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Umma Party criticize minister’s Abyei speech

The National Umma Party described the foreign minister’s speech before parliament on Tuesday as inept, saying that government’s approach could lead to a confrontation with the African Union. Last October the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) gave Sudan and South Sudan a six-week deadline to strike a deal on the proposal given by former South African President Thabo Mbeki. The deadline has passed without Sudan’s acceptance of the proposal. The government objected to Mbeki’s terms, which exclude the Misseriya Arabs from voting in a referendum in Abyei in October 2013. The African Union body will meet 14 December to decide whether to refer the proposal to the United Nations Security Council. Foreign Minister Ali Karti told lawmakers on Tuesday that the African proposal “will never see the light of day” and will not be referred to the Security Council. The general secretariat of the National Umma Party released a statement in Khartoum describing the foreign minister as ‘undiplomatic’ and unfamiliar with the contents of the proposal, which was drafted by the three African dignitaries who lead the AU High Implementation Panel. According to the statement, the Umma Party are dissatisfied with the National Congress Party’s approaches toward the solution of the Abyei issue. The statement argues that Karti’s approach will lead to a confrontation between Sudan and the African Union and hammer the nail in the coffin of Sudan’s relations with African countries. Ambassador Naguib Al-Khair Abdel Wahab, the party’s external relations officer, said “Frankly I am urging the government to double its diplomatic efforts to recover what was lost.” 

December 7, 2012 KHARTOUM

The National Umma Party described the foreign minister’s speech before parliament on Tuesday as inept, saying that government’s approach could lead to a confrontation with the African Union.

Last October the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) gave Sudan and South Sudan a six-week deadline to strike a deal on the proposal given by former South African President Thabo Mbeki.

The deadline has passed without Sudan’s acceptance of the proposal. The government objected to Mbeki’s terms, which exclude the Misseriya Arabs from voting in a referendum in Abyei in October 2013.

The African Union body will meet 14 December to decide whether to refer the proposal to the United Nations Security Council.

Foreign Minister Ali Karti told lawmakers on Tuesday that the African proposal “will never see the light of day” and will not be referred to the Security Council.

The general secretariat of the National Umma Party released a statement in Khartoum describing the foreign minister as ‘undiplomatic’ and unfamiliar with the contents of the proposal, which was drafted by the three African dignitaries who lead the AU High Implementation Panel.

According to the statement, the Umma Party are dissatisfied with the National Congress Party’s approaches toward the solution of the Abyei issue. The statement argues that Karti’s approach will lead to a confrontation between Sudan and the African Union and hammer the nail in the coffin of Sudan’s relations with African countries.

Ambassador Naguib Al-Khair Abdel Wahab, the party’s external relations officer, said “Frankly I am urging the government to double its diplomatic efforts to recover what was lost.”