The Mekelle Memorandum
This week, the parties to the CPA, the National Congress Party (NCP) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) met in Mekelle, Northern Ethiopia, to discuss Post-Referendum Issues and arrangements for the way forward toward substantive negotiations. The opening of the discussions was chaired by former President Thabo Mbeki, Chairman of the African Union High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP), and conducted bilaterally between the two parties to the CPA. These talks between the parties were conducted from 21st to the 22nd of June 2010, in a very positive and constructive manner, resulting in the signing of the “Mekelle Memorandum of Understanding between NCP and SPLM on Post-Referendum Issues and Arrangements”.
This Memorandum of Understanding is a framework on the basis of which the substantive talks expected to commence in early July 2010 are to be conducted. The main points of the Memorandum of Understanding included agreement between the parties on issues such as, the structure of the negotiations; clusters and sequencing of issues; issues pertaining to press statements and public briefings; involvement of other political parties and Sudanese Civil Society; negotiation framework and launching dates; and substantive negotiation.
The successful completion of the discussions between the NCP and SPLM on the post-referendum issues and arrangements is a very important step in creating the necessary conditions to move the peace process forward. The parties should be commended for their handling of the issues with a sense of the necessary focus and responsibility. Even more importantly, they have amply demonstrated that they own the process. Ethiopia welcomes this development and encourages both parties to the CPA to continue to build on this significant step with a view to achieving sustainable peace for the people of Sudan.
While this process labelled 'Talks about Talks' is entirely a bilateral process between the two parties without the need for the mediation of third parties, it has nonetheless been facilitated by the AU High-level Implementation Panel chaired by President Thabo Mbeki, with venue provided by Ethiopia, and with the support of Norway. The Ethiopian Foreign Minister Seyoum Mesfin expressed his satisfaction over what the two parties have been able to achieve at their encounter under this innovative formula during a working breakfast hosted for the two delegations together on the 25th of June.