Joint Press Statement: SLM/A and JEM are ready to resume Abuja talks

We, the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A) and Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), have gathered in Rome at the invitation of the Community of Sant’Egidio and deliberated extensively on several aspects of Darfur problems.

We thank the Community of Sant’Egidio for its hospitality, facilitation and the profound faith of men and women who are committed to peace building. We also express our gratitude for helping us to clarify a number of very important issues.

During our stay in Rome we had frank consultations with the African Union.

We urge the International Community to exert all efforts to maintain a favourable environment for the resumption and continuation of negotiations and support of the negotiating efforts by providing high level of representation and effective technical and political assistance.

We support the International Community’s demand to strengthen the African peacekeepers and expand their mandate to include the protection of civilians.

We call upon the International Community to ensure the flow of humanitarian aid to the IDP’s and refugees.

We make a solemn commitment to resume as soon as possible the Abuja negotiations under the auspices of the African Union without preconditions.

We have decided to re-convene in Sant’Egidio whenever needed to discuss in order to strengthen the peace process.

We ask the Community of Sant’Egidio to gather the parties and to continue the facilitation efforts it has developed so effectively in these days.