A roundup of a few key stories from last week on political issues in Sudan and South Sudan:

Khartoum and SPLM-N near peace deal: Mbeki (Radio Tamazuj, 17 Nov.) – African Union mediator Thabo Mbeki says Sudanese rebels and the government are close to sealing a ceasefire deal on the contested ‘Two Areas’ 

Darfur rebels, Sudan govt. set for peace talks (Radio Dabanga 19 Nov.) – The Sudan Revolutionary Front is ready for ‘historic’ talks with the Sudanese government, following parallel negotiations between SPLA-N and the government. 

Two Sudans’ border committee to meet in Khartoum in December (Radio Tamazuj, 23 Nov.) – Sudan and South Sudan reactivate a border committee established by their 2012 cooperation agreement. 

Ethiopian named new head of UN force in Abyei (Sudan Tribune, 21 Nov.) – Ethiopians now head the UN forces UNMISS and UNISFA as well as the IGAD mediation team for South Sudan.

Contradiction within Media Authority Act on defamation (Radio Tamazuj, 19 Nov.) – An association of South Sudanese media houses demands answers on a major contradiction within the Media Authority Act.

File photo: Ibrahim Ghandour, Sudan’s negotiator in the ‘Two Areas’ talks with SPLA-N