European External Action Service

02/02/2023 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 02/02/2023 02:05

Statement of the EU Ambassador at the Juba Peace Agreement Working Group

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Statement of the EU Ambassador at the Juba Peace Agreement Working Group

Statement by the Ambassador of the European Union, Aidan O'Hara.

Thank you for the invitation from the UN, the African Union and IGAD to the launch of this Working Group on the Juba Peace Agreement.

The European Union has 27 Member States, all of whom are members of the United Nations. The partnership between the European Union and the African Union dates back to the first EU-Africa Summit in 2000 in Cairo and we are a steadfast partner of IGAD too because we want to bring the regional integration that has been at the heart of our Union to this region as well.

We are here today, therefore, as a partner, not just of the process, but of Sudan.

We are also here today as witnesses and I am pleased to be joined by the Ambassadors of seven of our member States: Sweden, representing the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, plus Germany, France, Italy, Spain, The Netherlands and Poland.

The European Union signed the Juba Peace Agreement as a witness and we are as keen as you are to see its promise fulfilled and its commitments honoured.

Everything we do today stems from the Political Framework Agreement signed on 5 December. Implementation of the Juba Peace Agreement and preserving the gains of the conflict-affected areas were among the "final agreement issues" that "needed more details" in the words of the Political Framework Agreement itself.

The Juba Sudan Peace Agreement is an integral part of the transitional constitution and we can say this because this is precisely what the Political Framework Agreement says in the opening general principles.

I was in Darfur last week where I heard at first-hand how precious the Agreement is to all communities and no one wants to disappoint them.

We want to encourage, therefore, the broadest possible participation in this Working Group and we hope it will provide a platform for contributions from across the country that helps hasten the full implementation of the Agreement.

Everyone should feel welcome here. We know some groups have preferred not to participate today but we should keep the door open for them. Because, if this to be a genuinely inclusive process, we need to show respect and extend the hand of friendship to those still reflecting on whether or not to join.

31 January 2023