Sudan's final peace deal 'to be signed in two weeks'

Sudan’s transitional government and rebel groups negotiating in South Sudan's capital, Juba, will sign a final peace deal in two weeks’ time, mediators have announced.

The news emerged after a delegation of South Sudanese mediators returned from Sudan's capital, Khartoum.

The peace talks, taking place in South Sudan, had stalled because of Covid-19 pandemic.

The talks recently resumed via video conferencing between the government’s delegation in Khartoum and the rebel groups in Juba.

Tut Galwak, South Sudan’s presidential security adviser and chief mediator in the peace process, also went to Khartoum as he said some sticking points could not be discussed via video link.

“For us to reach lasting peace; there are dossiers or issues that cannot be discussed via video link, for example security arrangements," he said on Wednesday.

"We have agreed that a delegation from Khartoum should come to Juba after two days from now and continue with their brothers in finalising security arrangements."

He added: “Once we complete these dossiers after two weeks, His Excellency President Salva Kiir will invite his colleagues, the Igad heads of state and the friends of Sudan who would want to witness the signing of Sudan’s peace agreement to come to Juba.”

Mr Tut said Sudan's Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok was to join the discussions on Thursday via video link from Khartoum - his first time to join the negotiations.

The peace talks incorporate rebel groups operating in Darfur, Blue Nile, and South Kordofan regions which had been fighting the government of former President Omar al-Bashir before his overthrow in April 2019.

They include the Justice Equality Movement, Sudan People’s Liberation Movement /Army-North, Democratic Unionist Party and the Sudan Liberation Movement.

This article was originally published by BBC News. [Photo: Sudanese Journalist Group]