UN's Ban welcomes Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan security agreements

[News_Editor]

UN's Ban welcomes Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan security agreements

2011-06-29 21:27:29 GMT+7 (ICT)

UNITED NATIONS (BNO NEWS) -- The United Nations (UN) on Wednesday welcomed the political and security agreements reached by the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement for Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan.

Under Wednesday's Framework Agreement, which was signed in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa, the parties will form a Joint Political Committee to address all relevant issues related to Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile. Both states, which are located along the country's north-south border, were supposed to hold popular consultations on their future in accordance with the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).

The historic CPA accord ended a decades-long civil war between Sudan's north and south in 2005, but the agreement's interim period ends on July 9, which is when Southern Sudan officially becomes independent after the referendum staged in January.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon commended the political and security arrangements, as both parties demonstrated "political will" in reaching the agreement, which, among other provisions, states that southern-allied fighters in the north should be integrated into the northern army or disarmed.

In addition, agreements state that the two sides should begin working on a ceasefire and allow humanitarian access into Southern Kordofan, where at least 73,000 people are estimated to have been displaced in recent weeks due to fighting between northern and southern forces.

Ban also urged both sides to use the momentum created to conclude a cessation of hostilities in South Kordofan without delay, calling on the parties to ensure "the protection of vulnerable civilians and full humanitarian access to those in need in South Kordofan."

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