Khartoum, Aug. 23 (SUNA) - The government has assigned a sum of 1.9 billion dollars for implementing developmental projects in the three Darfur states

Meanwhile, a meeting of the higher committee for implementation of Darfur peace strategy, chaired by the Vice - President of the Republic, Ali Osman

Authors: SUNA - Sudan News Agency English Latest News

 Khartoum, Aug 24 (SUNA) - The Minister of Animals Resources and Fisheries, Dr. Faisal Hassan Ibrahim, met Tuesday the Korean Ambassador to Sudan Tuesday and discussed aspects of the cooperation between the two countries

He affirmed the readiness of his ministry to cooperate fully with Korean investors to reactivate the protocols signed between the two countries in the field of the animal wealth and fisheries

Authors: SUNA - Sudan News Agency English Latest News

 Khartoum, Aug. 24 (SUNA) - The Minister of Science and Technology and Chairman of the Council of Sudan Academy for Science, Dr. Issa Bashari, is due to chair the first meeting of the council after its new formation Wednesday to discuss a report on the annual performance of the academy in the year 2009 and first half of the year 2010

The Director of the Academy, Prof. Al-Tayeb Idris Issa, will also present a report on the current position of the academy

Al-Fasher, Aug. 24 (SUNA) - The Netherlands Ambassador to Sudan visited Tuesday Al-Waha Locality in the context of his current visit to North Darfur State

The ambassador, who met the Commissioner of the locality, Abdul-Rahman Mohamed Issa, said that the visit came in the context of his country's

Authors: SUNA - Sudan News Agency English Latest News

 Cairo, Aug. 24 (SUNA)- The State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Kamal Hassan Ali, currently visiting Cairo, Tuesday held talks with the Egyptian Foreign Minister, Ahmed Abul-Ghait, on the latest developments at the Sudanese arena, especially concerning the arrangements for holding the referendum on the future of south Sudan and the situation in Darfur

The Egyptian Foreign Minister affirmed Egypt's full support to Sudan in different fields and helping all the Sudanese parties and the two peace partners to reach solution for all the pending issues in a manner that guarantees Sudan stability and security in the coming stage

 Khartoum, August 24 (SUNA) - The State Minister at the Ministry of Culture, Ali Majok Al-Mumin, honored Tuesday the Egyptian Ambassador to Sudan, Afiffi Abdul-Wahab on the expiry of his assignment to Sudan and his efforts to boost the Sudanese - Egyptian relations, lauding the Egyptian efforts to realize peace in Sudan

Meanwhile, the Egyptian Ambassador expressed his understanding over the situation in Darfur, announcing his country's sup

Authors: SUNA - Sudan News Agency English Latest News

 Khartoum, Aug. 24 (SUNA) - Vice President of the Republic and co-Chairman of the Higher Council for Decentralized Government, Ali Osman Mohamed Taha, has affirmed the endeavour of the government to strengthen the decentralized government to enable the citizens to pratice their role in the formulation of policies

Addressing the inaugural sitting of the meeting of first term of the Higher Council for Decentralized Government at the Friendship Hall Tuesday, the Vice President said that the issue of the decentralized government is one of the key issues which the government has been working for its progress

Authors: SUNA - Sudan News Agency English Latest News

 Khartoum, Aug. 24 (SUNA)- The Cabinet Affairs Minister and leading figure of Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), Dr. Luka Piong, has affirmed the movement's welcome to the declaration of the state of general mobilization by the President of the Republic before leaving for south Sudan to acquaint the citizens with the advantages of the unity and the risks of cessation

Cairo, Aug. 24 (SUNA) - The Arab League has affirmed its keenness to boost the stability and peace in Sudan, hoping that unity will be the attractive choice of the Sudanese in the coming referendum, scheduled in January 2011. This was expressed by the envoy of the Arab League for Sudan, Ambassador Salah Halima in a press statement

He said that the Arab League hopes that the referendum will be fair and will be held in the fixed time

Authors: SUNA - Sudan News Agency English Latest News

By Dr James Okuk

August 16, 2010 (SSNA) -- For the separatist the postponement of the referendum is an evil because it will lead to the delay of the democratic declaration of South Sudan Independence, and for the unionists too the conduct of the referendum when some crucial issues remain unattended is a greatest evil because it will lead to undesirable breakup of the unified Sudan. Thus, the two options pose some bad news, depending on the side of the angle one looks at each of them.

However, postponing the referendum is part of the CPA deal but declaring the independence of South Sudan unilaterally (UDI) is not and, thus, a violation of the CPA; meaning invitation of war if both the divorcing partners are prepared for it. Is the SPLM/A prepared for a victorious war? Is the NCP/SAF prepared for a war of invasion too? For how long will that war go on before another peace deal is reached? These are the critical questions a wise and a strategic person or a group could ask at this critical stage, and I believe it is the very questions the SPLM PB are delivering on now before coming up with a final decision on the matter of the postponement of the referendum.

Arrogance and hard-lining is not the best option most of the time. After all it is better late with slowness of assurance than never with rush of uncertainty. Also we have to acknowledge what the Christian Jesus said that if your enemy demands that you carry him for one mile, take him for two miles instead and he or she will hate it more as it become boring.

If I were the SPLM PB, I will accept the request of the Referendum Commission to postpone the issue for one year instead of the six months demanded so that next time they don't get any chance to play the tricks of timing and procedures. Meanwhile in the year, I will demand from the NCP and Khartoum to carry on some developmental projects in the South since those of the USAID and World Bank failed to do anything great development in the South so far and so good.

Meanwhile as the postponement thrives, I will also try to rally the world support at the UN and lobby for a quick decision from the International Arbitration Court of Justice, incase the South opt for a UDI after having tolerated the postponements of the referendum and tricks of the NCP and Khartoum on the issue. Not only this, but also I would have unified all the Southerners under the cover of reconciliation from the South-South dialogue for any eventuality in the aftermath of 9th January 2012.

This is my take in brief and I hope it gets a hearing hear in the SPLM PB. In truth and sincere wisdom we should trust!!!!

Dr James Okuk is a concerned Southerner reachable at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it