition there is a shortage of schools and an increasing number of returnees. Those who can afford it send their children for education to neighbouring countries like Kenya and Uganda, where schools have started taking students for the new academic year 2011.
USIP report: Secession and Precedent in Sudan and Africa
The AU Chairperson called for a concerted effort to tackle the problems: "These challenges are not challenges beyond our capacity to handle, they can and will be handled, but we need cooperation. South Sudan is not a poor state, it has resources, the people may be poor but we can turn the resources we have and reverse the situation,” he said.
He also pledged to continue to be engaged in Southern Sudan even after handing the AU chair to his successor next week. As far as I’m concerned, I will continue to be engaged to find the best way forward for the people of Sudan,” he said, adding that he will still remain the rapporteur for twelve months after handing the chair to another African head of state.
