Sudan’s dialogue welcomes international efforts to bring opposition on board
June 23, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – The National Dialogue Coordination Committee (7+7) has welcomed the ongoing regional and international efforts to persuade opposition forces and armed movements to sign an African Union brokered roadmap for peace in Sudan.
On Thursday, the 7+7 held a meeting to discuss the current developments in the aftermath of “Sudan Call” forces proposal to add a supplemental document to the African Union High level Implemental Panel – brokered peace plan, besides the preparations to hold the General Assembly of the national dialogue on August 6th.
Sudanese Presidential Assistant and member of the national dialogue mechanism Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamid Thursday welcomed the efforts of Ethiopian Prime Minister, the international community and the African Union to realize peace in the east African country.
Further, he pointed out that the Roadmap actually suggests a meeting between the national dialogue coordination committee (7+7) and the external opposition.
The signing of the roadmap plan by the Sudanese government has been welcomed by regional and international support.
The Sudanese government has received widespread international and regional support for the signing of the Roadmap Agreement. the UN chief, African Union chairperson and the United States have also urged the opposition groups to join the peace plan.
The opposition groups including Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), National Umma Party (NUP), Sudan People’s Liberation Movement -North (SPLM-N), and Sudan Liberation Movement-Minni Minnawi (SLM-MM) refused to sign the roadma.
However, the presidential aide played down the opposition statements on the rejection of the framework document.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Hamid said the government will give the opposition a chance to sign the Roadmap, warning that “the national dialogue will not wait long time for the holdouts”.
“We will not put the Sudanese people in jail forever waiting for the naysayers to participate in the national dialogue,” he said. He further stressed keenness to involve all the political forces in the dialogue after the signing of the Roadmap.
On a related development, the opposition parties participating in the government controlled national dialogue process said they would carry out direct contacts with the rejectionists in a bid to convince them to the internal process before the 6th of August.
Speaking to the press on Thursday, 7+7 member Kamal Omer of the Popular Congress Party (PCP) they to want to have an inclusive process, adding they are supporting all the ongoing efforts to bring the holdout groups on board.
Nonetheless, he underscored their rejection of holding a pre-dialogue meeting outside the country.
The Sudan Call groups say they want a preparatory meeting in Addis Ababa to discuss the needed measures for a conducive environment before to join the internal national dialogue process.
The Roadmap includes only two of the confidence building measures they call for : the cessation of hostilities and the humanitarian access to the civilians in the war affected areas.
(ST)