Assembly/AU/6(XV) Page 9 challenges encountered in the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), as well as in the search for peace, security, justice and reconciliation in Darfur. The Consultative Forum will meet at least every two months. 40. On its part, the AU High-Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) chaired by former President Thabo Mbeki and comprising former Presidents Abdusalami Abubakar and Pierre Buyoya, established in pursuance of the Abuja decision of the PSC, has pursued its efforts in support of the search for peace in Darfur and the implementation of the CPA. The AUHIP should be commended for its outstanding work and contribution. 41. In line with the CPA, the general elections took place from 11 to 15 April 2010. It should be noted that the SPLM withdrew its presidential candidate from the national race, as well as its candidates in Darfur owing to the restrictive environment in that region. Several other parties also decided to boycott the polls. In the period preceding the elections, the AUHIP worked with the parties in a bid to create a conducive environment for their holding. The AUHIP produced an Electoral Code of Conduct, which was signed by a number of political parties, including the SPLM and the NCP. 42. The National Elections Commission (NEC) declared Omar Hassan Al Bashir, the ruling NCP presidential candidate, winner. In the South, SPLM Chairman Salva Kiir won the presidential election for the Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS). In the legislative, as well as in the gubernatorial elections, the NCP, in the North, and the SPLM, in the South, emerged as the overwhelming winners. The AU Election Observer Mission stated that, taking into consideration the fact that the country had not had a multi-party-election in almost a generation, what happened was a historical event and a great achievement for the Sudanese people. It should, however, be pointed out that, during and after the election period, the security situation in South Sudan was of concern. There were also reports, especially by civil society organizations, of incidents of intimidation and harassment of opposition parties and independent candidates in the North. 43. There still exist a number of outstanding issues in the implementation process of the CPA, especially in view of the referenda scheduled to be held in South Sudan and Abyei, on 9 January 2011. Key amongst these are the setting up of the Referendum Commission Abyei, the modalities for the organization of popular consultations in Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan States, and the completion of the demarcation of the North-South border as it stood on 1 January 1956. 44. The CPA directs that, in preparation for the referenda that are scheduled to take place in January 2011, the parties must conclude agreements on a number of issues related to their post-referendum relationship, regardless of the outcome of that exercise. The AU, through the AUHIP, is actively engaging the parties on the post referendum issues. On 21 June 2010, in preparation for formal negotiations on the post referendum arrangements, the AUHIP convened “talks about talks” between the NCP and the SPLM in Mekelle, Ethiopia. This meeting produced the Mekelle Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which, among other issues, requested the AUHIP to serve as Facilitator of this process. At the time of finalizing this report, the AUHIP was making arrangements to convene, in Juba, a Joint Exposure Session for