thousands of people fleeing to the tran-sit site known only as KM 18 in SouthSudan. Many of the 35,000 people whohave sought refuge at this site 50kmfrom the border have been reduced tognawing at tree bark and eating leavesto survive. Over 100,000 people havefled fighting in Blue Nile state to SouthSudan since war broke out in Septem-ber between Khartoum and rebels thatfought alongside the South during dec-ades of civil war. (� AFP 20 ⁄ 6) Refugees

p. 19224

SOUTH SUDAN –SUDANNegotiations Resume

The Security Council welcomes theresumption of a new round of talksafter the first fails.

Peace talks between Khartoum andJuba to set up a demilitarised bufferzone ended with Sudan accusing SouthSudan of seeking to create ‘‘10 disputedareas,’’ state media reported on June8th.

The Defence Ministers of Sudan andSouth Sudan met in Addis Ababa todiscuss border security, including a ces-sation of hostilities and the establish-ment of a demilitarised area along theircommon frontier. But the AfricanUnion (AU)-mediated talks ended onthe 7th with the two sides unable toagree on the line from which the safedemilitarised border zone would bedrawn, Abdelrahim Mohammed Hus-sein was quoted as saying by the officialSUNA news agency.

‘‘The map which South Sudan hasadopted, and which it wants to be thebasis of the demilitarised buffer zone, isconsidered hostile, and does not reflectthe spirit of friendship or seek toachieve peace between the two sides.’’

‘‘Instead (the South) wants to create 10disputed areas between the two coun-tries, like Abyei,’’ Hussein said, referringto the contested border region wherenegotiations are currently deadlocked.

The talks were the first between the twosides since they came to the brink of all-out war in April. Sudan’s Hussein saidthat during the talks both parties hadagreed in principle to cease all hostilities,withdraw their troops from each other’sterritory and stop supporting and shel-tering rebels, AFP reported (8 ⁄ 6).JSPM representatives started a newround of talks in Addis Ababa, state-

owned Sudanese TV reported (22 ⁄ 6). Itsaid it had learned that the AU media-tion team had listened to views fromboth sides on border demarcation. TheSudanese delegation renewed its rejec-tion of the map that was introduced bySouth Sudan (in the first round of talksearlier in the month) and demanded asolution to the border dispute on thebasis of the January 1956 borders.

Noting a reduction in violence in theshared border area between Sudan andSouth Sudan, the United Nations (UN)Security Council welcomed the resump-tion of negotiations a press statementsaid (18 ⁄ 6). They noted that there hadbeen a reduction in violence in the bor-der region and commended that someprogress was made by both parties inimplementing the requirements of reso-lution 2046. They called for parties toimmediately implement the April AUroadmap. However, the 2011 peaceagreement between the two countrieshas been threatened by clashes alongtheir common border and outstandingpost-independence issues, including theownership of the Abyei area.

In its press statement, the Councilmembers expressed ‘‘strong concern’’about delays and stressed that impor-tant elements of resolution 2046,adopted in May, remained unresolved.

The April AU Roadmap provideda time-frame and steps - for implemen-tation by both Sudan and South Sudan- aimed at helping ease tensions, facili-tate the resumption of negotiations onpost-secession relations and normalizingrelations between the two countries.

In relation to Abyei, the Council mem-bers welcomed the full withdrawal ofthe Sudanese Armed Forces and Suda-nese Police Service personnel, andcalled on the government of Sudan tocomplete the withdrawal of its forcesfrom the contested area by redeployingall oil police in accordance with resolu-tion 2046 and the 20 June 2011 Agree-ment on Temporary Arrangements forSecurity in the Abyei Area.

In its press statement, the Councilalso reiterated its ‘‘grave concern’’about the situation in SouthernKordofan and Blue Nile states ofSudan, especially in relation to the‘‘rapidly worsening humanitarian situ-ation there, and in this regardexpressed concern that the partieshave not implemented the relevantprovisions of resolution 2046.’’

The states of Southern Kordofan andBlue Nile, which lie on the border

between Sudan and South Sudan,have been beset by fighting betweenSudanese forces and the Sudan Peo-ple’s Liberation Movement-North(SPLM-North) since 2011. TheSPLM-N was previously part ofthe rebel movement that fought forthe independence of South Sudan.(Sources as referenced in text) Peace talks

to resume p. 19262

IN BRIEFAlgeria: Algeria has suspended the deporta-tion of African immigrants to their countriesof origin after the deterioration of the situa-tion in the Azawad region (see p. 19315) andthe absence of a recognized administrativeauthority to deal with in Mali. Algeria iscurrently negotiating an agreement withNiger on the deportation of illegal Africanimmigrants via its territory. (El-Khabar web-site, Algiers 18 ⁄ 6)Chad – Senegal: Senegal has begun prepara-tions to try Chad’s former dictator HisseneHabre for war crimes, crimes againsthumanity and torture after being accused ofdragging its feet for years. The Justice Min-istry said a working group had on June 1stto debate the practical aspects of staging thetrial with the support of the African Union(AU). (� AFP 2 ⁄ 6) Habre case hearingp. 19213

Equatorial Guinea – Liberia: The two coun-tries have renewed diplomatic ties withpledges to strengthen socio-economic rela-tions. (Heritage 29 ⁄ 5)Kenya – Somalia: The African force fightingSomalia’s al Shabaab rebels, AMISOM, hasasked the European Union (EU) and the USfor help in wresting control of the key portof Kismayo, Kenyan Prime Minister RailaOdinga said on June 12th. The aim, he said,was to get Kismayo by August, and takingal Shabaab’s last bastion would entail an‘‘operation by land, sea and air.’’

The assault would be ‘‘a joint effort,’’ thePrime Minister said. ‘‘We are working withother international groups which are inSomalia,’’ he said, citing Ugandan troopswithin AMISOM as well as Ethiopian forces.‘‘Kismayo is the real major source of supplyof the Shabaab. Without the control of Kis-mayo, it is very difficult to completely neu-tralise the Shabaab,’’ Odinga said. (� AFP12, 25 ⁄ 6)Mano River Union: Security topped theagenda at a June 16–17th MRU meeting inGuinea, where the four leaders - PresidentsEllen Johnson Sirleaf, Ernest Bai Koroma,Alassane Ouattara, and Alpha Conde ofLiberia, Sierra Leone, Cote d’Ivoire and Gui-nea respectively - endorsed the OperationalPlan on Peace and Security.

The four Heads of State then unanimouslyrenewed the mandate of Liberian PresidentJohnson Sirleaf as Chair of the Union foranother year. (The Informer 18 ⁄ 6) Executivesecretary killed Vol. 48 p. 18899

Continental Alignments19302 – Africa Research Bulletin

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� Blackwell Publishing Ltd. 2012.