Mbeki asks Sudanese parties to hand over proposals to resume Two Areas talks
October 26, 2018 (KHARTOUM) – The African Union High Implementation Panel (AUHIP) has asked the Sudanese parties to hand over their position papers to resume the Two Areas talks, reported the semi-official Sudan Media Center (SMC) on Friday
He expected the parties to reach a political settlement and achieve peace before the end of the year.
On the other hand, the SMC has quoted sources as saying the AUHIP chief Thabo Mbeki would meet with the leader of the SPLM-N al-Hilu, Abdel-Aziz Adam al-Hilu, in Addis Ababa soon to discuss the resumption of the peace talks.
The same sources pointed out that Mbeki would also meet with the rest of the RMA signatories.
In March and August 2016, the Sudanese government and the opposition alliance Sudan Call respectively signed an RMA for peace in Sudan proposed by the AUHIP.
The RMA provides that the warring parties end the war, negotiate a peace agreement and together with the opposition political groups hold a preparatory conference before to return to Sudan and participate in the national dialogue process and a constitutional conference.
However, the parties failed to strike a cessation of hostilities deal and a humanitarian access agreement in Darfur and the Two Areas for different reasons. As a result, the government held its national dialogue conference and formed a national consensus government to implement its recommendations.
Last month, Mbeki, sent a letter to the parties proposing to amend RMA, stressing that conditions have changed in the country and the opposition should be flexible
He proposed that after the peace agreements, the parties move directly to the constitutional conference with the participation of the opposition groups without the preparatory meeting for a national dialogue conference.
The Sudanese government accepted Mbeki’s proposed amendments but the Sudan Call rejected the proposal and reaffirmed its adherence to the initial peace plan.
(ST)