Kenya FM arrives in Sudan to discuss peace progress

KHARTOUM, Dec 19 (AFP) — Kenya’s foreign minister arrived in Khartoum on Sunday to discuss progress in peace talks between the government and southern Sudanese rebels being held in the Kenyan city of Naivasha.

SPLM leader John Garang (left) shakes hands with Sudanese president Omar El Bashir (right), in the presence of Kenyan president Mwai Kibaki (centre) Wednesday April 2, 2003.

Chirau Ali Mwakwere is due to hold talks with his Sudanese counterpart Mustafa Osman Ismail during a two-day visit focusing on talks in Kenya aimed at clinching a peace deal by year-end to halt Africa’s longest civil war, between Khartoum and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A).

More than two years of intense negotiations have already delivered agreements on key issues such as sharing of power and wealth, leaving technical details on the negotiating table, crucial to reaching a final peace deal to halt Africa’s bloodiest conflict.

At least 1.5 million people have been killed and over four million others displaced by the war, which erupted in 1983 when the mainly Christian and animist south took up arms to end domination by the Arabised, Muslim north.