Egypt, Libya Leaders in Sudan for Talks

Khartoum, Sudan

The leaders of Libya and Egypt are in the neighbouring Sudanese capital, Khartoum to hold talks with President Omar Al-Bashir and first Vice President Salva Kiir on the upcoming referendum on south’s independence.

 Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi are in Sudan to help build strong ties between the two regions and discuss possible impacts of southern Sudan’s referendum on independence.

 Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit told reporters in Cairo that the meeting was held to guarantee that the referendum is held in a climate of freedom, transparency and credibility, and it reflects the “will of the sons of the south.”

 The meeting is also expected to review and help solve the outstanding issues in preparation for the January 9 exercise that is expected to determine whether the Sudan will remain whole or semi-autonomous south will become fully independent.

 Tension between the predominantly Muslim north and Christian south is building up with both sides exchanging accusations of interference with the vote. Unsettled issues like possible common border, sharing of national resources and debt still remain a nag to the process.

 Earlier this week the United Nations reported of about 12,000 people have fled the troubled Darfur region, following renewed clashes between Sudanese army and rebels in the region. This week an internal document at the UN said that the world body is planning for the possibility that an estimated population of 2.8 million people will be displaced in Sudan if fighting breaks out over the referendum.

 The referendum marks the final phase of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) that saw the end of two decades of civil war between the north and south.

 On Sunday president Bashir said that the north will fully adopt an Islamic constitution with Arabic as its formal language if the south votes on independence. Bashir is the first sitting president to be indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes committed in Darfur.

Neighbouring Libya and Egypt both fear a massive outpour of refugees across their borders if the country returns to war. Sudan lies strategically midway in the flow of the Nile River, a major source of water for the desert Egypt.

Egypt sees secession of the south where one of the river’s major tributaries run as being influenced by other rival Nile basin rival countries who are in protest over Egypt’s unfair share of the Nile waters.

Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire

UN Chief Warns Cote D’Ivoire Risks Return to Civil War

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has said that there is a real risk of return to civil war in Cote d'Ivoire following the current political turmoil in the country over disputed presidential polls.

During his address to the general Assembly on Tuesday Ban said that the situation in the country had grown increasingly volatile and he was worried about the UN mission in the country, UNOCI.

He said that there is increase in intimidation by elements of national security forces loyal to President Laurent Gbagbo through abductions and killings and propagation of hate speech in state media. He added that the UN forces had confirmed of mercenaries including a former freelance combatant from Liberia have been recruited to target certain groups in the population.

Mr. Ban appealed to the assembly to prepare support for the mission whose duties have been disrupted. He warned those perpetrators attempting to starve the UN mission into submission would not be tolerated and would be held accountable under international law.

He said the forces had blocked UN patrols, denied customs clearance of life-support supplies and prevented delivery of supplies for the 800 UN troops protecting Ouattara at the Golf Hotel where he has set up his headquarters in the capital, Abidjan.

Gbagbo had earlier ordered the UN to pull out its forces in the country, accusing the mission of supporting Alassane Ouattara who has been internationally recognized as the winner of the November 28 presidential run-off.

In his televised speech Gbagbo restated his claim as being the country’s legitimate leader, blaming the recent unrest on his adversary’s refusal to submit to the law. He called upon the international community to set up an evaluation committee to analyse the electoral process objectively and help solve the crisis peacefully.

He said Ouattara could leave the hotel, with the 1900-600 hours curfew being lifted by the army so as families could enjoy end of the year festivities and the New Year.

Gbagbo was declared winner by the country’s constitutional council after results from the parts rebel-held north where Ouattara hails from were nullified by the council.

 The US and the European Union have imposed travel bans and other visa restrictions on Gbagbo and about 30 members of his government in an attempt to pressurize him to step down.