Sudan cease fire extended for two months

The Sudanese government and the armed movements in Sudan signed a goodwill agreement to extend the Juba Declaration of Principles, which includes a cease fire, for two months.

The Political Agreement that ends on February 14, 2020 was signed by the chief negotiator of the government, Lt Gen Mohamed Hamdan ‘Hemeti’, and representatives of the rebel groups.

Tut Galuak, head of the South Sudanese mediation team, said that the extension would allow the negotiating parties to continue negotiations and reach an agreement on all outstanding issues.

The Juba Declaration of Principles was signed on September 11. It was aimed to build confidence and stop all hostilities. The negotiating parties agreed to reach a peace agreement no later than December 14. This proved impossible.

‘Objective conditions’

Member of the Sovereign Council Mohamed El Taayshi said that the extension of the Juba Declaration was dictated by “objective conditions”. He asserted that all parties want to move forward and achieve peace “within the six-month period designated to reach it”.

Chairman of the Sudan Revolutionary Front rebel alliance El Hadi Idris stressed that all parties will do their utmost to reach peace during the coming two months. He claimed that the negotiations are proceeding at a good pace in all five tracks.

The peace talks between the government and the rebel groups will resume today. The scope of the negotiations has been reduced to discussing the positions for each track. Direct negotiations on Darfur will start today as well.

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