Sudan’s al-Bashir names special envoy for peace in S.Sudan

October 17, 2018 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir on Wednesday has named Ambassador Jamal El-Shiekh as special envoy for peace in South Sudan.

Speaking to the diplomats at Foreign Ministry headquarters, al-Bashir said South Sudan’s peace would positively impact on Sudan and the region in general, describing it as “significant move towards achieving comprehensive peace in Sudan”.

He pointed out that Foreign Minister El-Dirdeiry Mohamed Ahmed has tackled South Sudan’s peace file with “knowledge and wisdom” which contributed to the signing of the peace deal in the world’s newest nation.

Al-Bashir added that Ambassador Jamal El-Shiekh has been appointed as special envoy for peace in South Sudan to follow up on the implementation of the peace agreement on the ground.

South Sudan became an independent country on 9 July 2011 after decades of war, lengthy negotiations and a referendum to secede from neighbouring Sudan. Two and a half years later, armed conflict broke out between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and those allied to his then deputy Riek Machar.

However, in August 2015, the two main parties in the conflict agreed a peace deal and later formed a transitional unity government with President Kiir at the helm and Machar as one of his two deputies.

Renewed again fighting broke out in July 2016 with heavy clashes in the capital Juba and other parts of the nation forcing Machar to flee.

On September 12, the South Sudanese rebel leader signed in Khartoum a peace agreement with the government aimed at ending a five-year civil war, which killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions.