SPLM/N signed the African Union mediation roadmap

The four groupings, including:
- the National Umma Party (NUP),
- the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement /North (SPLM/N), 
- the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM)
- the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM-MM), signed the roadmap in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on August 8th.

Last March, the opposition alliance refused to sign the same proposal, but the AU mediator promised to include their reservation in the peace talks. A statement issued by the alliance confirmed that it had signed the roadmap after lengthy talks with the AU mediator on the basis of its July 22, 2016 letter.

''We are still calling for a preparatory meeting to achieve a credible and inclusive national constitutional dialogue process,'' it stressed.

The statement further said the agenda for the preparatory meeting “must determine the agenda, rules, procedures, regulations, mechanisms and guarantees that will shape an inclusive and credible national constitutional dialogue process''.

It reiterated the need for the conditions to provide the conducive environment for a credible dialogue, including confidence building and the release of the political prisoners.

However, the chairman of the Darfur rebels, the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM), Mr Mini Arko Minawi, told the Africa Review after the signing of the roadmap that they still had many reservations.

The Sudanese government delegation to the peace talks arrived in Addis Ababa on Monday evening.

The presidential aide and head of the delegation, Mr Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamid, welcomed the signing of the roadmap by the opposition. He said in statement on Monday that they were ready to engage in talks with the armed groups on the cessation of hostilities and the humanitarian access, according to the roadmap.

The AU announced that the direct talks on the cessation of hostilities and the humanitarian access would be held on August 8th.