Welcoming President Al-Beshir of Sudan, President Mubarak pulls Egypt and its southern neighbour together in cooperation, writes Gamal Nkrumah Last Saturday, in Egypt's Mediterranean metropolis of Alexandria, President Hosni Mubarak held talks with his Sudanese counterpart Omar Hassan Al-Beshir. Mubarak told Al-Beshir that he hopes to see "a comprehensive national reconciliation between the people of Sudan." This, however, should not lull the rival Sudanese parties into complacency. The much- awaited government of national unity and ongoing consultations to that effect dominated discussions between Mubarak and Al-Beshir. Egypt, Mubarak disclosed, is stepping up its development assistance to Sudan and is particularly keen on becoming involved in the reconstruction process of war-torn southern Sudan. The patience of Sudan's neighbours, including Egypt, with the Sudanese political impasse is understandably wearing thin. Egypt urgently needs comprehensive peace in Sudan. Bilateral relations have strengthened considerably in the past two years. Egypt played host to a number of important Sudanese opposition gatherings and meetings between Sudanese government high-level officials and representatives of Sudanese opposition groups, the most important of these meetings being between Sudanese government ministers and representatives of the National Democratic Alliance, Sudan's largest umbrella opposition grouping. Egypt has traditionally emphasised Sudanese national unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty. Sudan is seen as the strategic backyard of Egypt and a gateway to other Nile Basin countries and Africa south of the Sahara. Mubarak praised the restraint and sagacity of the Sudanese leadership under the wise guidance of Sudanese President Al-Beshir. He told his Sudanese counterpart that he was keen to see the 9 January Sudanese peace accord implemented "in good faith." Mubarak, as a goodwill gesture, enjoined authorities at Alexandria University to open a branch in the southern Sudanese city of Juba. For his part, the Sudanese president briefed Mubarak about development in Darfur and in eastern Sudan -- two war- torn, ethnically strained and politically unstable regions of the country. Egypt has deployed peacekeeping troops in southern Sudan and is keen to dispatch more troops to Darfur as part of the African Union (AU) peacekeeping contingency in the western Sudanese region. The meeting of Mubarak and Al-Beshir in Alexandria comes at a time when Sudan is undergoing radical political change. The Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), the southern-based opposition organisation that waged a 22- year armed struggle against Sudanese government forces in southern Sudan and parts of western, eastern and central Sudan, is now the main coalition partner of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) of Al-Beshir. There is still much bickering over ministerial posts, with the oil portfolio in particular in dispute. The SPLM wants the hotly sought after portfolio to go to a southerner since most of Sudan's oil is produced in the south. The NCP strongly objects to such a "powerful portfolio falling into the hands of southerners," as one northern Sudanese commentator, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Al-Ahram Weekly. The Egyptian authorities are liaising with the Sudanese government and opposition groups to reach a conclusive deal on the allocation of ministerial portfolios. Mubarak, who met with Sudanese Vice President Salva Kiir and who is also the leader of the SPLM, expressed a keen interest in improving trade and economic relations between Egypt and Sudan. Peace presents its own challenges. Sudan is institutionally weak. Egypt would like to lend its assistance and technical expertise. True, Sudanese politicians have a long way to go before they even begin to match the kind of leadership in South Africa that has enabled that once troubled land to pull its way out of apartheid and racial segregation and discrimination. The Egyptian authorities are convinced that only by embarking on substantial development and reconstruction programmes in southern Sudan would peace be secured in the south. Without sustainable development in southern Sudan, the southern Sudanese people are expected to decide to secede in a referendum to be held in six years time. Kiir's predecessor, John Garang, was killed in an air crash on the Ugandan- Sudanese border on 30 July. According to the official version, the flight voice recorder indicated that poor weather conditions were to blame for the crash of the Russian-built military Mi-172 helicopter in which Garang and 13 other people were being carried. Sudanese and Ugandan officials deny that technical malfunction was the reason behind the crash. Sudan is now working on establishing a new national army, forming a Joint Integrated Unit (JIU) composed of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), the armed wing of the SPLM, and government forces. Some 40,000 former SPLA troops are stationed in southern Sudan, Nuba Mountain and Southern Blue Nile. Another 1,500 soldiers are deployed in Khartoum. Meanwhile, the seemingly interminable Darfur peace talks taking place in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, are veering dangerously close to the absurd. The talks were diplomatically described as "the beginning of the end" of the Darfur crisis. Khartoum should call bluff on the Darfur armed opposition groups. They must concede that indefinite negotiations are unacceptable. Khartoum fears that the two Darfur armed opposition groups want to subvert the main purpose of the talks -- peace. The question is whether the Darfur armed opposition groups were ever serious about the peace talks in the first place. Khartoum's warning, however, is undermined by an inconsistent approach to democracy and human rights. Khartoum should live up to its responsibilities also.
