Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 338: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to reports that preparations for the referendum to decide the future of south Sudan and the peoples of that region due to take place on 9 January 2011 have not been adequate; the action Ireland is taking bilaterally and through the EU to ensure that preparations are supported to ensure the process is legitimate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39657/10]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The north-south peace process in Sudan is at a critical juncture as the country prepares for a referendum on self-determination for the South and a separate referendum on the status of the district of Abyei on 9 January 2011. The referenda are envisaged by the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) which brought an end to the north-south conflict in Sudan. Ireland and the EU believe that full implementation of the CPA is fundamental to securing peace and stability in Sudan as a whole and in the wider region. This is a position shared by a wide range of countries, including the United States and the Member States of the African Union.

Preparations for the two referenda have commenced. Voter registration will begin on 14 November and the electoral register is scheduled to be finalised on 31 November. The Referendum Commission for South Sudan has commenced its work and preparation of approximately 3,600 polling stations in Sudan is underway. Electoral materials have been prepared and pre-positioned within Sudan for distribution to the polling stations. However, much remains to be achieved in the remaining time, in particular arrangements for the conduct of the referendum in Abyei, which remain to be agreed between the two sides. Further progress is also needed on clarifying a number of 'post-referendum' issues, in particular citizenship arrangements, delimitation of the border between North and South Sudan and agreement on sharing of oil revenues, to enable voters to make an informed choice when they go to the polls in January.

The three-member panel appointed by UN Secretary General Ban to monitor the referendum identified this and a number of other concerns following their visit to Sudan last month. The panel members called on the Government of Sudan and the Government of South Sudan to take all necessary steps to ensure the conditions necessary for the successful conduct of both referenda. They expressed the view that, should these efforts be made, it is still possible to hold both referenda according to the original timetable.

In view of the importance attached to a peaceful and orderly referendum process in Sudan, the international community has intensified its efforts to facilitate progress on the issue of the two referenda. Efforts are underway to prepare for a further round of talks in Ethiopia between the two parties which it is hoped will resume soon under the auspices of the African Union. Preparations are also underway for a summit meeting on Sudan of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), which comprises six countries in east Africa including Sudan, in Addis Ababa on 6 November. A meeting of the Consultative Forum on Sudan is also foreseen.

It is hoped that these initiatives will help the parties reach agreement on the necessary arrangements for the two referenda. The UN continues to play a lead role in coordinating international assistance to the Sudanese authorities through the UN mission in Sudan. The Security Council heard a report on the situation in Sudan on 25 October which reviewed the state of preparations for the two polls. The EU Special Representative to Sudan, Rosalind Marsden, is playing an active role in encouraging both sides to fulfil their obligations under the CPA. The EU will deploy an Election Observation Mission to Sudan, to cover both the voter registration process and the referendum and preparations for this mission have already begun.

Nationally, Ireland attaches considerable importance to a peaceful and orderly referendum process. This was one of the pressing issues I highlighted in my address to the UN General Assembly last month and personnel from our Embassy have also recently visited South Sudan to review the situation on the ground. In September last, Ireland participated in a meeting with the Government of Southern Sudan hosted by the European Commission in Brussels. The meeting offered an opportunity for the Government of Southern Sudan to outline its plan for capacity building and consolidation of governance during the remainder of the interim period of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, which is due to conclude in July 2011, as well as its longer term vision.

The humanitarian situation in Sudan as a whole remains a matter of deep concern. In particular, the humanitarian situation in South Sudan continues to be one of the worst in the world, where even basic needs often go unmet. Ireland will continue to provide humanitarian assistance to the people of South Sudan. Ireland has provided over €35 million since 2008 for humanitarian and recovery projects across Sudan, including in Darfur and South Sudan.