AU, Sudan opposition group fail to agree on dialogue agenda

July 25, 2024 (ADDIS ABABA) – The African Union (AU) and a key Sudanese civilian coalition failed to agree on Thursday on the agenda for a second meeting to prepare for an inter-Sudanese political dialogue, sources said.

The AU hosted a consultative meeting with the Democratic Civil Forces Coordination (Tagadum) in Addis Ababa, but the two sides did not reach a consensus on the format and participants for the second preparatory meeting.

Tagadum boycotted the first preparatory meeting held earlier in July, citing concerns over the possible involvement of the former ruling National Congress Party (NCP) of ousted President Omar al-Bashir.

Sources close to the discussions told Sudan Tribune that Tagadum’s reservations remain, and the group may continue its boycott if the AU does not address its concerns.

Ambassador Noureddine Satti, coordinator of the preparatory process, said the second meeting has not yet been scheduled but is expected to take place in the coming weeks. He confirmed that the participants in the first meeting did not oppose Tagadum’s participation.

However, Sudan Tribune learnt that AU High-Level Panel members held informal meetings last week with an NCP leader in Addis Ababa to discuss the party’s potential involvement in the dialogue process.

Participants in the first preparatory meeting had officially agreed to exclude the NCP from the political process following the war.