30 Years of German Unification
Press Release
By Manuel Müller, German Ambassador to the Republic of South Sudan
Oct 30, 2020(SSNN) — 30 years ago, on October 3rd, 1990, the former two German states got united. Like the day of November 9th, 1989, when the Berlin wall had come down less than one year before, this is one of those historic days everyone who witnessed it will never forget. After more than 40 years of separation, in 1990 people of one nation belonging together were united again.
Manuel Müller, German Ambassador to the Republic of South Sudan(Photo credit: supplied/German Embassy)
I still was a teenager at that time and remember the celebration of the German unification in a small town of my region: people on the streets in a public function headed by the mayor of this German town together with officials of its French partner town. For me like for many others, the German unity did not start as a single German event, but it was clear for us that we wanted to build up a unified Germany as integral part of a united Europe and of a multilateral world.
Peaceful revolution in Eastern Germany in 1989
As a result of the belief of people in freedom and democracy, the Berlin wall came down in 1989. The people’s wish to enjoy liberties, democracy, human rights and the rule of law was finally successful. And these values are core elements of the West German constitution of 1949 to which East Germany joint in 1990.
The year 1989 was a crucial year for German and European history. People in the Eastern part of Germany claimed for freedom of expression, for freedom of movement, for a pluralist political system, for the full respect of human rights and the rule of law. The people in the East showed that they did not want to be oppressed by any state security service and that democracy and the rule of law in a free country with economic prosperity has been their choice. Such a movement did not only take place in Germany but could be seen in many other countries of Eastern Europe at this point of time.
The day of unification was followed by long term political, economic, legal and social processes. During the last 30 years a lot has been achieved and at the same time a lot of challenges within our country had to be addressed and are still to be addressed. During this period, the European Union, formerly limited to the Western hemisphere, grew from then 12 to now 27 states showing that the European idea inspired peoples all over the continent. The European solidarity helped to build up modern structures in large parts of former Eastern Europe.
30 years of German unification should be a reason for a celebration. Like every year on October 3rd, we would have loved to come together with our South Sudanese partners and celebrate our German National Day. However, in times of the COVID19 pandemic we felt that it would be appropriate to limit ourselves this year to a virtual room showing a series of clips on Twitter and sharing some ideas in the media. It is our common responsibility to fight the pandemic especially by practicing social distancing. We invite you to follow our tweets on @GERinSSD.
Germany encourages implementation of Peace Agreement in South Sudan
We believe strongly that with a successful peace process, South Sudan will have huge potential for a great future of its people – longing for sustainable peace and democracy – in an inclusive state, built up by and for the people of South Sudan. In this spirit and with the commitment of all relevant actors, the transitional period is a huge chance to fulfill all the chapters of the Revitalized Agreement, including the unification of the armed forces, a credible security sector reform, a new Constitution, a credible transitional justice, transparent public finance management and free and fair elections. The vibrant South Sudanese civil society has an important role to play in this process.
I congratulate all political actors for the achievements since February 2020 starting with the formation of a transitional government and encourage all to continue making further steps forward on this important way, including in the security sector. Inclusiveness and mutual trust will lead to success. South Sudanese women can and should play an important role as decision makers in the construction of peace and make the difference. I therefore strongly encourage all actors to fully implement the 35 percent quota for women in public positions as set up in the Agreement.
We welcome the work of Sant’Egidio bringing together the non-signatories with the parties of the Peace Agreement and encourage all actors to find a way to peace. The recent violence in some areas of the country with not only intercommunal implications remains of concern and we welcome all efforts to address its causes and to find solutions for peace.
Germany commends the important work of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and its member states with regard to peace in South Sudan. This shows that regional organizations can make a difference. The signature of the Sudan Peace Agreement taking place on October 3rd, 2020, is an excellent success of the South Sudanese mediation and shows the importance of neighbors helping each other.
Germany with the people of South Sudan
German support to South Sudan started in the early 1970s. As a longstanding partner of the people of South Sudan, we will continue our support to the peace process and will stay engaged in humanitarian assistance to the people of South Sudan to keep up the people’s belief and faith in a prosperous future. We strongly believe that with their own capacities and our support together it will have an impact: such as water management in local areas by the community, public sanitation or combatting food insecurity for the most vulnerable people like woman, children and IDPs with small-scale farming projects and access to markets in multiple projects all over the country. German support to South Sudanese cultural activities like film, dance and music aims at strengthening the rich South Sudanese cultural diversity as part of a nation-building process which focuses on national identity in diversity.
Germany strongly believing in multilateralism has been supporting the East African Community in the area of pandemic prevention which included inter alia the training of South Sudanese laboratory experts in Germany and the donation of a mobile laboratory which now helps to identify COVID19 cases at the Nimule boarder point. The activities of the East African Community that Germany has been supporting are another good example that regional organizations can make a difference for the people and that multilateralism matters.
Germany will also continue to support peace and security through the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). For many years, Germany has been actively contributing to UNMISS financially and through German military observers and staff officers deployed to Juba and to the field. Also in our capacity as current member of the Security Council of the United Nations, we fully support the important work of UNMISS with regard to peace and security in South Sudan as well as the important task of the Mission to protect civilians. The United Nations are giving great support to South Sudan and therefore it is of utmost importance that free movement of the whole UN, including UNMISS, is fully guaranteed within the entire country. The same applies to all humanitarian actors. Without them, a large number of people in South Sudan would not be reached. It is very sad to see that humanitarian actors, who dedicated their life to help South Sudanese people, lost their life while being on duty.
Values for building up the future
30 years ago, when I welcomed German unification in the night of 2nd to 3rd of October 1990 as a teenager together with my friends in a small town in Germany, no one of us would have been able to predict where our country, our region and the world stand now. Looking back, I continue to be convinced that the direction the decision makers in our country chose at that time for the future of all of us, including the young generation, has been the best they could have chosen: belief in the values of democracy, human rights and rule of law as well as a market economy which includes social safeguards. And for our European and international approach: regional integration and multilateralism.
When new eras begin, it is of utmost importance to believe in values and to show the readiness to implement fundamental principles which pave the way to future. With the R-ARCSS, South Sudan has a roadmap towards the future established by the South Sudanese parties with support of IGAD. As I stated before, no one can know how the world will look like in the future. But let’s wish to all young South Sudanese of today to have a good future. We wish them all that they may be able to proudly state from a future perspective that the now ongoing peace process will have led to a great success for the whole country. And let’s encourage all political decision makers of today to continue making progress on that important way for the future of the country and to encourage youth to actively engage.
~ Press release was original released on October 2nd by the German Embassy in South Sudan. This content is distributed on behalf of the German Embassy in South Sudan.
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