Military Reform: Sudan Comprehensive Peace Agreement
Implementations
Military Reform – 2005
The 2005 CPA in Sudan was unique in the sense that it legitimized the existence of the Sudan Armed Force and the Sudan People’s Liberation Armed force and suggested the creation of Joint Integrated Units comprising armed personnel from both forces. The SAF and SPLA were to be withdrawn from the 1956 border between the North and the South and the JIUs were to be deployed in those areas.
The main issues included military doctrine. Additionally, the size of the military was pending until the referendum in the South Sudan. Nevertheless, the 2005 CPA provides for the establishment of the Joint Defense Board (JDB) comprising both the SAF and SPLA in parity basis with responsibility to make a decision on external and internal security threat. The JDB would form a Technical Committee out of four senior officers from both sides with the responsibility to coordinate the two forces and resolve the various problems that could ensue. Also, both sides would integrate other interested armed groups into their armed forces; and the parties were to establish an “Incorporation and Reintegration Adhoc Committee.”
According to the Accord, both arms of the armed forces (SAF and SPLA) would complete the selection and organization of officers, non-commissioned Officers (NCOs) and men for the JIUs within three months from the beginning of the Pre-Interim Period. The JIUs, were to be dissolved with each component reverting to its mother armed forces to pave the way for the formation of the separate armed force for the emerging state, should the referendum result favor for the secession of the South from the North. If the referendum would confirm the unity, the JIUs was said to be the nucleus of the future Sudanese National Armed Forces (SNAP).
The Accord requires the formation of JIUs during the pre-interim and the interim period from the SAF and SPLA, on a parity basis. Nevertheless, the delay in the establishment of the Joint Defense Board delayed in the formation of the JIUs. The JDB was established by a presidential decree on 29 December 2005. The JIU act was endorsed by the National Assembly on 19 December 2005. By the end of December 2005, it was said that the SPLM and SAF had nominated 46% and 97% personnel joining the JIUs.
Parties were behind to integrate other armed groups in existing military structures and to create functioning JIUs. The implementation of the formation of the Joint Integrated Unites provision of the ceasefire was 18 months behind schedule. Contributing to the delay was the lack of logistical support.1 Similarly, an Incorporation and Reintegration Adhoc Committee for the incorporation of the Other Armed Groups (OGAs) into the regular forces of the parties was not formed by the parties. However, parties had registered OGAs allied with either SAF or SPLA. The SAF disclosed that about 43,000 members of OGAs were aligned to it and SPLA claimed its overall strength to be about 270,000.2
- “Report of the Secretary General on the Sudan,” United Nations (S/2007/42), January 25, 2007.
- “Report of the Secretary-General on the Sudan,” United Nations (S/2005/821), December 21, 2005.
Military Reform – 2006
After its formation, the JDB met for the first time on 2-3 January 2006. The Board was jointly chaired by First Lieutenant-General Abbas Arabi Abdallah, representing the SAF, and First Lieutenant General Oyai Deng Ajak, representing the SPLA. The National Assembly passed the Joint Integrated Units Act on 17 January 2006.1 The SPLA signed the Juba Declaration on Unity and Integration of SPLA and SSDF with Paulino Matip. The SSDF was the umbrella organization comprising the Majority of formerly SAF-aligned OAGs.2 At issue for the OGAs was the fact that each of the parties had provided the Ceasefire Joint Military Committee with a list of groups that were said to be aligned with each party while the actual alignment status, composition and location of the group remained opaque.3 Also, the implementation of the formation of Joint Integrated Unites provision of ceasefire was 18 months behind the schedule. Contributing to the delay was the lack of logistical support.4
- “The CPA Monitor-Monthly report on the Implementation of the CPA,” UNMIS, February 2009.
- “The CPA Monitor-Monthly report on the Implementation of the CPA,” UNMIS, February 2009.
- “Report of the Secretary-General on the Sudan,” United Nations (S/2006/728), September 12, 2006.
- “Report of the Secretary General on the Sudan,” United Nations (S/2007/42), January 25, 2007.
Military Reform – 2007
The JDB regularly met, as it did in 2006. In February 2007, the parties adopted a common military doctrine and code of conduct to guide the work of JIU forces.1 It was reported that the SAF declared in May 2007 that there were no more SAF-aligned OAGs in South Sudan.2 Nevertheless, the formation of JIUs was delayed and thus the redeployment of the JIUs.3
- “Report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict in the Sudan,” United Nations (S/2007/520), August 29, 2007.
- “The CPA Monitor-Monthly report on the Implementation of the CPA,” United Nations, February 2009.
- Ibid.
Military Reform – 2008
The JDB regularly met in 2008. Progress related to the formation and deployment of the JIUs was made. As of 4 October 2008, the JIUs had reached 84.7% of their mandated strength of 39,639 troops, SAF soldiers comprising 52.4 percent and SPLA soldiers 47.6 per cent of the total.1 There was no report on OGAs aligned with either of the parties.
Military Reform – 2009
The JDB regularly met in 2009. The other armed groups were officially banded in 2006.1 On issues related to the deployment of the JIUs, both parties were slow in filling their respective quota of troops and in deployment to all eight agreed-upon locations, complaining of logistical problems. As of September 2009, the eight JIUs locations were occupied by SAF and SPLA. But still to be filled with the agreed quota in all locations: Um-darfa, Menza, Wadal Mahe. Dindiro, Ulu, Gissan, Kurmuk and Taliya.2
- “Report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Mission in the Sudan,” United Nations (S/2009/545), October 21, 2009.
- “The CPA Monitor-Monthly report on the Implementation of the CPA,” UNMIS, December 2009.
Military Reform – 2010
The JDB regularly met in 2010. “There has been no change on the status of the JIU since April 2009. They are at 82.6 per cent of their mandated strength of 39,639 troops.”1
Military Reform – 2011
The JIU dissolution process had officially been completed by 9 April 2011; by the end of May 2011, the movement of the SAF JIU troops from the South to the North was underway. The SPLA JIUs in Khartoum agreed to stay there until 9 July 2011.1 On 23 May 2011, the JDB informed the SPLA of an instruction from the President of Sudan to redeploy its forces to the south of the 1-1-56 boundary; the SAF would redeploy its forces to all the areas north of the boundary as of 1 June 2011.2 Since critical issues such as the size of the armed force and the common military doctrine were contingent on the referendum result favoring the unity, military reform did not take place in Sudan.