Sudan government, southern rebels to resume final peace talks on June 22

NAIROBI, May 28 (AFP) — Sudan’s government and main rebel group will enter the final stretch of peace talks in Kenya on June 22 to discuss technical aspects of a permanent ceasefire, rebel and mediation sources said Friday.

On Wednesday, Khartoum and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army (SPLA) capped two years of intense political negotiations by signing key documents on how they will share power once their 21-year-old war is over.

“We have agreed that we shall resume the talks on June 22,” SPLM/A spokesman Yasser Arman told AFP by phone.

A mediator confirmed the date of resumption.

“When we return, we will start negotiating on a permanent ceasefire then we move to modalities and procedures of implementing a final peace agreement,” Arman said.

On Wednesday, chief mediator Lazaro Sumbeiywo predicted that a final peace accord would be ready for signing by mid-July.

The war in Sudan erupted in 1983 when the south, where most observe Christianity and traditional faiths, took up arms to end domination and marginalisation by the wealthier, mainly Muslim north.

Together with recurrent famine and disease, the war has killed at least 1.5 million people and displaced four million others.