UN Secretary-General General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed the signing of the African Union 'Roadmap Agreement' by the Sudanese government and African Union chief mediator Thabo Mbeki.

The secretary-general's spokesperson issued a statement yesterday saying that Ban “welcomes the latest initiative of the African Union High-level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) for Sudan and South Sudan.”

The Roadmap was signed on 21 March by Mbeki and the Sudanese government but not by the opposition parties. The agreement would commit the Umma Party and rebel groups to meet in Addis Ababa with the National Dialogue's 7+7 organizing committee. It also says that “political matters that are national in nature should... be discussed within the context of Sudan's inclusive National Dialogue.”

This would represent a 'synchronisation' of the negotiations with Sudan's rebel groups and the political process of the National Dialogue.

Ban Ki-moon's spokesman said that the AUHIP's efforts aim to “bring together the Government of the Republic of the Sudan, the National Umma Party, Sudan People's Liberation Movement/North, Justice and Equality Movement and Sudan Liberation Movement/Minni Minawi to reach an agreement on a cessation of hostilities, humanitarian access and assistance and an inclusive national dialogue process.”

Thabo Mbeki last week said that the armed opposition parties asked for more time for consultations on the Roadmap.

Meanwhile, the UN chief also called on the Sudanese government “to fully abide by the Agreement and urges the other parties to sign it, as well. This would constitute a valuable step towards ending the war, providing assistance to communities in need and enhancing the environment for an inclusive national dialogue.”