Gen. Hamdan exchanges the agreement with Mohamed Aloumda. Photo: Presidency.

The SPLM-North faction under the leadership of General Malik Agar has signed a framework agreement with Sudan’s ruling Sovereign Council in Juba on Friday.

The framework agreement includes security arrangements, power sharing and provision of humanitarian relief to the war affected populations.

The ongoing peace talks in Juba are expected to end before mid-February with the signing of a comprehensive peace deal to end the nearly 9-year armed conflict in the Blue Nile and South Kordofan states.

The Deputy Chairperson of SPLM-North Malik Agar’s faction, Yasir Saeed Arman said the framework agreement marks a new beginning for the people of Sudan.

“With this agreement, we wish for peace to reach our country and also our cohesion as brothers and sisters,” Saeed told hundreds of Sudanese that attended the signing ceremony, at the State House-J1.

“With this agreement, we will cross with our brothers in the revolution front and the armed groups even those who are out of the revolution front towards peace and this is the beginning of the peace.”

He added that, “our country Sudan will not collapse and will not join the clubs of failed countries but will cross successfully.”

For his part, the Deputy Chairperson of the Sudanese Sovereign Council, Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo said signing the initial framework agreement reinforces the efforts of the new government in Sudan to achieving peace.

“Our signing of this political and security arrangements agreement with SPLM North under the leadership of Malik Agar is to emphasize our solidarity and our partnership in reaching an agreement that can change lives of the people,” Hamdan  said. “It can establish an era free of violence, injustice and marginalization.”

President Salva Kiir who is hosting the negotiations applauded the groups for their commitment to peace, saying there is nothing better than peace.

He called on the armed movements in the two countries to join the ongoing peace processes.

“If we continue fighting among ourselves, nobody would turn to us,” Kiir said. “We would be left to decide our fate by killing ourselves to the end,” he dded.

Kiir said he hopes a final agreement will be reached in the remaining weeks. “There is nothing better than peace. Because through peace, you can get many things, anything that you want, if you have peace you will get it,” President Kiir added.

Gen. Hamdan signed the framework agreement on behalf of the Sovereign Council of Sudan, Mohamed Aloumda signed for the SPLA North Malik Agar faction, while Tut Gatluak signed on behalf of the South Sudan Mediation Committee.