SOUTH SUDAN –SUDANNon-aggression Pact LooksShaky

Claims and counterclaims continueas the tension ratchets up.

After emergency talks to prevent a full-fledged conflict, Sudan and SouthSudan agreed to a vague nonaggressionpact on January 10th, yielding tointense pressure from the African Union(AU), the United States and China,reported the New York Times (10 ⁄ 2).Not for years have north-south relationsbeen so poisonous, with a proxy warbetween the two nations fueling rebelgroups and sometimes even flaring intodirect Sudan-South Sudan clashes. Uni-ted Nations (UN) Secretary-General BanKi-moon welcomed the signing of thepact and in a statement (13 ⁄ 2) urgedboth countries to maintain the positivespirit that led to the agreement andabide by its provisions.

The AU on the 15th stressed the needto scrupulously implement the Memo-randum of Understanding (MoU), fol-lowing Juba’s accusation on the 14ththat Khartoum had violated the agree-ment - an accusation Sudan vehementlydenied, PANA reported (15 ⁄ 2)

Few analysts see any easy solutions tothe heated push and pull over oil, andit is not clear how the nonaggressionpact will be any different from previoussecurity deals that have led nowhere.Indeed, rebel groups in Sudan said onthe 27th they had captured a Sudanesearmy garrison near the border withSouth Sudan in an operation thatKhartoum blamed on the south’s army.The rebels said in a statement they

killed 130 members of the governmentforces in the attack. The figure couldnot be independently verified. TheSouth Sudan government said none ofits forces were involved in the assault,but it has fuelled tensions further.

The clashes on the 26th took place in theSouth Kordofan province on Sudan’sside of the border with South Sudan, aflashpoint between the two countries.Newly-formed rebel umbrella groupSudan Revolutionary Front (SRF) saidits forces were behind the assault on amilitary post around Lake Obyad.

‘‘It is a victory, the first victory underthe umbrella of the SRF to have twoforces fighting together,’’ SRF spokes-man Arnu Ngutulu Lodi told Reuters.

Stoking the tensions, Sudan and SouthSudan have been covertly backingrebels in each other’s backyards, lead-ing to border clashes and relentless aer-ial bombings. The more than 1,000-mile border between them is now effec-tively closed, with millions of poundsof emergency food and just about alltrade held up in a two-way strangle-hold.

Sudan threatened to file a complaintabout what it says are the south’s viola-tions of the non-aggression pact to theUN Security Council and the AU.

‘‘Those battles that have been foughtfor the last 72 hours are completelywithin the republic of Sudan and arebetween Sudanese Armed Forces(SAF) and (SRF) and we are notparty to that,’’ South Sudan’s armyspokesman Philip Aguer said, addingthat Khartoum had violated the pactby bombing the South’s army at Jauthe day after the security deal wassigned, a charge Sudan has denied.

(Sources as referenced in text) Neighbours’

bitter dispute p. 19115

IN BRIEFAlgeria – Mali: An Algerian military com-mission met in Tamanrasset to assess thesecurity and humanitarian situation at theMalian border, El Khabar reported (25 ⁄ 2).President Abdelaziz Bouteflika called for mil-itary officials to review the impact of theMali conflict on national security. Armyunits were also deployed to reinforce secu-rity at the border. Since clashes erupted inJanuary between the Azaouad National Lib-eration Movement (MNLA) and the Malianarmy, more than 44,000 people have fled toneighbouring countries (see p. 19153).(Magharebia.com 26 ⁄ 2)Relations between Morocco and Algeriahave entered an ‘‘historic moment’’, MAPquoted Moroccan Foreign Minister Saaded-dine El Othmani as saying on February 23rdduring a visit to London. El Othmani saidhe was ‘‘optimistic’’ about the eventualopening of the Morocco-Algeria border. Thetwo countries have a common will to setaside divisive issues, develop economic, cul-tural and political relations and contributeto the revitalisation of the Arab MaghrebUnion (AMU, see p. 19151), the Ministersaid after meeting with his British counter-part William Hague to discuss the Syria cri-sis. (Magharebia.com 24 ⁄ 2)Djibouti – South Sudan: The two countrieshave agreed to establish diplomatic relations.(ADI news agency website, Djibouti 11 ⁄ 2)Western Sahara: The next round of UnitedNations (UN)-backed informal talks aimedat reaching a settlement in the WesternSahara dispute will take place in March, theUN announced on February 24th. Delega-tions from the parties to the dispute - Mor-occo and the Frente Polisario - and theneighbouring countries of Algeria and Mau-ritania will gather just outside New York forthree days of discussions starting on March11th. (UN News Service 24 ⁄ 2)

GOVERNMENTAPPOINTMENTS

GABONPM Resigns

Speculation remains over hissuccessor and the formationof a post-election cabinet.

Prime Minister Paul Biyoghe Mbaresigned on February 13th as requiredby the constitution following elections

that handed his party a resoundingvictory amid an opposition boycott.

Gabon’s constitutional courtconfirmed on February 11th the land-slide win obtained by President AliBongo’s Gabonese Democratic Party(PDG) in the general elections held inDecember.

The party won more than 100 seats inthe 120-member parliament. Six dis-tricts had their results invalidated andwill hold new polls. Turnout in theDecember elections was barely 35%.

Observers and journalists have specu-lated over whether Bongo will reap-

point Biyoghe Mba, who came to officein July 2009. Many say he can point tothe election triumph and the successfulhosting of the 2012 Africa Cup ofNations as factors in his favour.

But other candidates for the job havebeen mooted, including outgoingEquipment Minister Leon Nzouba,Transport Minister Julien Nkoghe Bek-ale and Economy Minister MagloireNgambia.

Biyoghe Mba was appointed byinterim president Rose Francine, whowas Senate speaker when Bongo’sfather Omar died in 2009 after 41years at the helm of the west Africancountry. After Ali Bongo was electedto succeed his father in October thatyear, he reinstated Biyoghe Mba asPrime Minister. (� AFP 13 ⁄ 2 2012)Series of complaints p. 19120C

Internal Developments

Internal Developments

19154 – Africa Research Bulletin

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� Blackwell Publishing Ltd. 2012.