Ban Ki-moon: Sudanese co-operation 'essential'

UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon voiced optimism today for a peaceful resolution of Sudan’s conflicts as he headed to the south of the country to inspect progress in the peace deal between former southern rebels and the government.

“The agreement has generally held but more effort should be done to accelerate the implementation,” Ban said as was heading to Juba. Ban was visiting the capital of semi-autonomous southern Sudan to survey the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement that ended 21 years of civil war between Sudan’s Muslim government in the north and the Christian and animist rebels in the south.