Monitoring team to begin work

A team mandated to monitor the cessation of hostilities accord between the Sudanese government and rebels aims to have a permanent presence in the country by early next month. Paul Davenport, the chief of operations with the Verification and Monitoring Team (VMT), told IRIN a mission would visit the country this week to identify possible locations for permanent VMT bases. The VMT was mandated in early February to monitor the agreement between the government and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A), but has not yet undertaken any missions. "We want to get the VMT in as soon as possible," Davenport told IRIN. He said each of the monitoring teams would have representatives from both the government and the SPLM/A. Among the locations to be visited this week are eastern Sudan along the Ethiopian border, Malakal, Bentiu, Wau, Juba, Aweil, Tam and Akak, said Davenport. Both the government and the SPLM/A described these regions as "areas of conflict". The breakthrough, allowing the VMT to begin its work, came last week during the latest round of peace talks between the government and the SPLM/A in neighbouring Kenya, with both parties reaching agreement on the "tasking procedures" for the VMT, Davenport said. The total number of VMT members, including the investigation teams and staff in coordination offices in Sudan and Kenya, is expected to number 58.