UN chief urges Sudanese opposition to sign Roadmap Agreement
March 29, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon has called on the Sudanese opposition to sign the Roadmap Agreement concocted by the African mediators.
However, the opposition groups, Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), National Umma Party (NUP), Sudan People’s Liberation Movement -North (SPLM-N), and Sudan Liberation Movement-Minni Minnawi (SLM-MM) refused the roadmap saying it would lead to reproduce the regime.
The head of the African Union Commission Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, gave the opposition groups a five-day ultimatum which ended on Monday to sign the roadmap.
In a statement issued on Monday, spokesperson for the UN chief said the latter welcomed the AUHIP initiative to bring together the Sudanese government, NUP, SPLM-N, SLM-MM and JEM “to reach an agreement on a cessation of hostilities, humanitarian access and assistance and an inclusive national dialogue process”.
He called on the Sudanese government to “fully abide by the agreement”, urging the other opposition groups to sign it, as well.
The statement added that the signing of the roadmap “would constitute a valuable step towards ending the war, providing assistance to communities in need and enhancing the environment for an inclusive national dialogue”.
Last week, an American diplomatic source said that international parties including the United States are making efforts to convince the Sudanese armed movements to endorse the roadmap agreement.
SPLM-N Secretary General Yasir Arman confirmed reports about international pressures on the opposition groups, saying they were told that the African Union Peace and Security Council and the UN Security Council will support the Roadmap Agreement and ask them to join it.
“But we will not respond to such injunctions. We will be supported by our people and will not sign any document that falsifies the will of the Sudanese people and reproduces the regime,” he said.
(ST)