Sudan swears in unity government
Sudan's first post-war national unity government has been sworn in, as part of a deal signed with former southern rebels to end 21 years of war. Nine former SPLM rebels pledged to work with 16 members of the government they had been fighting until January.
The inauguration was delayed by a row over who runs the energy portfolio, with control of the vital oil industry. The key energy, defence, interior and finance posts remain in the hands of President Omar Bashir's party. Sudan's next foreign minister, Lam Akol, comes from the SPLM. Two seats have been left vacant for members of the northern opposition National Democratic Alliance. The recent death of vice-president and ex-rebel leader John Garang also delayed the north-south peace process.
The BBC's Jonah Fisher in Khartoum says the biggest disappointment for the southern Sudanese is that they have not been given the energy and mining ministry which includes the oil sector. Under the terms of the peace agreement, oil revenue will be split 50-50 with the north but most of the proven reserves are in the south. He says it appears Mr Garang's successor and the country's first Vice President Salva Kiir backed down at the last moment to get the government going.
Nine months ago a peace agreement was signed between the SPLM and the National Congress Party. It ended two decades of civil war and paved the way for this power sharing government. The civil war pitted the Muslim north against Christians and animists in the south, leaving some 1.5 million people dead. The south is due to hold a referendum on secession in six years' time.
- Database Search
- Unpaid Debt A comprehensive overview of the role of the Lundin Consortium in the oil war. ECOS calls upon the Swedish, Austrian and Malaysian governments to investigate whether, as a matter of international law, Lundin, OMV and Petronas 'were complicit in the commission of war crimes and crimes against humanity by others during the period 1997-2003.’ In response, the Swedish Public Prosecutor for International crimes opened a criminal investigation into ‘links between Sweden and the reported crimes’.
- In Depth For more specific information about the Lundin court case please visit the Unpaid Debt dossier.
