Intra-Sudaneqe dialogue process to start in mid-May: envoys
April 27, 2022 – (KHARTOUM) – The tripartite mechanism of UNITAMS, African Union and IGAD announced the launch of the intra-Sudanese dialogue process in mid-May as the military rulers have released political detainees on the same day.
Last January, the UN mission to assist democratic transition in Sudan proposed a two-step process to end the Sudanese crisis. The initiative was joined by the African Union and IGAD later.
On February 13, the UNITAMS concluded the first step of the process which witnessed consultations with political and civil society groups to collect their positions and proposals to end the political strife.
During the second phase, the tripartite mechanism plans to bring together the Sudanese stakeholders for further talks on the way forward based on the outcome of the initial phase and within the framework of the constitutional declaration of 2019.
The launch of the dialogue process was announced by the three envoys in a press conference held in the Sudanese capital on Wednesday.
African Union Special Envoy Mohamed el Hacen Lebatt told reporters they agreed to start the dialogue after the end of the Eid al-Fitr holiday.
Lebatt said that some political parties still did not decide whether they would participate in the dialogue process or not.
He stressed that they would work through initiatives to facilitate a transparent dialogue that was consistent with the objectives of the Sudanese people to restore a constitutional transitional government.
He said they would seek to deepen the conviction of the stakeholders that there should be a transparent national dialogue between the various forces to reach an agreement on political issues that would pave the way for a democratic constitutional transition.
The military component and their allied armed groups call to amend the constitutional document in a way to allow the participation in the transitional period of the former allies of the al-Bashir regime who are seen as potential allies counter the FFC coalition.
The African Union envoy stressed that the dissolved National Congress Party of General al-Bashir is not to take part in the process. While the participation of other Islamist parties – the Reform Now Party and the Popular Congress Party is still under consideration.
“The participation of these parties is a matter for the Sudanese to decide on it, and we will not interfere in this issue” he added.
For his part, UNITAMS Head Volker Perthes underscored that the purpose of the dialogue facilitated by the tripartite mechanism is to restore the constitutional declaration and the resumption of a credible transitional process towards democracy.
“Addressing the current political stalemate is of urgent importance, otherwise the country risks slipping further instability and threatening the economic, social and political gains made since the December revolution,” he further warned.
The IGAD Envoy Ismail Wais called on the Sudanese government to implement confidence-building measures that would create a conducive environment for dialogue, including the release of detainees, end arbitrary arrests and the use of violence against protesters as well as lift the state of emergency.
“We appreciate the release of the detainees, and we consider it a positive development. We further call for the release of the Resistance Committees leaders before Eid al-Fitr as a necessary condition,” he said.
(ST)