Mauritanian political class, civil society hail Sudanese peace

NOUAKCHOTT, Mauritania, Jan 12, 2005 (PANA) — Politicians, the civil society
and the media in Mauritania Wednesday commended the peace
agreement signed last Sunday in Nairobi, Kenya between the
Sudanese government and the rebel Sudan People’s Liberation
Movement (SPLM).

Mohamed Abdallahi Ould Belil of the ruling Republican Social
Democratic Party (PRDS) said the agreement was “a step towards
peace, which is a very long but vital process.”

According to him, the agreement was “a decisive step towards
peace for all other countries sharing borders with Sudan.”

Stressing the close human and geographical ties among African
countries and the highly contagious nature of war, the PRDS
official expressed hope that the new agreement was a prelude to
change across the Horn of Africa, which has suffered so much from
war.

Meanwhile, Mohamed Ould Maouloud, leader of the opposition Union
of the Forces of Progress (UFP) expressed the belief that the
agreement would open a new era for Sudan, a country tormented by
several years of conflict.

Ahmed Ould Cheikh, a journalist with the weekly Le Calame said
the Nairobi agreement was good news for Sudan, Africa and the
Arab-Muslim world at large. He expressed hope that it will pave
the way for the settlement of other conflicts still raging on the
African continent.

Another newsman, Isselmou Ould Moustapha, who is editor-in-chief
of the private daily Nouakchott-Info said the peace agreement
rekindles the hopes of all African countries grappling with
problems of ethnic cohabitation.