NEWS

WIRES

OTHER

Joint Statement by the Witnesses of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement

Following is the text of a joint statement by the witnesses of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.

We, the countries and organizations that witnessed the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005, welcome the conclusion of the Southern Sudan referendum and the announcement of the final result by the Southern Sudan Referendum Commission on February 7, 2011.

We congratulate the parties to the CPA and the Southern Sudan Referendum Commission on a successful referendum process, and we welcome the acceptance of the result by the Government of Sudan. We have noted the positive statements by international and domestic observers which confirm that the referendum was credible, peaceful, and met international standards. We have also taken note of the statement by the UN Secretary General's High Level Monitoring Panel on January 16 that the process allowed the people of Southern Sudan to express their will freely. In view of these assessments, we confirm our acceptance of the result of the referendum in favor of the secession of Southern Sudan.

We commend both CPA parties for the leadership they have demonstrated. We call on them to redouble their efforts to reach agreement on the outstanding CPA and post-referendum issues, with the facilitation of the AU High-Level Implementation Panel. The status of Abyei must be resolved in a way that respects the rights and interests of affected populations. Popular consultations in Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan states should also be conducted in a timely and inclusive manner. The demarcation of the common border and the status of disputed areas should be settled. Finally, we urge the parties to continue to work together in the remaining months of the CPA to put in place arrangements on security, citizenship, international treaties, economics, a soft border and natural resources which provide the basis for two stable, secure, and economically prosperous states living in peace with one another and their neighbors.

We emphasize our commitment to the establishment of long term peace, security and prosperity for all of the peoples of Sudan. As witnesses to the CPA, we recognize the critical importance of continued close cooperation between Northern and Southern Sudan and we underline our willingness to continue to provide international support to this end.

African Union

United States of America

Source: U.S. Department of State