The Sudanese Peace Mediation Committee has reported that the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) have agreed on the delivery of humanitarian aid to war-affected areas.
According to the committee, discussions took place during the second session of negotiations on aid delivery to SPLM-N-controlled territories.
Ramadan Abdullah Goc, South Sudan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Secretary of the committee, told reporters after their Friday session that the parties agreed in principle about the need to open humanitarian corridors for the delivery of aid.
“Both parties exchanged views on how to deliver aid to war-affected areas,” he stated.
Minister Abdullah said the SPLM-N delegation responded in writing to the Sudanese government’s proposal, and the government had reciprocated with a response to the SPLM-N’s proposal.
He noted that another session would be held on Saturday at 2 p.m. South Sudan Time during which the mediation committee would deliver the SPLM-N’s proposal.
“I hope an agreement can be reached swiftly as these negotiations should not take long to ensure that all humanitarian aid reaches those affected by the war in Sudan,” the minister said.
He qualified that the talks were exclusively revolved on humanitarian issues and dismissed rumors that they were political.
Abdullah reiterated the Government of South Sudan’s commitment to the agreement under international humanitarian law, allowing the passage of humanitarian aid and Sudanese civilians to and from South Sudan.
He said humanitarian organizations and the international community had expressed readiness to deliver aid, provided there were guarantees of safety and security for their personnel.
On his part, Ammar Amoun, the Secretary-General of SPLM-N, said the meeting was a routine one and confirmed receiving a document from the government delegation regarding the SPLM-N’s response to the government’s proposal.
“SPLM-N will respond to the government’s paper in the next session after reviewing it,” he stated.
Amoun reaffirmed that the SPLM-N’s position, as outlined in their submitted document, emphasized that all Sudanese people across the country currently need urgent humanitarian assistance due to the severe impacts of the war, and thus, solutions or aid cannot be fragmented or limited to certain areas.
Meanwhile, Sudan’s Ambassador to South Sudan, Jamal Malik, said that on Monday the Sudanese government submitted a paper to deliver humanitarian aid to those affected by the war in South Kordofan, Blue Nile, and West Kordofan.
He said the government received communication from the SPLM-N on Friday.
“The government’s proposal was handed over to the South Sudan mediation team which then passed it to the SPLM-N delegation,” Amb. Malik said. “The SPLM-N will review and respond to it by Saturday.”
The envoy said disputes were unlikely at this stage as the primary goal of the discussions was to deliver humanitarian aid to the war-affected areas. He expressed hope that the parties would reach an agreement to ensure aid delivery to those in need.