Sudan peace talks in Kenya adjourned to November 30

NAIVASHA, Kenya, Oct 26 (AFP) — Peace talks between Sudanese Vice President Ali Osman Taha and Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) leader John Garang adjourned, with both parties acknowledging some progress in efforts to end Africa’s longest civil war.

“Having reached the end of the scheduled period, the parties have agreed to adjourn for the month of Ramadan and to convene the next session on November 30,” said chief mediator Lazaro Sumbeiywo on Sunday.

“Progess was made in resolving certain aspects of the outstanding issues, while some areas remained to be finalised,” Sumbeiywo told journalists here, while flanked by both Taha and Garang.

Sumbeiywo, the chief mediator for the regional Inter-Governmental Authority on Development, said both parties had agreed to “keep high-level contact with each other in order to remain engaged with and work on resolving the outstanding issues during this period.”

“The parties appreciated the encouragement recived from US Sectary of State Colin Powell during his recent visit to Naivasha and now reiterate the commitment they made to finalise a comprehensive agreement by the end of 2003,” Sumbeiywo add.

About 1.5 million people have been killed in Sudan’s civil war since in broke out in 1983, while more than four million have been displaced.

Norway on Sunday announced plans to host a donor conference for Sudan’s reconstruction if a peace deal is reached to end the war there, an event many expect before the year is out.