U.S. Continues Efforts to Bring Non-signatories to Sudan Peace Process

October 2, 2020 (JUBA) - The U.S. special envoy to Sudan said he is continuing his efforts to persuade the non-signatory parties to join peace in Sudan in order to achieve stability in the country.

US special envoy Donald Booth speaks at the Atlantic Council on Sudan and South Sudan (State Department courtesy photo)Donald Booth met on Friday with the Sudanese government negotiating team in Juba where he arrived to attend the signing ceremony of a peace agreement with the armed group s of the Sudanese Revolutionary Front and the Sudan Liberation Movement of Minni Minnawi on Saturday.

In statements to the official news agency, SUNA, Both said the meeting discussed the implementation of the agreement and how the international community can contribute and its role in this regard.

Booth further said he was in contact with Abdelaziz Adam al-Hilu, head of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N al-Hilu), and Abdel-Wahid al-Nur, head of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM-AW) to bring them to the negotiating table.

He praised the meeting between the Prime Minister, Abdallah Hamdok and al-Hilu in Addis Ababa early last September, during which it was agreed to resume peace talks on the relation between the state and religion.

The U.S. diplomat said he is still continuing his efforts with the exiled rebel leader al-Nur for the same purpose.

In a joint agreement reached in Addis Ababa on 3 September, Hamdok and al-Hilu agreed to hold informal discussions on the relationship between the state and religion and once a consensus is reached they would resume formal talks.

It is worth mentioning that Booth met also with the SRF and SLM-MM leaders but no statements have been released on the discussions.

Ending war in Sudan is one of the main tasks of the transitional government to prepare the country for democratic elections 30 years after an Islamist regime that waged war across the country and displaced millions of Sudanese.

Regarding the file of sanctions imposed on Sudan, the special envoy said his administration is working to get the country off the terror list.

"Sudan is still on the list of state sponsors of terrorism, and we are working hard with the government to reach a settlement of this file," he said.

(ST)