Continuity vital as two Sudans prepare to talk

Pagan Amum will continue as South Sudan’s chief negotiator in talks with Omar al-Bashir’s government over oil-infrastructure access, despite resigning from a key post in the post-independence government

The move ensures continuity in the often-fraught talks, vital to both countries. Amum, who is also general secretary of Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), stepped down as minister for peace-building and Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) implementation over the weekend. He also tried to resign as general secretary of the SPLM, but South Sudan’s President Savla Kiir Mayardit refused to accept the decision. "Amum’s resignation as secretary general of the SPLM has been turned down," said Atif Keer, a senior staffer in Amum's office. "He thought it was the right time to step aside and free the stage for the new generation. He chose to do this when we had our moment of victory. One of ou