The United Nations has congratulated the government of Sudan and a major rebel group in Sudan's western region of Darfur on the signing of a ceasefire agreement in Doha on Sunday, UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said here on Monday.

The acting joint special representative and joint chief mediator ad interim for Darfur, Aichatou Mindaoudou, extended the congratulation, stating that "this is a major breakthrough on the road towards a comprehensive and lasting peace accord in Darfur," Nesirky told a daily news briefing.

"She said she hoped that the agreement would attract the non- signatory movements to join the peace process," the spokesman noted.

The Sudanese government, represented by state minister and head of the Darfur Follow-up Office, Amin Hassan Omer, signed the ceasefire agreement with Arko Sulaiman Dahiya, vice chairman and head of delegation from the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), in Doha of Qatar on Sunday.

The agreement lays the groundwork to start negotiations on other substantive issues, such as power and wealth sharing and return of internally displaced persons and refugees.

The negotiations for the ceasefire began last month in Qatar under the parameters set in the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD), which forms the basis for a permanent ceasefire and comprehensive peace agreement to end the fighting that broke out in Darfur ten years ago, pitting government forces and allied militiamen against rebel groups.

JEM is the second rebel group to commit itself to the DDPD, after the Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM) that signed the document last year.

"The road to peace is challenging and needs a great deal of resolve, perseverance and concessions from both sides," noted Mindaoudou, who reiterated her commitment to continuing to work with the parties to the conflict toward achieving a comprehensive peace in Darfur.