Trilateral announces launch of final stage of Sudan political process

January 7, 2023 (KHARTOUM) – The signatories of the political framework agreement will begin the second and final phase of the political process to end Sudan’s political crisis, said the tripartite facilitation panel, on Saturday.

In line with the two-step process, the civil forces and the military component have to reach a consensus over five issues before forming an apolitical government to achieve transitional reforms paving the way for the general election.

The pending issues are the security forms, transitional justice, review of the peace agreement, the eastern Sudan crisis, and the dismantlement of the former regime.

“The signatories to the Framework Agreement with the facilitation of the Trilateral Mechanism (African Union, Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and United Nations) will launch tomorrow the final phase of the political process aimed at reaching a final and just political agreement,” said the panel in a statement on Sunday.

The facilitation panel further said that the civilian and military signatories would take part in the opening ceremony at the Friendship Hall in Khartoum on Sunday, 8 January 2023.

While the consultations on the five issues will kick off on Monday 9th of January as they would hold a four-day conference on “the roadmap for the renewal of the dismantling of the 30 June regime process”.

The parties agreed to start with the easiest issue, as they have to agree on a new mechanism for the dismantlement of the al-Bashir regime.

They also said the security reforms would be held in closed-door meetings.

The facilitators said the roadmaps for workshops and conferences on the other four issues would be announced ulteriorly.

In parallel, discussions continue with the groups, signatories of the Juba peace agreement, to bring them to join the political process.

(ST)