SPLA - DEFENSE WHITE PAPER

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 000400 SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/SPG, A/S FRAZER, SE WILLIAMSON ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL KPKO SOCI AU UNSC SU SUBJECT: SPLA - DEFENSE WHITE PAPER ¶1. (SBU) At the beginning of last week, President Salva Kiir finally signed the Defense White Paper (DWP). At this point the DWP has been reviewed and approved by the SPLA military leadership, the GOSS Defense Council, the GOSS Council of Ministers (cabinet equivalent) and the President. The President's original intent was to issue a written Presidential Proclamation approving the DWP after it was approved by the Council of Ministers. His legal advisors have advised him that a Proclamation would not be appropriate for a matter of policy such as the DWP. Based on this advice, he signed the DWP, but has not issued a Presidential Proclamation. As result, the DWP has not been released or distributed yet. The next step in the approval process is for the DWP to be reviewed and voted on by the GOSS Parliament which reconvenes on 1 April. ¶2. (SBU) Comment: In the interim, The SPLA senior leadership, including the Chier of Staff Lt Gen Oyay Deng, has recommended to the President that he release the DWP in its current form as a pre-decisional draft to key partners such as the U.S. This would allow the U.S. and other partners to move forward in their planning to support SPLA transformation. This has not happened yet; however we continue monitor this on a daily basis and will get a copy as soon as possible. FERNANDEZ