Sudan takes first step in the roadmap to peace

Sudan's government and rebel forces signed a historic peace deal on Monday to end 17 years of brutal conflict. 

Sudan’s transitional Government initialled the deal alongside the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF) and Sudan Liberation Movement–Minni Minnawi (SLM/MM), at a ceremony held in neighbouring South Sudan. 

The SFR is an umbrella organisation of rebel groups from the regions of Darfur, South Kordofan and the Blue Nile. 

Fighting between the forces of former President Omar al-Bashir, backed by allied militia, and various rebel movements, left around 300,000 dead, according to UN estimates, and millions displaced.

President al-Bashir was overthrown in April 2019 following the unrest. 

The pact covers issues around security, land ownership, transitional justice, power sharing, and the return of million people who fled their homes because of the unrest.

"It was the first joint meeting after the agreement. We discussed the follow-up (...)," said Alhadi Idriss Yahya, president of the Sudanese Revolutionary Front (FRS) who met on Tuesday with an official delegation from the government of Khartoum.

But the roadmap to peace is fragile. 

Two rebel groups did not sign the agreement and two previous peace deals have fallen apart.