Sudan’s Bashir directs dialogue body to meet rebels

October 26, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The national dialogue coordination committee will meet next month with the opposition forces that inked an agreement on national dialogue the with the African Union High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) in September 2014.

Following a meeting with the Sudanese president on Monday evening; foreign minister Ibrahim Ghandour announced that Omer al-Bashir directed the 7+7 committee to meet with the signatories of Addis Ababa agreement.

The Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF) and the National Umma Party (NUP) from one side and 7+7 committee from the other side on 5 September 2014 signed an agreement on identical term with the AUHIP “on the national dialogue and constitutional process” .

The deal speaks about confidence building measures including political freedoms, end of war and humanitarian access, before the opposition participation in the comprehensive political process in side Sudan.

In statements to the official news agency SUNA, Ghandour said he agreed, on Saturday, with the AUHIP chairman Thabo Mbeki to hold a meeting with the signatories of September 2014 agreement.

He added the meeting will discuss the participation of the armed groups in the national dialogue and expected it may take place on 3 and 4 November.

The minister didn’t elaborate explicitly about the participation of NUP in the meeting.

Khartoum refuses to participate in a pre-dialogue meeting including the political opposition groups, but says ready to meet the rebels to discuss the conditions and guarantees related to their participation in the internal process.

Regarding, the peace negotiations with the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement – North (SPLM-N), Ghandour said he discussed with Mbeki the possible dates for the launch of the 10th round of talks.

The foreign minister who previously led the government delegation for talks with the SPLM-N expected that the AUHIP fix the 5th or 6th of November for the start of the process. However he added that the mediation will ultimately determine it.

Ghandour travelled during the weekend to Johannesburg where he met with the chief mediator Mbeki to discuss the ongoing preparations over the resumption of the peace process with the SPLM-N.

(ST)