IGAD peace talks to go ahead

Sudanese peace talks are scheduled to resume in Nairobi on Thursday under the auspices of the regional body Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD). IGAD sources told IRIN that a venue had not yet been decided, but would be outside Nairobi. The meeting is the first to be convened after the collapse of the limited humanitarian ceasefire in the Bahr al-Ghazal region when fighting flared up again between the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) and government forces, Kenyan radio reported on Tuesday. It said the meeting was the fourth of the political committee formed by IGAD to address political issues of the conflict, and would “focus on the contentious issue of the relation between the state and religion”. Other issues to be discussed include federal arrangements offered by the government to offer autonomous rule for the south, said the report, monitored by the BBC.

SPLA spokesman Martin Okerruk told IRIN that there was “no indications that the talks would not go ahead”. The SPLA is sending a delegation of nine, headed by Nhial Deng Nhial, he confirmed. Okerruk said the location outside Nairobi was not going to be disclosed in order to help the talks succeed.