Burhan reassures Western envoys about his commitment to Sudan’s framework agreement
February 8, 2023 (KHARTOUM) – Abdel al-Fattah al-Burhan Head of the Sovereign Council made a renewed commitment to the political framework agreement on Wednesday during a meeting with Western diplomats in Khartoum.
Over the past three days, Burhan and Shams al-Din Kabbashi, a member of the military-led council said they may wash their hands of the framework agreement pointing to the need to add more actors after rubbishing a deal to hand over power back to civilians.
The statements created a certain political strain as a rift emerged again in Khartoum between the military leaders al-Burhan and his deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo “Hemetti” over the framework agreement.
On Wednesday, al-Burhan and Hemetti, nonetheless, held a joint meeting with a visiting delegation of special envoys from the US, UK, European Union, France Germany and Norway where he renewed his commitment to the December 5, 2022 agreement.
“Al-Burhan affirmed their commitment to the framework agreement, work with all parties, and convince the non-signatories to reach a comprehensive final agreement, paving the way for a civilian-led transitional government leading the country to free and fair elections by the end of the transitional period,” said a statement from the Sovereignty Council released after the meeting.
The statement further reiterated the commitment of the military establishment “to exit the political process” and carry out the needed reforms in the security sector.
In addition, al-Burhan urged the international envoys to fulfil their commitments to support the political transition and provide urgent assistance to Sudan, stressed the statement.
The visiting delegation included EU Special Representative for the Horn of Africa Annette Weber, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for East Africa, Sudan, and South Sudan Peter Lord, French Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa Frederic Clavier, German Director for East Africa and the Horn of Africa Thorsten Hutter, Norwegian Director General for Regional Affairs May-Elin Stener, and UK Special Envoy for Sudan and South Sudan Robert Fairweather.
Speaking after the meeting on behalf of the joint delegation, Weber said that the visit was meant to show their support for the framework agreement and the efforts of the tripartite facilitation committee.
She added that the meetings with the leaders of the military component, and the civilian signatory groups aimed to encourage them to implement their commitment to form a civilian government.
She further called for broader participation in the process.
For his part, Lord called stressed that the framework agreement is the best basis to end the current crisis and form a civilian government the face the challenges that Sudan has been facing.
“It is clear that the December fifth political framework agreement of is the best basis to form the next civilian-led government in Sudan, and the best basis to establish constitutional arrangements for a transitional period that result in elections”.
“It is our strong hope that the We hope that the parties would make a quick formation of a civilian-led government able to lead Sudan out of its current political and economic crises that face it”.
(ST)