Sudan’s opposition party quits power-sharing talks
October 5, 2011 (KHARTOUM) – The opposition Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has officially announced the end of its talks with the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) to join the country’s new government as rumors began to fly on who gets what in the anticipated cabinet.
According to [a report by Al-Khaleej newspaper, the DUP said its talks with the NCP on sharing portfolios had reached a deadlock.
However, the party led by Mohamed Osman al-Mirghani said that the window for negotiations on other issues remains open.
Sudan’s NCP has been seeking to bring the DUP and the National Umma Party (NUP) of former Prime Minister Al-Sadiq al-Mahdi to join the new government formation intended to be announced soon.
The decision of the NUP and DUP to engage in a unilateral dialogue with the NCP has set them apart from other mainstream opposition groups, namely the Sudanese Communist Party and the Popular Congress Party (PCP), both of which continue to reject participation in the government and call for regime change.
The DUP’s announcement mirrored that of the NUP which, two days ago, announced it would not participate in the government and resort to “civil disobedience” as a means to oppose the NCP.
Observers suggest that the aim of the NCP’s push to accommodate the two biggest opposition parties is to defuse tension in the domestic political arena due to worsening economic condition and the government’s increased crackdown on dissent.
Meanwhile, the NCP has been conducting intensive talks ahead of the announcement of the new government.
Earlier in August, sources told Sudan Tribune that the new government of Sudan’s “second republic” – a title being touted by NCP officials in reference to their rule after the breakup of the country with South Sudan’s secession – will be composed of 18 cabinet portfolios instead of the current 33 portfolios.
The imminent announcement of the new government has given rise to rumors saying that the presidential adviser Ghazi Salah al-Din will be appointed as a minister of foreign affairs.
Rumors also have it that the NCP’s powerful figure Awad Ahmad Al-Jaz would be re-appointed as a minister of energy – a position he left in 2008 – while the current agriculture minister Abdul Halim al-Mut’afi, who was recently embroiled in controversy arising from imports of contaminated seeds, will assume the position of finance minister.
(ST)