Donald Booth, former US ambassador who served in different parts of the African continent, has been named special envoy for Sudan and South Sudan, the White House announced on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Booth was received in the Oval Office today by President Barack Obama who stressed that \u201csupporting peace between and within Sudan and South Sudan remains a priority for this administration\u201d, according to a statement released after the meeting.<\/p>\n
The diplomat who served in Ethiopia, Zambia, and Liberia \u201chas extensive experience promoting peace and prosperity across the African continent\u201d, the White House added.<\/p>\n
Booth will work with the African Union (AU) and the international community to facilitate the resolution of pending issues between the two countries, including Abyei referendum and the disputed border zones, the statement said.<\/p>\n
He will also seek to aid efforts aimed at ending the ongoing conflicts in Darfur, South Kordofan, and Blue Nile \u201cas part of a holistic solution to Sudan\u2019s human rights, humanitarian, and governance crises\u201d, the White House underlined.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd he will urge South Sudan to stay focused on protecting its people, meeting their needs, and realizing their aspirations for a more peaceful, prosperous, and democratic future\u201d.<\/p>\n
Booth will succeed Princeton Lyman who resigned in late 2012 for what sources said was due to health reasons.<\/p>\n
Sudan Tribune<\/em> reports that the Sudanese activist group known as Enough issued a statement lauding the pick by Obama:<\/p>\n \u201cThe appointment of a seasoned diplomat like Don Booth to this critical position will enhance U.S efforts to promote peace within Sudan and between Sudan and South Sudan. We urge Special Envoy Booth to push for a comprehensive, internationally-backed peace process in Sudan which does not segment the conflicts across border regions\u2014Darfur, Abyei, South Kordofan, and Blue Nile State\u2014but addresses them holistically, and includes greater engagement with opposition groups working toward democratic transformation in Sudan,\u201d Enough Project Executive Director John C Bradshaw said.<\/p>\n News photo: US President Barack Obama meets with Ambassador Donald Booth, Special Envoy for Sudan and South Sudan, in the Oval Office, on 28 August 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)<\/em><\/p>\n
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