Government of Sudan postpones signature of power-sharing agreement

NEWS DESK

Sudanese Foreign Minister Dardari Ahmed, whose country is mediating a settlement in southern Sudan, said the two sides had comments they wanted to include in the text of the agreement.

Ahmed noted that the decision to postpone the signing ceremony was taken following Juba's letter to Khartoum on the text of the agreement, in which it confirmed that it intended to sign the agreement but had comments to add to the document, while the opposition to the Government of Southern Sudan also wished to make amendments to the text.

Last month, a round of talks between President Salva Kiir and opposition leader Rick Machar was held to end the conflict in southern Sudan.

The government and the opposition in southern Sudan were due to sign a "initial" settlement agreement on Thursday, with a final signing after a week, according to a statement issued Wednesday by the Sudanese Foreign Ministry following a previous agreement on a permanent cease-fire and the withdrawal of their troops from populated areas.

The civil war broke out in southern Sudan when Kiir accused his former deputy, Mishar, of planning a coup against him, which has killed tens of thousands of people and forced millions to flee their homes since December 2013.

A.H

ANHA