Malik Agar reveals government-proposed roadmap to end Sudan’s war
August 6, 2023 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s Sovereign Council Deputy-Chairman, Malik Agar, has unveiled the government-proposed roadmap to end the war, starting with the separation of warring forces and concluding with a political process.
Agar outlined the government’s position in the Jeddah negotiations in a statement posted on his Facebook page after a meeting with representatives of the Women Against War platform in Cairo on Saturday.
During the meeting, Agar emphasized that “The roadmap also prioritizes accelerating the delivery of humanitarian aid and ensuring the safety of civilians. Following these steps, the political process will be pursued, with a focus on establishing the state rather than merely power-sharing”.
He stressed the need to support the Sudanese army as a national institution and stated that adopting a neutral stance would not be beneficial for Sudan’s interests.
The deputy chairman was referring to the Forces for Freedom and Change and the other armed groups signatory of the Juba peace agreement that refused to rally behind the army in its war against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
In contrast to the other signatories to the Juba peace agreement, Aqar has integrated his forces into the Sudanese army. The former rebels of the SPLA-Agar have been actively engaged in combat against the RSF.
Agar called for avoiding the proliferation of initiatives in Sudan, as he believes it could hinder peace efforts and prolong the war.
However, he expressed admiration for the women’s movement’s endeavours to bring an end to the conflict and provide humanitarian aid, characterizing it as a “noble patriotic effort” that the government appreciates and respects.
During the meeting, the violations faced by women during the war were discussed, with Agar acknowledging that women bear the heaviest burden of the conflict. Throughout the war in Khartoum and Darfur states, women endured violations such as rape, kidnapping, and being forced to flee and seek refuge to escape the war.
At the end of July, Sudan’s military withdrew its negotiating delegation from the Jeddah process when the RSF refused to redeploy its forces to camps outside Khartoum before initiating negotiations on their integration into the army.
(ST)