JEM, SLM-MM sign pre-negotiation agreement with Sudan govt in Berlin today

The Sudan government, the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM-MM) of Minni Minawi leadership, and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) today signed a pre-negotiation agreement in the German capital of Berlin under the auspices of the German Foreign Ministry and with the partners and international envoys from France, the United States, Britain, Norway and the head of Unamid.

A press release issued by the representative of the Presidency for diplomatic communication for peace in Darfur, announced that a pre-Doha negotiations’ agreement was signed on Thursday, December 6, 2018 by the Sudan government and the Sudan Liberation Movement Minni Minawi faction (SLM-MM) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM).

The statement explained that the pre-Doha negotiations’ agreement was sponsored by the German government and signed in presence of the State Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Joint Special of the UN and the African Union, the special country envoy and the international envoys of the United States, Britain, France and Norway and a representative of the German Barkov Foundation.

According to the statement, a copy of which was received by the Sudan News Agency (SUNA), the signing of the agreement came in culmination of several rounds of negotiations and informal consultations held in the German capital, Berlin, via mediation by the Joint Special Envoy of the United Nations and the African Union, representatives of the German government, and the follow up of the international peace envoys for peace in Sudan.

The agreement stipulated that the Doha negotiations between the Sudanese government and the two signatories to the agreement will be resumed, provided that the Doha Agreement for Darfur Peace in Darfur will be the basis for the negotiations with the commitment to discuss all the issues which the two movements believe are needed to achieve a comprehensive and sustainable peace in Darfur, besides the commitment to establish the suitable mechanism to implement outcome of the negotiations between the two movements and the Government of the Sudan.

Dr Amin Hassan Omar said that the government, as it renews its full readiness to resume the Doha negotiations in the same positive and constructive spirit in order to complete the final and sustainable peace in Darfur, would like to extend its thanks and appreciation to the German government, the African Union, the United Nations, the sister country of Qatar and all the international partners who contributed to achieving this agreement is a continuation of efforts to establish peace and stability in Sudan and Darfur region.

'Prelude'

Dr Jibril Ibrahim, the head of JEM, described the signing of the agreement today as a mere prelude to embarking on the next step of the parties’ negotiation of cessation of hostilities.

He told Radio Dabanga that in the event of reaching an agreement of cessation of hostilities, the parties would then move to negotiate a framework agreement that would define the topics and time frame.

He added that once this agreement is reached, the parties will then move to serious negotiations on issues related to the causes of the war and the treatment of its consequences, such as the return of displaced and the refugees, compensation and lands.

In his interview with Radio Dabanga, Ibrahim assured the refugees and the displaced that they would be represented in these negotiations.

Regarding the main features of the Berlin pre-negotiations agreement, he said that today's agreement will decide the future of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) in the coming negotiations, the mediation, the partners in these negotiations, as well as deciding the role of the international and regional community in the upcoming talks.

He explained that the meeting, which was invited by the German Foreign Minister will be a rally of internationals and is evidence of the keenness of the regional and international community to push the peace process in Sudan forward.

Addis Ababa

On Sunday December 9, the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa will witness holding a consultative meeting between the high-level African mechanism (AUHIP) led by Thabo Mbeki and the Sudan Call forces.

The deputy president of the Sudanese Congress Party and member of the Sudan Call alliance, Khalid Omar, said that a delegation Sudan Call forces home would go to Addis Ababa after receiving an invitation from Mbeki to the consultative meeting on reviving the peace process, which has been frozen since the signing of the roadmap in August 2016.

He has confirmed that "Our position is the same of Sudan Call forces with the comprehensive political solution, which deals with the roots of the issues and makes a real difference".

He told Radio Dabanga from Khartoum. (We do not accept nor engage in any kind of political solutions patchwork that maintain the structure of the current regime or ignore the real demands of people to stop the war and establish a just peace that addresses the main causes that led to the outbreak of war).

He stressed that we will not be part of any political solution that does not open the door to the dismantling of the regime, restoration of peace and rebuilding of the state on a new basis.

He confirmed that all the forces of Sudan Call are consistent with this position and we will be in constant contact with the public opinion, other political forces and the international community to inform them of the developments of the situation.

The deputy head of the security apparatus, Jalaleldin El Sheikh, said that the results of the meetings of the President of South Sudan, Salva Kiir, with the factions of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) and other armed movements would be put on the table next week.

Yesterday he said in statements in Blue Nile state "The meeting between the armed movements and the South Sudanese government and their visions will be put forward in the peace talks next week".

He pointed out that all parties are aware of the disadvantages of war and its impacts and that they will benefit from previous experiences.

President Kiir recently adopted an initiative to gather Sudanese armed movements in an attempt to contribute to bringing peace to the neighbouring country in which he decided to include the movements of Darfur as well as both factions of the SPLM-N of the leadership of Abdelaziz El Hilu and Malik Agar to persuade them to sit down with the Sudanese government in one delegation.