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Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Welcome to Oslo. It is wonderful to see you.

Over the past seven years, I have followed the peace process closely, and I have met many Sudanese leaders. They had different ideas, they came from different parts of the country, they had different affiliations. Some were young, some were less so. But they all had one thing in common: they were men.

These men have negotiated a historic peace agreement. They have taken the first decisive step towards a new and better life for all Sudanese people. We applaud their achievement.

Their job was hard. What lies ahead will be even harder.

Because now the words of the peace agreement must be translated into a better life for all Sudanese: men, women, children.

This cannot be done without the women of Sudan.

This is why I am so pleased to be able welcome all of you to this Sudanese Gender Symposium. I would like to extend a particular welcome to the participants from Sudan, and to the First Lady of South Africa, Mrs Mbeki.

The signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement by the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) in Nairobi on 9 January may prove to be the most important event in modern Sudanese history. It ended one of the longest and bloodiest conflicts in Africa – a conflict that has had serious consequences for the population in general, and women and children in particular.

The war has been dominated by men. The peace negotiations have been dominated by men. Now it is time for women to take their rightful place as equals, and to make sure that their voices are heard in the implementation process. Not just because it is the right thing, but because it is the only way to ensure that the agreement is accepted and acted on in the local communities.

Women must take part in political decisions, in development debates – at national level, and at local level. If they – you! – are not part of the process that lies ahead in Sudan, I fear that lasting peace may still escape us.

This is why it is crucial that you address these issues here, today.

We hope that this symposium will be a forum for exchanging information and ideas that may serve as input for all of us at the Donor’s Conference tomorrow and Tuesday. That’s why we made sure you got here early – before the men! Because when the international community sits down together to discuss the new Sudan, we must be sure we are talking about all of Sudan – not just the male half.

We know there are challenging weeks and months ahead.

A workable solution for Sudan requires a new form of nation building based on the sharing of power and wealth between the centre and the regions. A workable solution must take into account all the cultural, ethnic, religious and historical issues.

The sustainability of the peace agreement is dependent on the goodwill of the entire population. It has to be owned by all, accepted by all, acted on by all.

We know this is only the beginning.

The peace agreement is in place, but food, shelter and support for the millions of people who are returning to their devastated homes is not. The promise inherent in the peace agreement will only be fulfilled if the Sudanese people experience two things: the speedy implementation of what has been agreed, and the concrete support of the international community. This means immediate action to alleviate the humanitarian crisis, both in Darfur and in the South. The vast majority of the returnees and IDPs are women, and this makes our commitment to humanitarian support even more important.

The success of the implementation will depend on the parties. It will require political will and determination. But it will also depend on the level of support from the international community – an active and firm international community.

Certainly there are enough challenges to go round. I see three immediate ones for the Sudanese leadership:

First, making the Comprehensive Peace Agreement truly national.

This means widening the political ownership of the agreement. This can only be done by including other political parties and forces in Sudan in the constitutional process and the new government of national unity. It means South-South dialogue. It means involving militia and civil society groups in the process and the new political set-up. It means including women at all levels and in all phases.

Second, implementing the peace agreement.

Here the first stage is the most critical. Swift implementation will bolster both support for the agreement and its sustainability. After a few delays, new institutions have now been established in accordance with the protocols. The Joint National Transition Team of the two parties has been constituted and is now representing Sudan at this conference.

What remains to be completed is the National Constitutional Review Commission, which will include other political forces in the country. A key question here is how women’s rights and gender issues will be addressed in the new constitution. Another challenge will be to secure a satisfactory number of women in the new government.

The Government of National Unity will be formed towards the end of the pre-interim period, most likely in June. July marks the start of the six-year interim period, during which both the national coalition government and the Southern regional government will have to prove that they can and will deliver basic services to the population.

How many women will participate in the new governments, both centrally and in the South? How many will participate in the local governments?

The SPLM has decided on a quota system where 25% of their representatives must be women. This is encouraging, and we encourage other groups to follow their lead.

Third, taking responsibility for building peace in all parts of the country.

This is especially important for Darfur, the East. The Naivasha agreement provides a blueprint for resolving the conflicts. The two parties, the Government and the SPLM, must co-operate to find good solutions for these areas as well. Otherwise these tensions and conflicts could hamper the overall implementation of the peace agreement.

Violence against women has been widespread, in Darfur and in the South. A recent reminder is the Medecins sans Frontieres’ report on rape in Sudan.

Women deserve our special attention now - in the peace process and in the efforts to heal the country. The parties and the international community must follow closely the recommendations of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (on women, peace and security).

There is no easy shortcut to a political solution for Darfur: the solution will have to address vital political, security and economic issues, as well as environmental and ethnic problems. The Comprehensive Peace Agreement has been accepted by both sides as the framework for a solution. Thus the autonomy and sharing of power and wealth granted in the Agreement could serve as a model for Darfur, the East and possibly other areas.

The AU mission to Darfur is doing a good job, but lacks sufficient personnel, equipment and financing to stabilise the situation in the whole of the region and protect all the citizens. We know that women need particular protection. The mission must be strengthened immediately.

We know that implementation of the new agreement will not be easy.

The new unity government will have the main responsibility for the implementation. But they cannot do it alone. You, the women of Sudan, must be part of this as well:

• as watchdogs - to monitor the political process, to expose gaps between rhetoric and reality, to make sure that women’s interests are protected.
• as advocates – to amplify the message from the women who may not be in a position to speak themselves. You can make sure their rights are taken into account where decisions are made.
• as peace makers - to show people in the local communities that peace pays.

The donor conference that starts tomorrow will demonstrate a broader and deeper level of support for Sudan than we have ever seen before. Representatives from more than 60 countries and organisations will arrive today and tomorrow, and we look forward to generous pledges from as many as possible.

Because there is so much that must be done in Sudan.

Estimates indicate that the country will need 7.9 billion dollars for reconstruction and rehabilitation in the first two years alone. Sudan is prepared to cover most of this.

The international community has been asked to contribute 2.6 billion dollars. I hope and believe pledges will be on the table by Tuesday night.

It will be necessary to monitor these pledges – and make sure enough of the money benefits women. It may be that women would make different choices than men. Indeed, in some cases, men and women live in different worlds – and men may not know enough or care enough about the concerns of their mothers, wives, sisters and daughters.

It is your job to make them – and us, the donors – aware of your concerns, your ideas, your demands.

We promise to pay attention. We pledge our support.

The former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher said that

“If you want anything said, ask a man. If you want something done, ask a woman.”

My friends, in Sudan, much has been said. Now much must be done. I urge you to play an active part in the rebuilding of this great country - to make sure that peace has come to stay - to make sure the children of Sudan will have hope for the future.

Together, I believe we can do it.

Ladies: Let’s get to work – now.

Thank you.