Holdout groups travel to Cairo to discuss Sudan’s political crisis
February 1, 2023 (KHARTOUM) – Holdout Sudanese groups arrived in Cairo, on Wednesday, to participate in a workshop, organized by the Egyptian government to bring together divided Sudanese political forces.
Director of the Egyptian General Intelligence, Abbas Kamel on January 2, proposed during a visit to Khartoum to hold a meeting between the signatories of the framework agreement and the non-signatories.
The Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) declined the proposal, but the Egyptian government moved on and invited political forces to participate in the forum. The FFC renewed its rejection, while the non-signatories welcomed the meeting, which begins on February 2.
Before leaving Khartoum, Mubarak Ardol a leading member of the Democratic Block, a coalition of non-signatory groups, confirmed to Sudan Tribune that a high-level delegation will participate in the workshop.
Ardol added that the delegation includes the head of the Bloc, Gaffar al-Mirghani, his deputies Gibril Ibrahim, Mohamed al-Amin Terik, the political official Minni Arko Minnawi, and a number of other political forces.
”The workshop will discuss the transition issues at the opening session on Thursday,” he said.
The agenda of the meeting was not released, but all participants are opposed to the framework agreement.
The Democratic Bloc will raise issues related to governance structures, government formation, judiciary selection criteria, and the dismantlement of the former regime. They would, also, discuss peace implementation economic issues, foreign relations, transitional justice and the constitutional conference and elections, according to Ardol.
Among the groups that participate in the Cairo forum are the Umma Party, Mubarak al-Fadil al-Mahdi, and representatives of the National Movement Forces group led by al-Tijani al-Sisi.
(ST)