The Sudanese government has announced it accepted an invitation from the African Union to participate in peace negotiations with the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLA-North) in Addis Ababa on 2 November.

The SPLA-North rebel group has been fighting Khartoum's forces in the South Kordofan and Blue Nile regions since 2011. Meanwhile, the rebel movement did not yet formally announce whether it will take part in the talks or not but it is expected to do so.

Hussein Karshom, member of the government delegation for the talks, said in a statement on Wednesday that the government had received an invitation for a new round of peace negotiations on the Two Areas with the SPLA-North by 2 November in Addis Ababa, saying the invitation was extended to the government and rebels.

He reiterated the government’s readiness to go for the negotiation on the date set by the AU mediators. Negotiations between the two warring parties last year failed to reach a solution.