The Sudanese government and southern rebels signed a final comprehensive peace accord in Nairobi on Sunday, culminating two years of peace process to end the 21-year-old civil war in southern Sudan, the longest-running war in Africa.  

Sudanese First Vice President Ali Osman Taha and John Garang, leader of the rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A), inked the deal, which is expected to usher in peace and stability for conflict-ridden region of southern Sudan. 

Up to 10,000 people turned out at the Nyayo National Stadium in Kenyan capital Nairobi to celebrate the historic occasion, which Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki called a new beginning for Sudan and for the whole Africa.

This peace pact covers all the eight peace deals signed previously, including earlier agreed protocols on how to share power and natural wealth, what to do with armed forces during a six-year interim period, how to administer three disputed areas, and the latest on permanent ceasefire and modalities of implementing peace deals.

"We hope today's agreement will also give momentum to the peace and stability in Darfur. We hope the whole Africa is heading to peace, stability and economic prosperity," Kibaki said in his speech shortly after the signing of the protocols. 

US Secretary of State Colin Powell signed on the protocols as one of the key witnesses, saying that the deal "opens door to the prosperity to Sudan."

"It marks the end of the Sudan war, but just the beginning of peace. Starting from today, we should have rapid negotiations to address the Darfur crisis," said Powell.

Many African heads of state came to witness the historic signing ceremony. Among the present are Omar el-Bashir of Sudan, Mwai Kibaki of Kenya, Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Benjamin Mkapa of Tanzania, Paul Kagame of Rwanda and Abdelaziz Bouteflika of Algeria.

The Sudanese civil war broke out in 1983 when the SPLM/A took up arms fighting for self-determination in the southern part of the country. It is estimated that two decades of conflict have claimed 2 million lives, primarily from war-induced famine and disease, and displaced over 4 million others.

(Xinhua News Agency January 10, 2005)