Africa's peace seekers: Lazaro Sumbeiywo

The warring parties were finally willing to take the last steps toward peace, Sumbeiywo says, because they knew the costs of war - and the potential economic benefits of ending it. Civil wars cost African economies 2.2 percent in GDP growth per year, according to a study published last year by Oxford University. By that measure, Sudan's war sapped more than 46 percent from the economy's growth during its 21 years.

And now, in the wake of the peace pact, the country is booming. At a mid-April conference in Norway, donor nations pledged $4.5 billion in reconstruction aid. The rest of the $7.9 billion cost of rebuilding will come from Sudan's oil exports, which are also rising as new investment boosts production. The country has huge oil reserves, mostly in the south. Until recently, Sudan exported a relatively small 300,000 barrels a day. But the foreign minister predicted recently that the rate would reach 2 million daily by 2008.

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On the sun-dappled afternoon of Jan. 9, 2005, at a packed soccer stadium in Nairobi, the parties were arriving to sign the final peace deal. But as the morning dragged on, tensions rose. There was a seating problem: Not all the visiting dignitaries had seats in the tented VIP section.

Sumbeiywo wasn't going to let protocol compromise the day. He marched to the podium, and began negotiating a new seating arrangement. He got Kenyan ministers and other lower-level officials to vacate seats in favor of visiting diplomats. He also organized a squad of porters to bring in extra chairs.

Finally, in a white tent in the middle of the grass field, the two sides put their signatures on the deal. Men danced and women ululated. Scores of happily seated diplomats, including Powell, applauded vigorously.

The event marked the end of one of the world's deadliest conflicts - and, for Sumbeiywo, of so many sleepless nights. "It was reached by the will of God," he says.

But Sumbeiywo knows the peace process is only beginning. "Half of an agreement is in the implementation," he says. Under this deal, the parties have six years to take steps to prevent war from reigniting - such as integrating their armies into one national defense force. At the end of the six years, southern Sudanese will vote on whether they want to secede from the north.

Throughout this year, the parties were moving forward on schedule. On July 9, SPLA leader Garang was sworn in as first vice president in Sudan's new government - making him the first southern Christian to hold a top post in the country's largely Arab Muslim government.

Just three weeks later, though, the implementation process was shaken deeply when Garang was killed in a night-time helicopter crash.

Many feared this would derail the peace pact. It hasn't so far. But observers say that Sumbeiywo's role as guardian of the deal now becomes even more important. He's one of the few people who knows exactly what Garang and the others meant when they compromised on certain issues.

"We hope IGAD and Sumbeiywo stay involved," says Gary McGurck, who works on Sudan for the international aid group CARE. "The best thing Sumbeiywo can say is, 'I'm available and I'm willing if you both want me.' "

For his part, Sumbeiywo is enjoying a slower pace. "It's been a lot of Christmases since I've seen my family," he says. So now, "I can make up for it."

But his voice turns to steel when he talks about Sudan's continued peace. "We must watch," he says. "We must watch very carefully."

1947 Born in Elgeyo Marakwet district of Kenya

1968 Enrolled in Britain's Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst

1987 Appointed director of Kenya's military intelligence

1997-98 Served as Kenya's envoy to the Sudan peace process

2000 Appointed Chief of Staff of Kenya's Army

2001 Appointed mediator of Sudan's north-south conflict

2003 Retired from army to devote full time to peace effort

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