Reiterating Call for Continued Dialogue, Secretary-General Welcomes Sudan’s Cessation of Hostilities Declaration in Blue Nile, South Kordofan States

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

The Secretary-General welcomes the announcement by the Government of Sudan of a four-month unilateral cessation of hostilities, beginning on 18 June 2016, in the Blue Nile and South Kordofan states.  He also welcomes the six-month unilateral cessation of hostilities declared by the Sudan Revolutionary Forces in the Two Areas and Darfur on 28 April 2016.  These commitments should ease the suffering of the people living in the affected areas.  The Secretary-General urges the parties to allow and facilitate urgently needed humanitarian access to these areas.

The Secretary-General reiterates his call for the parties which have not signed the road map proposed by the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) to do so and to continue talks with the Government of Sudan and other parties engaged in dialogue inside Sudan to reach agreement on a process for final peace through inclusive national dialogue.