Following the suspension of Machakos peace talks IGAD decided to use the break in negotiation to address the issues of marginalised areas (Abyei, Nuba Mountains and Southern Blue Nile). In mid-September the three main IGAD partners: USA, UK and Norway held their first meeting in London to discussed the future of the three areas adjacent to the south. At the same time another meeting took place in Khartoum where a number of Nuba politicians and intellectuals were invited by the Swiss Ambassador for peace and Maria from Joint Military Commission, to discuss how Cease-fire Agreement can be translated into peace in the Nuba Mountains. The two main recommendations made by the participants are:

1. to establish a special Nuba Forum outside Sudan to enable Nuba to achieve a political consensus for the Nuba future.

2. to include the issue of the Nuba and the marginalised areas in northern Sudan in the next Machakos peace talks.

Nuba Vision has just learnt that the American Deputy Ambassador in Khartoum is to meet Nuba in Khartoum to discuss the peace settlement. This shows clearly the IGAD partners are taking the issue of the marginalised areas seriously as it is set in their recommendation that ‘the mediators must use the break in negotiations to address the status of the areas adjacent to the South that are in armed revolt’.