Sudan to Participate in New Darfur Peace Talks

Sudan has agreed to participate in a new Africa Union-sponsored round of peace negotiations with Darfur's ethnic minority rebels in the Nigerian capital Abuja.

The Government decision was announced by Ibrahim Mahmud Hamid, Humanitarian Affairs Minister, three days after Nigeria said faltering peace talks would proceed in the first two weeks of May.

"The government has agreed to take part in a new round of talks with the Darfur armed movements in Abuja during the first week of next May, after agreement by the movements" reported Hamid and earlier this month, the Sudan Liberation Movement – Darfur's main rebel group said, they are ready to resume the talks whenever the government is ready.

After black African groups rebelled against persecution from Khartoum's Arab-led government, up to 300,000 people have been killed and more than a million have been forced to flee their homes.

The government has shown its new interest towards talks asfter African Union (AU) diplomats interceding in the Darfur conflict, together with the First Vice-President Ali Usma Taha, were visiting Khartoum to talk with officials.

As organisation stated, "The AU team briefed the Sudanese officials about the preparations by the AU to create an environment conducive to the resumption of the political negotiations."

Vice-President Taha also reaffirmed his government's commitment and readiness to go back to Abuja in order to reach a comprehensive agreement to the conflict in Darfur.