Sudan, opposition due to discuss dialogue process on Sunday
March 24, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese government and opposition forces will meet on Sunday to discuss matters related to the national dialogue process following an invitation by the African Union mediation team.
The African Union High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) on Monday officially extended an invitation to the Sudanese government and opposition forces to participate in “consultations on process and procedural matters related to the national dialogue”.
The AUHIP in the invitation letter seen by Sudan Tribune underscored the meeting will be held from 29-30 March, adding that the “consultations based on its mandate pursuant to the Communiqué of the 456th meeting of the AU Peace and Security Council (AUPSC)”.
By the end of February, the Sudan Call groups, including the opposition parties and the armed groups, agreed to meet the National Congress Party (NCP)-led government to discuss the requirement and procedures of the national dialogue .
However, they requested that this preparatory meeting be held before the general elections scheduled for 13 April, hoping to convince the government to postpone it. Also, they decided that the opposition National Umma Party (NUP) and the rebel Sudanese Revolutionary Forces (SRF) will represent them at this meeting.
The text of the invitation underscored that the discussions will be based on the roadmap for the national dialogue approved by the general assembly of political parties in Khartoum on 9 August 2014, the 5 September Addis Ababa agreement on the national dialogue and constitutional process; and the communiqué of the 456th meeting of the AUPSC on 12 September 2014.
The AUPSC said the preparatory meeting should be held at the AU Headquarters under the facilitation of the AUHIP, to ensure that “the necessary confidence-building are taken, the key steps of the National Dialogue process are fully agreed upon, and that the process is fair and will result in the mutually-agreed objectives”.
The regional body also requested Khartoum to implement confidence-building measures as agreed in the 5 September agreement, including the release of all political detainees and prisoners, ensuring political freedoms and providing the necessary guarantees for armed groups to participate in the dialogue.
(ST)