UN official urges Sudan’s rival factions to join peace process

October 4, 2022 (KHARTOUM) – The Special Representative of the Secretary General in Sudan, Volker Perthes has urged the Sudan Liberation Army-Abdul Wahid al-Nur and Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N)- Abdelaziz al-Hilu faction to join peace processes aimed at achieving comprehensive and lasting peace in the country.

Perthes, in a statement issued on Tuesday, also recognised efforts made in implementing some of the provisions on the Darfur Track, particularly the establishment of the Permanent Ceasefire Committee, two years after signing of the Juba Peace Agreement.

“I also welcome the training of the first batch of 1,700 troops from the armed movements that signed the Juba Peace Agreement to be integrated into the Joint Security Keeping Forces,” partly reads the statement.

The top UN official said there is an urgent need for the full implementation of the Juba Peace accord’s provisions, including security arrangements and the swift deployment of the Joint Security Keeping Forces to ensure the protection of civilians, the establishment of relevant commissions such as the Commission for Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons, the Transitional Justice Commission, the Land and Hawakeer Commission, as well as other provisions on wealth and power sharing, nomads and reparations.

“This is an agreement crafted by the Sudanese between Sudanese parties. Only they can implement it and bring peace to the nation,” stressed Perthes.

He urged the signatories to the Juba Peace Agreement to renew their efforts to this end.

In October 2020, the Juba Agreement for Peace in Sudan was signed by Sudan’s transitional government and many of the country’s warring factions. The agreement, among others, covers a wide range of issues including governance, security, and transitional justice and intended to inform the future constitutional negotiation process.

(ST)