By William Madouk
European Union [EU] said it supports any mediation efforts that would restore peace and tranquility in Sudan, especially that of President Salva Kiir.
“We did appreciate a lot the efforts to advance the Juba Peace Agreement and welcome the recent talks that were held in Juba on the 23rd and the 25th of October,” said Mr. Lothar Jaschke, the EU Deputy Head of Delegation in Juba.
Mr. Jaschke hailed the joint commitment by the Sudanese sides in Jeddah but regretted the parties’ failure to honor the truce.
He added that the EU supports any mediation initiative, especially President Kiir’s effort to restore peace in Sudan.
“We also welcome the recent joint commitments from the Jeddah Talks, which were positive, but we do regret that parties were unable to agree on a ceasefire. And we support any mediation efforts from HE President Salva Kiir, including a possible meeting of the parties in Juba,” he added.
Two days ago, President Salva Kiir and his Egyptian counterpart, Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, held bilateral talks where they discussed bilateral relations as well as a ceasefire initiative for the dragging war in Sudan.
“The two presidents also decided to further up efforts to end the chaotic situation in Sudan, saying that talking to the warring parties in Sudan was the best course of action for ending their conflict,” noted the Presidential Press Unit in Juba.
The Egyptian leader revealed in his speech that they agreed on a coordination that would reinforce regional peace and stability and also prioritize the interests of the common man.
According to President El-Sisi, Egypt and South Sudan shoulder the primary burden of the Sudanese conflict, and it makes sense to discuss how to end the war.
Last month, the 14 Sudanese tracks, who are signatories to the 2020 Juba peace agreement, gave the go-ahead for Salva Kiir’s administration to invite Sudanese political parties and stakeholders to Juba.
In a communiqué from the just-concluded two-day meeting, signatories to the Juba peace accord agreed for Juba to host a grand consultation meeting as preparation for genuine Sudanese peace talks in South Sudan.
“The meeting was to devise ways to bring the war in Sudan to an end, and unanimously all parties decided that President Kiir must invite Sudanese political parties and civil society groups to Juba as preparation for South Sudan to host Sudan peace talks,” partly reads the communiqué.
The conflict, which erupted on April 15, has displaced more than 2.9 million people from their homes, including over one million who have fled to neighboring countries.
According to the latest figures from the International Organization for Migration, over 255,000 people have crossed into Egypt. The UNHCR states in its reports that South Sudan is hosting more than 300,000 refugees and asylum-seekers, mainly from Sudan, in addition to more than 2.2 million internally displaced people.
The Sudan crisis has negatively impacted neighboring countries, especially South Sudan, Chad, and Egypt, among other countries.