Umma party will not participate in Sudan’s new government: minister

November 17, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – The National Umma Party (NUP) will not participate in the upcoming new government that president Omer Al-Bashir intends to form, said Mustafa Osman Ismail the head of ruling National Congress Party (NCP) committee for dialogue with the opposition party on Sunday.

Ismail who is also the minister of investment told reporters that the dialogue with the Umma party over its participation in the government reached an impasse. He added that the previous understanding reached with the opposition party are not related to this matter.

“We are currently discussing with the National Umma Party , issues of peace, constitution and economic problems and the Two Areas , and we reached some understandings”, he added.

The Umma party tries to find out a third way, breaking the increasing political polarisation in Sudan between the government and rebel groups.

The party of Sadiq Al-Mahdi which is against the use of arms to topple the regime calls for democratic transition in the country. It further says the president has to dissolve the current institutions, form a national unity government and call for political round table conference gathering all the political forces including the rebels.

The ruling NCP declines this proposition and offers to the largest opposition party a big share in the federal government, inviting it to work together with the Democratic Unionist Party to discuss peace with the rebels and agree on a new constitution.

The opposition parties agreed several days ago to engage serious dialogue with the rebel groups of the Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF) and distanced themselves from the Umma party, as they accuse its leader of working to control their alliance because of a structural reform it proposed.

Ismail revealed the existence of divergences on the date of the forthcoming new government among the ruling party.

He said that some call to announce it following the end of the current meeting of the NCP Shura consultative council, while another group believes the need to make it pubic after the adoption of next year budget by the parliament in December.

He further said he wishes that president Omer Al-Bashir appoints a prime minister, stressing the latter should be enabled to manage the economic situation in the country while the presidency deals with the files of peace, defence, security and foreign relations.

(ST)