Sudan’s transitional government and several rebel groups signed a peace agreement in Juba on Saturday aimed at resolving decades of conflicts which left millions displaced and hundreds of thousands dead.
A mammoth crowd witnessed the signing ceremony at Dr. John Garang Mausoleum.
The agreement includes protocols for security, land ownership, transitional justice, power-sharing and the return of refugees.
Gen. Abdlfatah Alburhan, the chairman of the Sudanese Sovereign Council signed on behalf of the Sudanese transitional government, Khamis Abdl-gader on behalf of the Sudanese Coalition, Mini Arko Manawi for Sudan Liberation Force, Al-Tahir Abubaker for the Liberation Force.
Dr. Jaberil Ibrahim Mohamad signed for the Justice and Equality, Malik Agar Ayer for SPLM-north, Khalid Idriss for the People’s United Front for Liberation and Justice, Osama Saeed for Beja Conference, Mohamad Dawod Bandag for the Sudanese Gosh Movement, and Mohamad Said Ahamed for the North Coalition.
The guarantors are President Salva Kiir, the President of Chad Marshall Idriss Dibbi, and the United Arab Emirates.
Regional head of states including President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed of Somalia, President Sahle-Work Zewde of Ethiopia, President Ismail Omar Guelleh of Djibouti, and President Idriss Déby of Chad witnessed the signing.
However, two armed movements have not signed the current deal.
They include a faction of the Sudan Liberation Movement, led by Abdel Wahil Muhammed al-Nur and a faction of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North — SPLM-N led by Abdelaziz al-Hilu.
The non-signatories had signed a separate deal with the Sudanese Prime Minister to separate religion from the state and entrench democracy in the society.
Decades of conflicts in Darfur and southern states have displaced millions and killed thousands after the oil-rich south seceded in 2011.
The armed movements fought the regime of former President Omar Bashir who was toppled in 2019 following protests fueled by years of simmering anger over economic crisis and poor governance.
By Eye Radio
