SUDAN / ANNAN JUBA

Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan calls on leaders in the north and south as well as the international community to work with the Sudanese to ensure stability peace and prosperity in the country. UNMIS

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:01:41
• Production Date: 12 January 2011
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS ASSISTANCE MISSION IN SUDAN - UNMIS
• Subject Topical: REFERENDUM
• Geographic Subject: SUDAN
• MAMS Id: U110112j

Description

STORY: SUDAN / ANNAN JUBA
TRT: 1:41
SOURCE: UNMIS
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 12 JANUARY 2011, JUBA, SUDAN

Shotlist

1. Wide shot, Kofi Annan arriving at the airport
2. Med shot, Kofi Annan shaking hands with clergyman
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Kofi Annan, Former Secretary-General, United Nations:
“I have never been to elections where I have seen so man smiles, everybody seems to be very happy about it, and the level of participation in the south has been quite strong. A bit weaker in Khartoum and in the north and I understand in the Diaspora also there has been very strong voter participation. But what is important is that when the results come out everybody accepts it and realise that they have to work together to make Sudan what it can be. And we also have to understand that both parts of Sudan need to move forward. If one side collapses it has an impact on the other.”
4. Med shot, journalists
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Kofi Annan, Former Secretary-General, United Nations:
“It’s tragic that so many people have been killed, the sooner they resolve it the better. When you allow such issues to fester and to linger, you could be surprised. It could lead to miscalculations by one side or the other. So it is in everyone’s interest that they work effectively and resolve not only the border issue, the Abyei issue, the question of citizenship, the issue of currency, the question of oil, all those important issues which have not been resolved.”
6. Med shot, Annan leaving

Storyline

Former United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Kofi Annan has called on Sudanese leaders in the north and south, as well as on the international community, to work towards ensuring stability, peace and prosperity in the country after the referendum on self determination for Southern Sudan.

Speaking at the airport in the southern capital of Juba, Annan, who is in Sudan as a member of the Carter Centre Observer Mission, noted that there has been a high level of participation, particularly in the south.

SOUNDBITE (English) Kofi Annan, Former Secretary-General, United Nations:
“I have never been to elections where I have seen so man smiles, everybody seems to be very happy about it, and the level of participation in the south has been quite strong. A bit weaker in Khartoum and in the north and I understand in the diaspora also there has been very strong voter participation. But what is important is that when the results come out everybody accepts it and realise that they have to work together to make Sudan what it can be. And we also have to understand that both parts of Sudan need to move forward. If one side collapses it has an impact on the other.”

Northern and southern leaders have been meeting in Kadugli, the capital of south Kordofan State, over the past few days to address the increase in violence along the border areas and Abyei.

Media reports indicate that there have been at least 30 deaths since Friday (7 January) with the latest being an ambush on a convoy of southerners returning back from the north.

Annan urged leaders to urgently deal with the situation in Abyei as well as other outstanding issues that still remain a source of conflict.

SOUNDBITE (English) Kofi Annan, Former Secretary-General, United Nations:
“It’s tragic that so many people have been killed, the sooner they resolve it the better. When you allow such issues to fester and to linger, you could be surprised. It could lead to miscalculations by one side or the other. So it is in everyone’s interest that they work effectively and resolve not only the border issue, the Abyei issue, the question of citizenship, the issue of currency, the question of oil, all those important issues which have not been resolved.”

Abyei was due to hold a parallel referendum on 9 January to choose on whether its residents wanted to be a part of the north or the south if the south secedes, but both parties to the peace agreement have been unable to resolve eligibility issues, and the Abyei Referendum Commission has yet to be formed.