Trilateral mechanism launches Sudanese dialogue preparatory meetings
May 12, 2022 (KHARTOUM) – The trilateral mechanism, on Thursday, launched preliminary talks with the Sudanese stakeholders aiming to end the current political crisis in the country.
The AU, IGAD, and UNITAMS envoys held separate meetings with the two factions of the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC), the National Consensus (FFC-NC) and the Central Committee (FFC-CC) and the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).
The facilitators seek during these indirect preliminary meetings to establish common grounds between the parties to the Sudanese crisis.
“The trilateral mechanism said they are optimistic about progress, in view of the positive discussions in today’s meetings”.
“They expressed hope that these talks will facilitate a Sudanese parties’ agreement on a formulation that ends the current political crisis,” further stressed the statement.
For his part, Noreldaem Taha, FFC NC Deputy Secretary-General said in a statement released after the meeting reiterated their serious commitment to the process to prevent bilateral domination by “unelected groups”.
Taha further added the meeting discussed the Sovereign Council, the government, the mechanism for choosing and appointing the Prime Minister, the Legislative Council, the judiciary, commissions, the government’s program, completing peace, and issues related to the root causes of the crisis.
The FFC-NC formed by some signatory armed groups backed the military coup that toppled the Hamdok government accusing the political groups in the FFC-CC of monopolizing power.
Meanwhile, the political coalition of the Central Committee reiterated their commitment to the intra-Sudanese process, adding they handed over a written position paper to the facilitators.
“We also stress that we will not allow remnants of the former regime and coup forces to build a political majority through the political process to deviate (…) ending the coup and establishing a course of genuine democratic civil transformation”.
In their position paper seen by the Sudan Tribune, the coalition called to suspend the reinstatement in the civil service of the former regime members and to not return properties expropriated by the committee with the dismantling of the former regime.
The FFC-CC said it should be part of the confidence-building measures.
The paper further proposes that the dialogue should be divided into two steps.
The first phase should focus on ending the coup, removing its effects, and establishing a new constitutional legitimacy, popularly acceptable. while the second deal with restoring the civil-led transition.
(ST)