KHARTOUM, Sudan, February 11, 2014 – The African Union Liaison Office in Sudan is happy to announce the resumption of negotiations on the situation in South Kordofan and Blue Nile States.

These talks follow an invitation by the African Union High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) extended to the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) to attend the next round, scheduled to take place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 13 February, 2014. Both parties have received the invitation and have accepted to attend.

The invitation indicates that the delegations should comprise nine representatives each who shall be catered for by the African Union. However, both parties are at liberty to have other individuals form part of their delegation.

The African Union strongly encourages the Government of Sudan and the SPLM-N to participate in the negotiations with the aim of speedily reaching a peaceful settlement of the conflict in South Kordofan and Blue Nile.