HENOK MERHATSIDK 1.pdf - Addis Ababa University

accelerating the Sudanese peace process. Following the revitalization of IGADD to IGAD in
1996, the original ministerial sub-committee replaced by a permanent secretariat on the
Sudan peace process. President Moi appointed Lieutenant General Lazarus Sumbeiywu as
special envoy to Sudan, and then:
The first rounds of talks held under this arrangement began in February,
2000. In July 2002, talks in Machakos, Kenya, resulted in the Sudanese
Government and the Sudanese People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) signing
the Machakos protocol. The protocol provides for a six-month “preinterim
period” during which hostilities should cease and a formal cease
fire should be established as soon as possible. During a subsequent six
year “interim period”, the cease fire should be maintained and Sharia
law should not be applied in the south during that period. After six years
a referendum on the southern self –determination should be held
(www.igad region.org).
For those who follow attentively the Horn sub-regional political dynamics, the achievement
of ending civil war in southern Sudan is a tremendous outcome for the IGAD member states
in general and Ethiopia and Kenya who have facilitated the realization of the peace process
in particular. Ethiopia shares thousands of kms borderlines with Sudan. It was also
sponsoring SPLM/A during the Derg regime against the Sudanese government. Kenya was
pro-west in the Cold War era and its relations with Sudan were not hostile. The only bone of
contention between Kenya and Sudan is the Elmi Triangle which is believed to be oil rich
area and claimed by the Sudan government. Another worst periods in the relations between
Sudan and IGAD member countries in general and Sudan and Ethiopia in particular was the
exporting of Islam to the neighboring countries by the National Islamic Front (NIF) that was
influential in Sudan Politics ultimately leads to strong response by Ethiopia, Ugandan and
Eritrea (Young, 2007: 10).
According to the Ethiopian government, Sudan is a better market for Ethiopia and thus
widening cooperation in many fields could benefit the people of the two countries. Helping
opposition groups against one another’s security leads them to self destructive end. Hence,
the Ethiopian policy towards Sudan remains mainly peaceful, when problem arises they will
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