Sudan, SPLM-N al-Hilu sign peace roadmap, as talks with SRF approaching separate deal
October 18, 2019 (JUBA) – The Sudanese government and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North ((SPLM-N) led by Abdel Aziz al-Hilu on Friday signed a roadmap for negotiations and officially began direct talks in Juba.
While the transitional government and the Sudanese Revolutionary Front held a separate meeting to discuss a plan for the peace process which will include several tracks.
According to the deal struck between the government and the SPLM-N al-Hilu delegations will include three issues, political file, humanitarian assistance, and security arrangements.
The deal was signed by Shams al-Din Kabbashi who heads the government negotiating team and Amar Amum, SPLM-N al-Hilu chief negotiator and the group secretary-general. The South Sudanese presidential adviser Tut Kew Gatluak co-signed the deal as granter.
“The sincere will with which the government dialogues and the deep awareness of the nature of Sudan’s problems contributed to this “breakthrough,” said the member of the Sovereignty Council Mohamed Hassan Eltaishi who is also the spokesman for the government negotiating delegation.
The discussion between the two delegations will be limited to the conflict in Sudan’s Two Areas, the Blue Nile and South Kordofan.
On the other side, the other process with the SRF will include Darfur, the Two Areas, and the situation in eastern Sudan and the dam-affected area of Kajabar in northern Sudan.
The Revolutionary Front, for its part, held a technical meeting with the Sudanese government and the South Sudanese mediator to discuss a peace plan after announcing their agreement on Juba as the venue for the peace talks.
Al-Hadi Idris SRF leader told Sudan Tribune that during the lengthy held on Friday they were briefed by the South Sudanese mediation on the existing contact with the African Union on the issuance of a mandate to cancel the previous mandate for Qatar and UNAMID on the conflict in Darfur.
Also, they were informed about the ongoing contacts with the countries they agreed to involve in the peace process along with Sudan’s neighbours, IGAD, EU, Troika and the United Nations.
“The technical committee agreed to sign a political agreement that includes the issues that have been agreed upon, the agenda of the talks, the different tracks, the methodology of the negotiation and the renewal of the cease-fire, after what the sessions will be adjourned but not postponed,” he said.
He stressed the need for the various committees to follow up on the different tasks related to the peace process and that the SRF negotiating delegations should remain in Juba.
(ST)