The Sudanese government and armed groups have agreed to sign a final peace deal on October 2 in Juba. The event will be attended by Arab, regional and international officials, announced South Sudan mediation committee.
Sudanese government and leaders from the coalition of rebel groups initialed a historic peace agreement on August 31 to end nearly decades of conflict. The agreement was a success for the South Sudan government in mediating and convincing the Sudanese factions to end the war and solve the issues peacefully.
The head of the mediation team and South Sudan's presidential adviser on security affairs, Tut Gatluak, is expected to arrive within days in Khartoum accompanied by a delegation of the leaders of the armed movements that signed the agreement. They will discuss the details of the agreement and pave the way for the leaders to return to their country after decades of civil wars.
However, two main movements did not sign a peace agreement, Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), led by Abdelaziz al-Hilu, and the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) led by Abdul Wahid al-Nur.
Last week, Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok made a remarkable breakthrough by holding lengthy meetings with Hilu in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa. They signed a declaration of principles agreeing to hold new peace talks hosted by South Sudan.
Negotiations between the transitional government and the SPLM-N al-Hilu were suspended over the latter's demand to discuss the secular state and self-determination within the peace process.
Hilu then demanded that a civilian negotiating delegation, and refused to negotiate with the delegation headed by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemeti.
The Sudan Liberation Army is still refusing to negotiate and the South Sudan mediation appealed to it to adhere to the peace agreement.
The movement’s spokesman, Mohammed al-Nayer, issued a statement saying that the government of Sudan must create the atmosphere and prove its seriousness in reaching a real, just, comprehensive, and sustainable peace.
The statement also called for the immediate implementation of international decisions issued against the former regime, handing over wanted persons to the International Criminal Court (ICC), releasing all prisoners and detainees, and disarming government militias.
