South Sudan accord signed in Khartoum

UPDATED 18:00 The South Sudanese parties today signed the Khartoum Declaration of Agreement Between Parties to Conflict in South Sudan which stipulates permanent ceasefire commences after 72 hours from time of its signing.

The Declaration was signed in the Republican Palace amid extensive diplomatic and media presence by the President of South Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit and Chairman of SPLM-IO, Riek Machar, Deng Alor for former political detainees on behalf of other South Sudanese parties and representatives of the South Sudanese Opposition Alliance.

Sudan’s President Omer Al-Bashir signed in his capacity as guarantor of the agreement while representatives of IGAD, troika, AU , EU and Forum of IGAD Partners signed the agreement as witnesses.

Read the full official text of the Declaration of Agreement Between South Sudanese Parties here

Border opening

Sudan’s President Omar Al Bashir previously announced the opening of the border between Sudan and South Sudan to facilitate the movement of citizens and the flow of the trade, affirming Sudan’s readiness to provide every possible help for achieving peace in South Sudan.

The official Sudan News Agency (SUNA) reports that in an address on Tuesday to the second sitting of the Khartoum Round to Facilitate Efforts of  the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) for Realising Peace in South Sudan at the Higher Academy for Strategic and Security Studies in Soba area, President Al Bashir said that “We will work for lasting peace and our single goal is security, stability, and peace in South Sudan”.

He said that “Sudan has sacrificed its unity for the sake of peace,” but this sacrifice did not lead to peace and resulted in aggravation of the situation of South Sudan people more than that during the era of war, indicating that the size of victims in recent disputes exceeded all the figures that occurred during the 20-year war.

Moral responsibility

President Al Bashir said that Sudan has a moral responsibility towards any citizen of South Sudan, because he was the president of Sudan and the head of the government which has signed the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.

Al Bashir has hailed the IGAD efforts to enable holding of the current peace negotiations between the southern parties in Khartoum for achieving peace in South Sudan.

He also praised the role of the Ugandan President, Yoweri Museveni, for reviving the peace efforts in South Sudan.

Al Bashir affirmed Sudan readiness to do its best for achieving peace in South Sudan.

He stressed that the real leader is the one who sacrifices for his people, and that there is no leadership for anyone who sacrifices his people for personal interests or goals.

President Al Bashir said: “We understand that the people of South Sudan are living in exceptional circumstances, therefore we shall stand with them to alleviate their suffering.”

(Source: SUNA)