The rapporteur of South Sudan mediation in the peace negotiations currently taking place in Juba between the delegations of Sudan government and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement – North, led by Abdul-Aziz Al-Hillu, Dr. Dhio Mattok, has expressed his appreciation of the positive spirit prevailing among the parties in the peace process, which benefited from the accumulated legacy of the previous negotiations.
Interviewed by Sudan News Agency (SUNA) in Juba, Dr. Mattok expressed his optimism that the two parties will reach a full agreement in the time set in the negotiation schedule, adding that reaching an agreement on that date will send a positive message to the civilians and those affected by the war in the Nuba Mountains region in particular.
He said that the framework agreement is not expected to take a long time of negotiation according to the announced period, indicating that the mediation determined to finish this round in the fixed period June 6, 2021, especially that this day has significance in the Sudanese-Sudanese conflict, the day of the outbreak of war in the Nuba Mountains.
He stated that the signing of this agreement on the date of June 6, will send a strong message to the Sudanese people and to the citizens of the Nuba Mountains.
Dr. Mattok announced that the southern mediation team has benefited greatly from the experiences of the past, adding that this round of negotiations between the government and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement – North, led by Abdelaziz El-Hillu, drew many measures from the legacy of the measures that governed the past talks.
He said that the experience of negotiation in the past was a multi-track one and carried out in one time, a matter which put pressure on all parties in the past rounds, explaining that the mediation team currently uses the method of direct dialogue between the delegations of the government and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement – North led by Abdulaziz Al-Hillu.
He praised what he called “the prevailing discipline of the two negotiating parties” during the current talks, along with the mutual respect and a firm desire to reach an agreement.
Dr. Mattok indicated that the current round of negotiations is characterized by many positives that were not available in the previous rounds as a result of the accumulated experiences gained by mediation.
He stated that the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement – North of Al-Hillu, which is now negotiating with the government, is doing so with a unified vision and without division.
He said that the presence of women in the negotiations is very important, especially that women have a major role in facilitating the process of reaching settlements that achieve the aspirations of Sudanese women, and also because women represent the vast majority of displaced people and refugees.
Responding to a question of SUNA on the Mediation’s efforts to persuade Abdul-Wahid Mohamed Nour to join the peace process, Mattok indicated that Abdul-Wahid is now in Juba and is available to the leaders of Sudan government and is also available for the southern mediation.
He added that Juba is keen and will exert all the possible efforts to reach a peace agreement, especially that what Juba is doing is a duty on it and stems from brotherly ties between the citizens of Sudan and South Sudan, who are one people in two countries.