The Sudan Government, represented by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and  Humanitarian Aid Commission  at the Ministry of Welfare and Social Security has issued  guidelines  to regulate  the work of United Nations agencies and international organizations in the states of Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile. Those guidelines were announced during an  enlightenment meeting  held this afternoon  at   the Foreign Ministry between government representatives and representatives of United Nations agencies and international organizations .In  the meeting  the government affirmed that  the United Nations agencies and international organizations working in the field of development and rehabilitation  and already have offices operating in any of the  two states  prior to the recent events, are allowed to resume their work according to the following arrangements : 

1.  Agencies and international organizations must sign technical agreements with the Humanitarian Aid Commission   for the implementation of projects, taking into account the evolving situation in the state.
2. Receipt and distribution of relief materials shall be carried out only through the Humanitarian Aid Commission and the Sudanese Red Crescent Association.
3. Basic services projects (education, health, water) shall be implemented only through national institutions (the relevant ministries and national organizations), and the person in charge of the sector concerned may visit the concerned ministry at the state capital.
4. Social development projects that require direct interaction with citizens shall be carried out by national institutions (the relevant ministries and national organizations)
5.  Directors and managers of the United Nations and international organizations offices may be allowed  to visit and avail themselves exclusively  in any capital of the two states by submitting a request , specifying the person and the length of stay,  to the Humanitarian Aid Commission to  grant approval , in consultation with competent authorities at  the federal level.
6. the case of infrastructure projects undertaken by international agencies and organizations shall be subject  to consultation with  competent authorities at the Federal level.

Khartoum — Dane Smith, U.S. Senior Advisor for Darfur, will meet with Darfur rebels to discuss ways to conclude peace with the government and to end their armed revolt in the region since about nine years ago. The US diplomat disclosed the information on Monday after a meeting with North Darfur governor Osman Kibir in El Fasher where he participated in the second meeting of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) Implementation Follow-Up Commission. Dane told reporters he will head from Darfur to Kampala, Kigali and Abuja to meet Minni Minnawi, the leader of a Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) faction and Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) rebels who are preparing to elect a new leader after the death of Khalil Ibrahim.

He stressed he will encourage them to join the ongoing efforts to end the armed conflict in Darfur. he also reiterated that rebels’ claims to topple the regime will not help to bring peace in Darfur or the whole country. The US special envoy Princeton Lyman and Smith believe that the coalition between Darfur rebels and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement – North (SPLM-N) and their plans to overthrow the regime might keep tension between Sudan and South Sudan and lead to war in the region.

Dane Smith said US administration encouraged non signatories to develop political objectives on the basis of the DDPD, stressing that this framework documents contains the key elements for peace in Darfur. He also called on the Sudanese government to show more flexibility with the rebels stressing that the persisting calls for peace from Darfurians and international community should be seen as positive factors to push the parties for dialogue. The follow-um meeting called on Darfur rebels to commit themselves to a negotiated solution based on the DDPD and “expressed deep concern about the belligerent rhetoric” of the holdout groups and their call for violent overthrow of the government. The Qatari state minister Ahmed bin Abdullah Al-Mahmoud said in a press conference after the meeting that all the members of the follow-up commission reiterated their support to the Doha document. The follow-up meeting, held at the UNMAID premises, was attended by the Burkina Faso foreign minister and former joint mediator Djibril Bassolé, Chad’s foreign minister Moussa Faki and a number of diplomats from EU, China, Russia and African and Arab states.

By Ian Timberlake (AFP)

KHARTOUM — International oil companies gathered on Sunday to study six exploration blocks that Sudan opened for bidding ahead of talks aimed at resolving a long-running oil fee dispute with South Sudan.

More than 150 foreign and local industry representatives as well as government officials met at a Khartoum hotel to begin a process expected to conclude in May when bid winners are announced.

“We are offering six blocks with very good potential,” Petroleum Minister Awad Ahmed Aljaz told the gathering, where potential bidders received an introductory briefing on each block and on Sudan’s oil industry.

Sudan lost 75 percent of its oil production when South Sudan separated in July after decades of civil war ended in 2005.

The vast majority of Khartoum’s export earnings came from petroleum, leaving the government scrambling for ways to bolster its finances.

“We welcome all companies from all nationalities without any strings attached,” Aljaz said.

The briefing came two days before the latest talks between Sudan and South Sudan open in Addis Ababa aimed at resolving a fierce dispute over oil compensation fees.

South Sudan’s top negotiator Pagan Amum said on Sunday that Juba believed its position in the negotiations had been strengthened after it inked its first deals with foreign oil companies on Friday.

The deals, which replace contracts signed with Khartoum under a unified Sudan, cover oil production in the two key petroleum states of Unity and Upper Nile in the south, where oil revenues make up 98 percent of the government budget.

Amum, head of South Sudan’s ruling SPLM party, said the foreign companies would be attending as advisers in the talks with its “erratic neighbour.”

He said the government of Sudan had no “legal, economic or commercial” basis to charge the south anything more than transit fees for its crude.

Although most of Sudan’s oil is produced in the south, for now it can only be exported via the north, and the two countries disagree over how much Juba should pay for using the north’s pipeline and export infrastructure.

Sudan’s current production is 115,000 barrels a day but plans are going “full speed” to boost that by 65,000 barrels daily by year’s end, said Azhari Abdalla, director general of the government’s Oil Exploration and Production Authority.

