Deal signed to end decades-old Sudanese conflicts

KHARTOUM, Sudan－After a full year of negotiations, the Sudanese government and armed groups have signed a final peace deal in South Sudan's capital Juba to end armed conflicts.

The signing ceremony, which was broadcast live on Saturday by Sudan's official TV, was attended by South Sudanese President Salva Kiir, Chairman of Sudan's Sovereign Council Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok.

The participants also included representatives from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Chad and Egypt, in addition to regional and international organizations such as the United Nations, the African Union, the Arab League and the European Union.

Deputy Chairman of Sudan's Sovereign Council Mohamed Hamdan Daqlu signed the deal for the Sudanese government, while leaders of nine armed groups, under the Revolutionary Front Alliance, signed for the alliance.

Burhan, addressing the signing ceremony, vowed that there will be no return to war, saying: "We will not deviate from peace. We reiterate our keenness to implement what has been agreed on."

Sudanese civilian leaders hope the deal will allow them to revive the country's economy by slashing military spending, which takes up much of the national budget.

Meanwhile, Al-Hadi Idris, chairman of the alliance, urged the international community to support implementation of the peace agreement.

The deal sets out terms to integrate armed groups into the security forces, be politically represented and have economic and land rights. A new fund will pay $750 million a year for 10 years to the impoverished southern and western regions, and the chance of return for displaced people is also guaranteed.

Chairman of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki, reiterated the AU's support for the peace deal in Sudan.

"Implementation of the deal is harder than its signing. The AU will support this deal," he said.

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, addressing the signing ceremony, expressed Egypt's support for Sudan's peace deal.

"I reaffirm Egypt's firm determination to continue working with the brothers in Sudan to enhance the aspects of the standing partnership between our two countries," Madbouly said.

Since October 2019, South Sudan has been mediating between the Sudanese government and armed groups from the Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile regions.

Sudan's Justice and Equality Movement, led by Jibril Ibrahim, the Sudan Liberation Movement/Minni Minnawi faction, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/northern sector (Malik Agar and Abdelaziz al-Hilu factions) and opposition groups from eastern, central and northern Sudan, took part in the talks with the government.

However, the SPLM/northern sector led by Abdelaziz al-Hilu has not yet signed the peace deal after mediators suspended negotiations between it and the Sudanese government, while the SLM/Abdul Wahid Mohamed Nur faction refused to join the peace talks.

Xinhua - Agencies