The UK Minister of State for Africa, Baroness Glenys Kinnock has just ended a three day visit to Sudan. Her visit comes a few months to the country’s crucial multi-party elections in more than twenty years.
Baroness Kinnock arrived in Khartoum on Sunday, January 10 and travelled to the Southern city of Juba where she met officials of the Government of Southern Sudan.
Shortly before her departure from Juba, Miraya FM’s Shila Keji Modi spoke to her.
Miraya FM: Can you explain why you are visiting Southern Sudan?
Kinnock: I have travelled from Khartoum and the purpose of my visit here as is there is to say that there is time to do the changes, to deal with the contentious issues that need to be dealt with between now and the elections and between now and the referendum. We need to see political dialogue, we need to see all the parties discussing and talking with each other, and we need to see the support of the international community for those efforts that need to be made.
I met the President here this morning; we had a long and very constructive discussion across all the issues that are of importance here in South Sudan. It is a difficult time, there are problems but I think they can be overcome if the political will exists to do it.
Miraya FM: What are some of the issues that came up in your discussion?
Kinnock: There is the demarcation of the borders; for the elections, there is going to be still some difficult issues that need to be resolved in terms of preparations and I am very hopeful that the European Union will announce very soon that they are going to come and monitor the elections and begin the preparations pretty soon. So, there is a great deal to be done but as I said, if the political will exists all can be done. If we are real we can accept that there is still the danger of an escalation into tension and conflict but that has to be avoided at all cost because the people of Sudan have endured enough of suffering and misery and war and now is the time to draw a line onto that and that’s up to the leaders of this country and the people of this country to make those decisions that have to be made.
Miraya FM: What has to happen to the South Sudan referendum in 2011 to go smoothly, what kind of things have to be agreed?
Kinnock: There are a number of issues that need to be agreed on the referendum not least, the demarcation of the borders, and the fair distribution of oil revenues. Those are just two of them. We are all very well aware of what needs to be done and between now and then it is possible for those issues to be addressed.
Miraya FM: Why is it so important that this happens before the referendum?
Kinnock: Well, people will have to ask how it’s going to work after the referendum if these very difficult and contentious issues are not dealt with. They need to be dealt with. At least serious progress will have to be made. The referendum, I hope will be a success and whatever the result, all of us have to respect the decision of the people of Southern Sudan.
Miraya FM: What impact do you think your visit will make?
Kinnock: A positive impact, I hope.
