First meeting of new ceasefire committee for south Sudan

KHARTOUM, May 8 (AFP) — A new ceasefire committee for southern Sudan established by a January peace agreement between the government and the rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) held its first meeting Sunday, the UN Mission for Sudan (UNMIS) said.

Sudan’s General Mohamed Hassan el-Fadow (L) shakes hands with SPLM/A Commander Taban Deng after they signed accords on two outstanding issues paving the way for the signing of a comprehensive peace deal to end Africa’s longest-running conflict in Naivasha, Kenya. (AFP).

The meeting of the Ceasefire Joint Military Committee in south Sudan’s main city of Juba was attended by representatives of the Sudanese military and the SPLA, as well as UNMIS officials, a statement said.

“The senior observers of both parties have confirmed that the Sudan Armed Forces and the SPLA will comply with the tasks laid upon them by the senior representatives who met in Naivasha (Kenya), on January 9, 2005,” said UN force commander Major-General Fazle Elahi Akbar, who chaired the meeting.

“There is much to be done in the months and years ahead by this committee, and the organizations that my fellow committee members represent, to ensure that the people of Sudan are able to enjoy the peace and prosperity that they deserve.”

The new committee is also to oversee the deployment of a 10,000-strong UN peacekeeping force which began arriving in south Sudan last month.

It is to meet again in two weeks.