General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo aka Hemeti (left), with the chairman of the Sovereign Council, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. © Mahmoud Hjaj/Anadolu Agency via AFP

South Sudan’s Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs said the rival commanders of Sudan’s conflict have agreed in principle to seven days of peace talks due to start on Thursday, May 5, 2023.

Deng Dau Deng said Sudan’s de facto leader Abdel-Fattah Al Burhan and the commander of the paramilitary Rapid Support Force, General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo agreed to name representatives to the talks.

He said the two principals further agreed to a week-long truce in a telephone conversation with President Salva Kiir on Tuesday.

“The two principles H.E. Abdal-Fattah Al Burhan….and General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, have agreed in principle for seven days true from 4TH May to 11TH May,” he told Eye Radio.

“They also agreed to name their representatives to the talks. His Excellency Salva Kiir Mayardit who is the team leader of the IGAD Assembly of the head of the states has urged the Sudanese leaders to name their representatives and propose the date to commend the talks as soon as possible.”

The diplomat said President Kiir also emphasized the need for a long ceasefire between conflicting parties.

However, the official said al-Burhan and Hemedti are yet to agree on the venue for the talks, although Kiir urged them to expedite the process as soon as possible.

Prior to the latest development, Dau expressed concerns over the conflict in Sudan saying it risks spilling over to South Sudan.

He spoke during the last funeral prayers of late Ambassador Sabino Tomb in Juba on Monday.

“We have a very large population in Sudan as South Sudan and we are very much concerned of the situation in Sudan because insecurity, war, and instability in Sudan can pill over to our country and can bring instability in South Sudan.”

More than 100,000 people have fled Sudan since heavy fighting broke out between rival forces on 15 April.

Officials warned of a “full-blown catastrophe” if fighting does not end.

A further 334,000 people have been displaced within Sudan.

Fighting is continuing in the capital, Khartoum, between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), despite a ceasefire due to be in force.