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SUDAN: Annan discusses peace, access

NAIROBI, 12 July (IRIN) - UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Thursday concluded a two-day visit to Khartoum, during which he discussed humanitarian access and the ongoing peace process with the Sudanese government and major aid agencies.

"I come at a time when the peace process has been re-energised, and we see some good signs," Annan said.

Aid agencies have expressed hopes that Annan's visit would improve their access to conflict-affected populations in south Sudan. Repeated denials of humanitarian access by the Sudanese government and an escalation of the conflict in several areas of south Sudan have renewed concerns about the humanitarian situation of up to 1.7 million people.

Asked whether he was concerned about government flight bans in the south, Annan said on Wednesday the UN was always "extremely disturbed if we do not have free and unfettered access to those in need". He also expressed confidence that the Sudanese government would "share my concern that we do not want to see anyone in need deprived" of assistance.

During his visit, Annan met Sudanese government officials - including President Umar Hasan al-Bashir and Foreign Minister Mustafa Uthman Isma'il, - UN staff, and representatives of non-governmental organisations, including CARE, Oxfam, and Save the Children UK.

A spokeswoman for CARE International told IRIN on Friday that the inability to secure unimpeded access meant aid agencies had been unable to assess accurately the extent of human suffering, and were unable to provide ongoing assistance to those in most need.

"The UN's leadership role in securing access is crucial and needs to be given immediate and high level attention," she said.

The rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) on Friday said the government of Sudan had declared a "scorched earth policy" in large areas of oil-rich western Upper Nile, and was using humanitarian access denials as "one of its weapons" in the country's 19-year civil war.

Elijah Malok Aleng, executive director of the Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation Association (SRRA) - the SPLM/A's humanitarian wing - called on Annan to visit SPLM/A-controlled areas to "see the human devastation that has been done by the GOS [Government of Sudan] since the start of this war".

Five weeks of peace talks being held in Kenya under the auspices of the regional Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) are scheduled to end on 20 July.

While the talks were initially hailed as a key opportunity to advance the peace process, the recent escalation of fighting has led some observers - including Kenyan legislators and civil society groups - to call for their suspension.

"Like all concerned, I am hopeful that the parties will come to an agreement before they conclude their meeting on 20 July, and then build on it," Annan said.

[ENDS]

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