Sudan’s ruling party to launch national consultations on permanent constitution

April 1, 2018 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s ruling National Congress Party (NCP) on Sunday said arrangements are underway to hold discussions with all political forces over the permanent constitution.

The semi-official Sudan Media Center (SMC) has quoted the NCP political secretary Omer Basan as saying all political forces, not only the ruling party, must participate in the constitution-making process.

“The constitution must be a product of political consensus and agreement in order to overcome a lot of problems and challenges facing the country,” he said

He pointed out that the NCP seeks to implement the outcome of the national dialogue so as to create a conducive political climate, saying all political forces would participate in the constitution drafting on an equal footing.

In October 2016, the political forces participating in the government-led national dialogue concluded the process by signing the National Document which includes the general features of a future constitution to be finalised by transitional institutions.

The National Consensus Government (NCG) was installed in May 2017 to implement the outcome of the dialogue conference.

The opposition groups boycotted the national dialogue because the government didn’t agree to a humanitarian truce with the armed groups and due to its refusal to implement a number of confidence-building measures aiming to create a conducive environment in the country before to hold the inclusive dialogue.

(ST)