Khartoum – President of the Republic, Field Marshal Omer Hassan Al Bashir, Sunday hailed China’s stances towards Sudan, its support at international forums and the major economic cooperation between the two countries. The President made the remarks during a meeting at the Republican Palace with the visiting delegation of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) headed by the Party’s Central Committee member Mr. Le Chuan. The delegation called on President Al Bashir at the conclusion of their visit. The meeting was also attended by Presidential Advisor Dr. Mustafa Osman Ismail, Presidency Affairs Minister, Gen. Bakri Hassan Saleh and Minister of Finance and National Economy, Ali Mahmoud. During the meeting, the President witnessed the signing of an agreement between Sudan and China which was inked by Finance Minister Ali Mahmoud and CNPC Chairman. Based on the agreement China will grant Sudan soft credits to the tune of more than USD 200 million for various development projects.The agreement also provides for deferment for five years of credits payable by Sudan after the secession of the South. It also includes plans to expand areas of new oil investments.At the meeting, the President has received a message from his Chinese counterpart dealing with the distinguished relations between the two countries.The meeting stressed the need for continued strategic dialogue between the two countries.Presidential Advisor, Dr. Mustafa Osman Ismail, expressed appreciation for the Republic of China and requested the delegation to convey a message to the Chinese President expressing Sudan’s gratitude to China for its support to the Sudan. He said the two sides agreed to increase the number of Sudanese nationals who undergo training in China in various fields to 40 instead of 20 and that areas of oil investment will be opened for China to invest.Meanwhile, President Al Bashir directed competent bodies to work towards strengthening relations between Sudan and Bahrain.Sudan Ambassador to Bahrain, Abdullah Ahmed Osman, told reporters after meeting with the President that he has received directions from the President to strengthen relations with Bahrain with a focus on political and economic areas and attraction of Bahrain investments.According to the ambassador, the President also directed the Embassy to look after the Sudanese community

Khartoum – President of the Republic Field Marshal Omer Hassan Ahmed Al Bashir affirmed Sunday the need for setting up a mechanism between Sudan and Egypt to implement West Nile Project as well as other projects. The mechanism will be co-chaired by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the two countries and will comprise ministries of agriculture, energy, mining and irrigation.

The President made the statement during a meeting with Egyptian Foreign Minister Mohamed Kamil Amr who conveyed a message from Field Marshal Tantawi to President Al Bashir dealing with bilateral relations. The Egyptian FM told reporters after the meeting with the President that Egypt would continue to support Sudan at all international forums and stands ready to mediate between Sudan and South Sudan whenever it is required to do so, adding that the two sides agreed to activate an agreement for wheat cultivation in the Sudan as part of joint economic projects.

The two countries also agreed to conclude agreements on food, development and the organization of trade fair for Egyptian products in Khartoum soon. The Minister added that trade exchange between the two countries would also be expanded. The two Foreign Ministers addressed a joint press conference in Khartoum. Karti said relations between the two countries are growing, citing ongoing coordination and exchange of views. He described his counterpart’s tour as useful for both countries. For his part, the Egyptian minister told the press conference that his talks in Khartoum represented a good opportunity to keep Khartoum in the loop regarding the outcome of his tour in the countries of the Nile basin. It is worth mentioning that the Egyptian Foreign Minister is visiting Sudan as part of a tour of the Nile Basin countries including South Sudan. He arrived in Khartoum Saturday and told reporters that Sudan and Egypt now speak in one voice with regard to water issues

Khartoum – Former Finance Minister, Abdul Rahim Hamdi expects Sudan to attract foreign investments amounting to USD 6-7 billion in the upcoming period compared to USD 3 billion last year. In statements to Al-Jazeera on the sidelines of forum held under the slogan ‘Two Sudan’s …Chances and Risks of Pre-Secession,’ he said that Sudan’s economy will grow by 2 percent in 2012 year to reach 7 – 8 percent in the upcoming years due to the flow of investment to activate the alternative economical sectors. Hamdi said that the political secession of the south created an economical problem, adding, “We lost the oil revenues but we gained the concern on other resources which were available in the past such as agriculture, animal wealth, mining and Gum Arabic.” He pointed out that the Sudanese economy structure is underway through the tripartite programme to compensate the lost hard currency, affirming that activating the new sectors needs USD 10-12 billion. On the future of the Sudanese pound, Hamdi expected its return to its strong levels within four to five years.He disclosed that the problem in the south is more difficult as the oil revenue will not rescue it unless huge grants and investments come from outside considering that South Sudan daily oil production has decreased from 500 to 380 thousand barrels.

khartom (smc)

President of the Republic Omer Al Bashir announced about Sudan contacts with several neigbouring states to make the joint borders available for mutual cooperation and not for arms smuggling.
He also announced the endeavors underway to hold a regional conference for those states to design a new roadmap for cooperation especially after the victory of the Libyan revolution.
This came during his addressing representative from civil society, the revolutionist and the Sudanese community in Benghazi.
“We came to congratulate our brothers in Libya for the success of their uprising” Al Bashir said.

Khartoum, Nov. 13 (SUNA)- Khartoum will host the 34th Session of the African Parlimentary Union as well as the 59th session of the Executive Committee of the African Parlimentary Union during the period November 27 – December 1st, 2011, with participation of more than 30 African states.

Meanwhile, the Secretary General of the National Assembly and Chairman of the Steering Committee of the Conference, Ibrahim Mohamed Ibrahim, said that the Executive Committee of the African Parlimentary Union would hold its meeting on 27 -28 November, explaining that its agenda includes procedural meatures of the membership, adoption of annual work program as well as the meeting of the African parliamentarian women.

Ibrahim explained that the Conference of the APU will be held in Khartoum on November 30 and December 1st to consider the report of the Executive Committee and report of the Executive Secretarit on the activity of the APU, as well as a report of the democratic institutions to guarantee economic and social progress as well as a report of the role of the parlimnetray institutions in strengthening cooperation and solidarity among the African countries in order to promote security, stability and prosperioty of their peoples