Unamid Head of Mission calls on hold-out rebels to join Sudan peace talks

The head of the United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (Unamid), Jeremiah Mamabolo, has called on the remaining hold-out armed movements to join the peace talks

At a press conference in the UN Development Programme’s Merowe Hall in Khartoum on Wednesday, Unamid Head of Mission Mamabolo called on armed movements that have not yet joined the peace process “to seize the historic opportunity and join the negotiating table”.

Mamabolo asserted that “the December revolution created a real opportunity to achieve a just and comprehensive peace in Darfur and in Sudan as a whole”. He called on the government and armed groups to work with the United Nations and humanitarian workers to support access to remote areas in Darfur, specifically to ensure timely and effective humanitarian access.

He said that the human rights situation remains a concern and that the initiative of the Sudanese people must be supported and that these problems should be addressed in a timely manner. “The humanitarian situation will not change once an agreement is reached.” He stressed that the humanitarian situation and return of the displaced still needs attention adding that “any peace reached will be the starting point”.

Mamabolo said the priorities for Unamid during the transitional period would be to support the ongoing peace process, protect civilians and monitor human rights. He utlined the role that his Mission hopes to play in Sudan and Darfur during the transitional process under its renewed mandate.

The UN Security Council recently adopted resolution 2495, which extends Unamid’s mandate until 31 October 2020, in response to a request from Prime Minister Hamdok to the UN Secretary General António Guterres.

As previously reported by Radio Dabanga, the third round of peace negotiations between the Sudanese government and the armed rebel movements, scheduled to start in the South Sudanese capital of Juba on Thursday, has been postponed.

Tut Galuak, security advisor to South Sudanese President Salva Kiir and chairman of the mediation team, announced in a statement on Tuesday that the peace talks will be resumed on December 10. The postponement was caused “by the commitment of some of the armed movements to workshops related to the peace process”, he said.

Radio Dabanga’s editorial independence means that we can continue to provide factual updates about political developments to Sudanese and international actors, educate people about how to avoid outbreaks of infectious diseases, and provide a window to the world for those in all corners of Sudan. Support Radio Dabanga for as little as €2.50, the equivalent of a cup of coffee.