Sudanese vice-president,  SPLM-North leader meet ahead of resumption of talks

JUBA – The First Vice President of Sudan Transitional Sovereign Council General Mohamed Hamdan Daglo has on Wednesday night met, in Juba, the leader of SPLM-North, General Abdel Aziz Adam al-Hilu, ahead of resumption of talks.

Al-Hilu is not a signatory to the Sudanese peace deal that was signed over the weekend under the auspices of President Salva Kiir Mayardit by Sudanese opposition umbrella, the Sudanese Revolutionary Front (RSF), and the ruling coalition.

In August, during the initialing of the deal, al-Hilu pulled out of talks demanding that Daglo be removed as head of the Sudanese government’s negotiating team, because he has participate in the “genocide” in the country’s restive Darfur and Nuba Mountains regions.

Earlier this week, al-Hilu announced his return to the negotiating table.

Speaking to the media following the meeting, South Sudan presidential security advisor and head of the South Sudan mediation team, Tutkew Gatluak, said the two men have reconciled and have expressed readiness to negotiate in good faith for the sake of the Sudanese people.

“H.E the vice-president of the Sudanese Sovereign Council General Mohamed Hamdan Daglo has met his brother in the armed struggle General Abdel Aziz Adam al-Hilu and the two have let their egos go and will negotiation in good faith when the negotiations between the two leaders resume within the next two weeks,” Gatluak said.

“This shows the commitment of the government of Sudan and of the SPLM-North to the presence of peace in both Sudan and the state of South Sudan and we are very optimistic that peace will prevail in the country without any condition,” he added.

Over the weekend, the RSF and the ruling Sudanese coalition signed a landmark peace agreement mediated by Juba. The agreement provided for self-rule for restive Darfur region, Southern Kordofan and Southern Blue Nile.

If implemented, the deal will end almost two decades of devastating civil war that has killed hundreds of thousands across the North African country.