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August 4, 2011 (JUBA) – The newly appointed UN special envoy to the Republic of South Sudan, Hilde Johnson, briefed the political parties on the roles her multi-purpose mission will play in the new nation at a meeting in Juba on Thursday.
- UN SG special envoy, Hilde Johnson, briefing leaders of political parties in the presence of South Sudan VP, Riek Machar, Juba (ST)
Johnson was appointed as special envoy to South Sudan by UN secretary general, Ban Ki Moon, following the independence of the region on 9 July. She previously held the post of Minister for International Development in Norway.
She was involved in the North-South Sudan peace negotiations in Kenya in 2005.
On Thursday in Juba she held her first joint meeting with leaders of the various political parties in South Sudan, with the participation of the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), during which she briefed them about her new mandate.
In the meeting which was moderated by Vice President and SPLM deputy chairperson, Riek Machar, Johnson said her role will include rendering support on issues to do with security, development, institutional building, democratic development and transformation of the “political equation” in South Sudan.
She said these will include issues to do with the rule of law, justice, diversity and inclusiveness in nation-building as well as constitutional process and the upcoming elections after the four year transitional period.
The special envoy said she will also mobilise donors to support South Sudan and supervise the activities of the various UN humanitarian agencies working on the ground.
Johnson who said she was inspired by the frankness in the expression of views by the leaders at the meeting, adding that open disagreement expressed in peaceful political debate was healthy.
At the meeting leaders of opposition political parties criticised the ruling party, the SPLM, for allegedly reneging on the resolutions passed in a conference held in October 2010. They said the conference called for consensus and inclusiveness in the process of the nation-building.
They said that the recent appointments of 66 new members to the transformed national assembly and 30 to the council of states, did not redress the inclusiveness issues as was agreed upon at the conference.
SPLM officials at the meeting denied the claim, saying a number of other political parties consulted with the president and their members were included in the national legislative body.
Vice President Machar congratulated the special envoy for her “tough” mandate at the introductory meeting with the political parties. He said President Kiir was in consultation with the political parties, and have their members appointed to the two houses of parliament.
He called for cooperation between the political parties, the government and the UN mission in the implementation of the roles spelled out in the mandate given to the special envoy.
(ST)
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