South Sudan Prepares to Host First Meeting Between Sudan’s Rivals

Sudan's rival military leaders Al-Burhan and Hemetti

April 27, 2023 (JUBA) – South Sudan is preparing to host a meeting on Friday for the rival parties in Sudan to end the armed conflict and consider ways to resume talks on the sticky issues in the integration of the paramilitary forces in the national army.

In a meeting with his advisers on Wednesday evening, President Kiir told the participants that they should focus on efforts to achieve a ceasefire first.

President aide Tut Gatluak told Sudan Tribune that the two warring sides have accepted to extend the ceasefire and to come to Juba for talks.

Gatluak further praised the rival sides in Sudan for accepting the proposal and coming for talks in Juba and said that the aim of the talks was to find common ground and achieve genuine reconciliation.

On Wednesday, the Sudanese army stated that the commander in chief Abdel Fattah al–Burhan accepted the invitation by the IGAD for a meeting in Juba to discuss a ceasefire extension and ways to resume talks.

The RSF did not publicly announce its participation in the meeting amid reports that the leader of the paramilitary group Mohamed Hamdan Daglo Hemetti called to invite the civilian signatories of the framework agreement to take part in the discussions.

Presidential affairs minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin confirmed that the two rival sides had agreed to extend the ceasefire and participate in the talks.

Benjamin explained that the priority now was for the ceasefire to hold so that the situation in Khartoum could return to normal, and civilians could resume their daily activities.

The minister also revealed that President Kiir had never stopped talking to the rival leaders and that there was a possibility that he may invite them to Juba for a dialogue.

(ST)