Sudanese affairs specialist Suleiman Baldo says the most important achievement of the year-old Sudanese peace accords is the return of peace to southern Sudan. In remarks marking the first anniversary of the Sudanese peace deal, Baldo told English to Africa reporter Ashenafi Abedje the accord has enabled the long-suffering people of southern Sudan to return to their homes and start rebuilding their lives
The Sudanese government says it remains committed to continuing to implement various provisions of the peace accord. But Baldo, who heads the International Crisis Group’s Africa Program, says the government’s actions over the past year have tended to undermine the process. He says its intransigence has caused repeated delays in the implementation of the comprehensive peace agreement.
Baldo says the death of former SPLA leader John Garang has had minimal effect on the accord’s implementation. He attributes this to what he describes as the Sudanese people’s unflinching commitment to peace and reconciliation. Baldo says the government of national unity and all concerned parties should apply the framework of the comprehensive peace agreement to resolve the conflicts in Darfur and eastern Sudan -- if Sudan is to enjoy lasting peace and stability.