UN continues efforts to promote peace in Darfur and southern Sudan

The Security Council delegation visiting Africa held talks today in southern Sudan on recent violence there, while the top United Nations envoy to Darfur concluded a three-day visit to Khartoum in a bid to advance peace negotiations over the troubled region.

Members of the Security Council mission in Africa met with Sudanese Vice President Salva Kiir in Juba to discuss the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) between the Government and the former southern rebels.

The delegation also expressed its concern at the recent violence in Abyei – a disputed town in an oil-rich area near the boundary between the north and south of the country.

The Council mission has now moved to Khartoum, where it will meet with the UN country team in Sudan as well as representatives of the international community.

Sudan is the second stop for the delegation, which is on a 10-day visit that also includes Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Côte d'Ivoire.

Meanwhile, the UN Special Envoy for Darfur Jan Eliasson has completed a three-day visit to Khartoum, where he met with Government and international officials.

Mr. Eliasson’s visit focused on the regional and national dimensions of Sudan’s current crises after the recent attack by the rebel Darfurian Justice and Equity Movement (JEM) on Omdurman, close to Khartoum, as well as increased tensions between Sudan and Chad, and the fighting in Abyei.

He also highlighted the urgent need for a political settlement between the Government and rebel movements in Darfur which have not signed a peace agreement.

The Special Envoy is proceeding to Geneva today where, together with African Union (AU) Special Envoy Salim Ahmed Salim, he will convene informal consultations with partners to the Darfur political process tomorrow and Thursday.

The objective of these consultations, which will be attended by a delegation from the Sudanese Government, is to take stock of the situation and discuss ways to bring the parties in Darfur to the negotiating table as soon as practical.