Negotiations between Sudan’s govt and El Hilu to start later this month

Official negotiations between the transitional government and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), under the leadership of Abdelaziz El Hilu, are scheduled to start on April 25 in Juba, the capital of the Republic of South Sudan.

The negotiations were made possible after the two parties signed a Declaration of Principles (DOP) almost two weeks ago in which they agreed “to work together to achieve and consolidate the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity in Sudan”.

The DOP was signed by the Chairman of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council, Lt Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan, and SPLN-N leader Abdelaziz El Hilu. It was witnessed by South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit and the executive director of the UN World Food Programme, David Beasley. President Salva Kiir mediated the negotiations that lead to the signing of the DOP

The first negotiation session will take place between the Transitional Sovereignty Council and the SPLM-N El Hilu delegations to follow up on the agreements made in the DOP.

Abdelwahid El Nur

President Salva Kiir stated that he will continue to work hard to involve the Darfur-based Sudan Liberation Movement led by Abdelwahid El Nur (SLM-AW) in the peace negotiations. In his speech during the signing ceremony, Salva Kiir Mayardit said that “bleeding in Darfur also means bleeding throughout Sudan and in South Sudan”.

The head of the Southern Mediation Committee, Tut Galuak, confirmed the committee’s readiness to complete the peace process in Sudan, indicating that negotiations with the Sudan Liberation Movement under the leadership of Abdelwahid El Nur (SLM-AW) are underway.

El Nur held consultations with President Salva Kiir in Juba to discuss his vision for a comprehensive and sustainable peace in Sudan. He has expressed his hope that these efforts “will be crowned with achieving peace and stability in Sudan and South Sudan”.

Galuak said that a meeting with the Chairman of the Sovereignty Council, Lt Gen Adbelfattah El Burhan, touched on issues related to eastern Sudan that will require all people from eastern Sudan to sit down and talk in order to reach a satisfactory agreement.

The meeting also discussed other regional challenges, especially concerning the division of wealth.