The CEDEJ-Khartoum and the CFEE-Addis Ababa are organizing a roundtable conference in Addis Ababa on June 10-12, 2013 regarding Sudans’ reconstruction. The separation between the two Sudans in July 2011 opens new research fields in social sciences. The analysis themes regarding ongoing political and social restructuration are various, and for a majority of them, not much studied, given the recentness of the partition. Therefore, the CEDEJ-Khartoum and the CFEE-Addis Ababa launched a scientific dialogue process on Sudans. That work finds its originality in the will to give an academic content to the debate, often missing in official talks. Moreover, this process of prolific scientific meetings contributes to compensate for the lack of current and searched academic works led by Sudanese and South Sudanese researchers together. The 2013 conference aims at opening the debate to a large panel discussion, in the perspective of publishing the conference’s proceedings.

Argument

The independence of South Sudan in July, 2011 created as many opportunities as it aroused difficulties and threats. The resumption of confrontations between the North and the South in 2012 further complicated dialogues among intellectuals from each country and showed how perilous it was to reorganize power systems, both in North and South, and how difficult it could be to reach stabilization. Facing secession, euphoria in the South and acceptation in the North gave way to heavy political, economic and safety challenges.

From an academic point of view, the separation between the two States opens new research fields in social sciences. The analysis themes regarding ongoing political and social restructuration are various, and for a majority of them, not much studied, given the recentness of the partition. Therefore, in June 2012, the CEDEJ-Khartoum and the CFEE-Addis Ababa launched a scientific dialogue process on Sudans. That works finds its originality in the will to give an academic content to the debate, often missing in official talks. 

Four key-concepts particularly emerged in 2012, on which the organizers chose to build the coming conference, and that will enable the pursuance of the work started last year: 

• The concept of marginalization/diversity management within each country challenges conflict prevention and resolution on an internal scale.
• The concept of compromise, very hard to reach between Sudans, will allow researchers to tackle with central themes such as coexistence, collective memory or national identity, on a bilateral scale.
• The concept of mediation puts conflict management in perspective on a regional scale, and enables to analyze the influence of third countries or organizations.
• The concept of frontier both questions frontiers between Sudans and inside each of them.

This process of prolific scientific meetings contributes to compensate for the lack of current and searched academic works led by Sudanese and South Sudanese researchers together. Therefore, it deserves a heightened internationalization of the debate, and a wider broadcast of its conclusions. The 2013 conference aims at opening the debate to a larger panel discussion, in the perspective of publishing the conference’s proceedings.

Addis Ababa allows academics to exchange outside of official peace talks that are held there under the aegis of Ethiopia and the African Union. Indeed, the decision to organize that second event in Ethiopia again justifies itself by the neutrality that the country offers.

Finally, several artistic and festal events will take place outside of the conference in order to promote Sudanese culture and artists, notably a photo exhibition by Jerome Tubiana (3 borders / 3 frontières) and the broadcasting of the documentary "Our beloved Sudan" directed by Taghred Sanhoury. Ameira Eltrifi, the main character, will be in Addis to present it.

Programme

MONDAY 10 June

Asni Art Gallery, Addis Ababa

18:00 Opening of the photograph exhibition: 3 Borders / 3 Frontières By Jerôme Tubiana

TUESDAY 11 June

Jupiter Hotel, Conference Hall

8:30-10:00 Opening Session

8:30 Welcoming coffee –tea

8:45 Welcoming address by the organizers – Objectives of the roundtable and presentation of the participants

9:15 Opening lecture by Gunnar Sørbø (Chr. Michelsen Institute)

"Sudan Divided: Challenges for Research”

9:45 Discussion

10:00 – 12:00 Roundtable discussion 1: Borderlands

Chairperson: Dr Munzoul Assal (University of Khartoum)

1. Hassan E. Ahmed (University of Khartoum)

“Sudan’s Soft Borders: Past, Present and Future”

2. Guma Kunda Komey (University of Bahri) & Joshua Akol Otor (University of Juba)

“Emerging (B)orders and Oligopolies of Violence Along the Borderlands of the Divided Sudan”

3. Abdelbasit Saeed (Independent)

“Factors contributing to political turbulence in borderlands: Post-separation challenges facing pastoralists squeezed betwen the two Sudans”

4. Timm Sureau (Max Planck Institute)

“The conflict of Amee junction – conflict over land at the road from Juba to Uganda”

12:00 – 13:00 Lunch at Jupiter Hotel (participants)

13:00 – 14:30 Roundtable discussion 2: Managing resources

Chairperson: Dr. Alice Frank (University Paris 1)

5. Leben Moro (University of Juba)

“The Role of Oil and Other Natural Resources in Sudan-South Sudan border dispute”

6. Ana Elisa Cascão (SIWI, Stockholm)

‎“Sudans and the Niles: a complex hydropolitical puzzle”‎

7. Saverio Krätli (Tufts University)

“Standing Wealth. Pastoralist Livestock Production and Local Livelihood in Sudan”

15:00 – 18:00 Film screening and Discussion: Our Beloved Sudan (90’, 2011), director Taghred Sanhouri, Presented by Ameira Eltrifi (Main character of the documentary)

Alliance Ethio-Française

WEDNESDAY 12 June

Jupiter Hotel, Conference Hall

9:00 – 11:00 Roundtable Discussion 3: Mediating Sudans’ conflicts

Chairperson: Gunnar Sørbø

1. Pr. Abdelghaffar Ahmed (University of Khartoum)

“Third Sudan (Sudan, Separation, Contested interests, Security, Future scenarios‎)”

2. Maria Gabrielsen (Peace Research Institute of Oslo)

“New setting for international and regional mediators after the Secession of South Sudan”

3. Dr Mehari Maru (Independent)

“Mediating the Two Sudans: The Role of The AU and IGAD”

4. Volkert Doop (Independent)

“How to handle your neighbours’ conflict: Ethiopia’s relationships with Sudan and South Sudan”

11:00 – 11:30 Coffee break

11:30 – 13:00 Roundtable Discussion 4: Managing diversity (1)

Chairperson: Dr Leben Moro (University of Juba)

5. Jérôme Tubiana (Independent)

 “Blue Nile at the crossroads”

6. Gérard Prunier  (CNRS)

“Bullets or Ballots? The Sudanese Opposition since the Nairobi Agreement (2005-2013)”

7. Munzoul Assal (University of Khartoum)

“Shrinking frontiers of citizenship in Sudan”

13:00 – 14:30 Lunch at Jupiter Hotel (participants)

14:30 – 16:00 Roundtable Discussion 5: Managing diversity (2)

8. Agnès de Geoffroy (CEDEJ) & Mai Azzam (University of Khartoum, CEDEJ)

“What place for (religious) diversity in Sudan after the Secession?”

9. Alice Franck (University Paris 1)

“Envisaging Greater Khartoum Devoid of Southerners: Post CPA Reconfigurations within the Lower Income neighbourhood of Mussalas (Omdurman)”

10. Jean-Gabriel Leturcq (CFEE)

"Past for Future? Heritage-making and nation-building since 2005 in the two Sudans."

16:00 – 16:30 Coffee break

16:30 – 17:30 Collective Roundtable Discussion & Wrap up

Chairman: Abdelghaffar Ahmed (University of Khartoum) and Gérard Prunier (CNRS)