Germany presents new proposals to relaunch Sudan’s peace talks
June 29, 2018 (KHARTOUM) – Germany proposed a new initiative to reinvigorate talks for a comprehensive peace agreement in Sudan said the opposition Sudan Call group following a consultations meeting in Berlin on Friday.
After the failure of the parties to sign a humanitarian cessation of hostilities and to engage in peace talks on the conflicts in Darfur and the Blue Nile and South Kordofan, the government held a national dialogue conference without the opposition and now propose them to join a constitutional conference. However, the opposition sticks to the initial peace plan and demands its full implementation.
On Friday, the opposition umbrella held a meeting with officials from the German foreign ministry and Berghof Foundation to discuss ways to upgrade an African Union roadmap signed by the government and the opposition in August 2016.
“The German delegation presented an initiative to reenergize a comprehensive peaceful solution and solve the hindrances facing the roadmap in full coordination with the African High High-Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) and the other facilitators including the U.S., Britain, Norway (Troika), France and United Nations” said the Sudan Call in a statement released on Friday evening after the meeting.
Germany which has a partnership with the AUHIP mediators seems leading all the ongoing efforts to settle the armed conflicts in Sudan and achieve democratic reforms.
The former South African President Thabo Mbeki mad to meet the opposition since last March but the meeting didn’t take place. Also, the administration of President Trump has less interest in Sudan’s conflict resolution process, after leading it in the past years.
The statement didn’t give any details of the German proposals.
The opposition alliance said it would first discuss it with the opposition and civil society forces. However, before the meeting, the Sudan Call said the discussions will include the elections of April 2020.
The opposition delegation was headed by Sadiq al-Mahdi included his deputies Gibril Ibrahim and Malik Agar, the alliance secretary-general Minni Minnawi, the head of external relations office Yasir Arman, and Meriam al-Mahdi deputy leader of the National Umma Party.
(ST)