The Chairman of the Local Administration of the Messiriya, Nuer and Dinka tribes, Bashtana Mohamed Salim, said that the Messiriya welcomed the organizing of the Peaceful Coexistence Conference in Abyei area. He added that the conference is an initiative from the African Organization-main stream. Salim told Miraya that the purpose of the conference is to discuss the disputed issues and how to solve them.

• New constitition heralded as 'new birth' for country
• Sudan leader wanted for war crimes attends ceremony

A triumphant day meant to mark Kenya's "second birth" has been tarnished after its government was reported to the UN security council for hosting and refusing to arrest Sudan's fugitive president, Omar al-Bashir, in defiance of its legal obligations.

Bashir, who is accused by the international criminal court (ICC) of genocide and war crimes allegedly committed in Darfur, was a guest at the signing ceremony for a historic new constitution yesterday. As a party to the court, Kenya was legally obliged to arrest Bashir. The ICC has no police force and relies on member states to enforce its warrants.

Foreign minister Moses Wetangula said it had "no apologies to make about anybody we invited to this function.

"He [Bashir] was here today because we invited all neighbours and he is a neighbour," said Wetangula.

In a statement, judges in the Hague said they were formally reporting Kenya's non-compliance to the UN security council and other ICC member states "in order for them to take any measure they may deem appropriate".

The court issued an arrest warrant for Bashir in March 2009, and since then he has only once risked travelling to a member state, visiting Chad earlier this year.

Kenya's stance was strongly criticised by local and foreign human rights groups, and raises serious questions over the government's commitment to co-operate with the ICC in connection with its own case. Within the next few months the court is expected to announce charges of crimes against humanity against several senior Kenyan politicians accused of fomenting ethnic violence after the disputed 2007 presidential election.

With Bashir looking on, tens of thousands of Kenyans braved the cold and rain to celebrate the promulgation of the new constitution on what the president, Mwai Kibaki, yesterday called "the most important day in the history of our nation since independence".

The legislation, which replaces colonial-era laws, curbs the vast powers of the president and senior politicians that have enabled decades of impunity for the ruling elite and encouraged a ruinous system of ethnic patronage. The new constitution also provides for devolved power to often-marginalised regions, requires sweeping judicial and land reforms, and improves civil rights and women's representation.

Despite an energetic campaign by the church and some politicians to reject the laws, Kenyans overwhelmingly approved the constitution in a national referendum this month. The vote for reform was peaceful and well-organised, a marked contrast to the 2007 presidential election which plunged the country into chaos.

Passing a new constitution was a key element in the power-sharing deal to end the post-election chaos, although efforts by local reformers to replace the colonial-era laws go back more than 20 years. Kibaki, who is trying to rescue his legacy after his dubious election win, and the prime minister, Raila Odinga – his 2007 presidential foe and probable successor – both campaigned strongly for the yes vote. They, together with all of Kenya's MPs, were freshly sworn in today.

Full implementation of the constitution is expected to take several years, with parliament required to pass dozens of laws. There will be hiccups along the way, as the political class is notoriously self-serving and those who campaigned against it continue to demand concessions. The church wants to tighten the provision on abortion, which is outlawed in the new legislation except where the mother's health is in danger.

Land is the other main issue of contention. In Rift Valley province, the only region to vote no in the referendum, senior politicians, including the former president Daniel Arap Moi, have whipped up fears that the land reform programme will see poor people lose title deeds. Proponents of land reform say the main people under threat are politicians and their cronies who have been illegally allocated vast tracts of land since independence in 1963.

Authors: Xan Rice

 Khartoum, Aug. 23 (SUNA)- President of the Republic, Field Marshal Omer Al-Bashir, announced that the government campaign for the referendum will be launched from south Sudan in accordance with the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) which stipulated that the two partners of the agreement shall work for the unity of Sudan

He affirmed the government pledge to provide all the requirements for the campaign and acquainting the southern citizen with the importance of unity and the risks of the separation, stressing that the majority of the southerners are supporting to the unity

Authors: SUNA - Sudan News Agency English Latest News

 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