Sudan opposition parties expected to sign the Roadmap soon: Khartoum
June 25, 2016 (KHARTOUM). Sudan Presidential Assistant and Deputy Chairman of the ruling National Congress Party, Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamid, Saturday said he expects that armed groups and National Umma Party leader, Sadig al-Mahadi sign soon the African Union brokered Roadmap Agreement for peace in Sudan.
In a press statement following a meeting of the NCP Political Consultative Council, he expected that the opposition forces will shortly sign the Roadmap Agreement and then all the concerned parties will meet after Eid al-Fitr holidays.
“We are waiting for the signing of this groups, which discussed the map especially Imam Sadiq al-Mahdi, Darfur movements and SPLM-North. They are in direct contact with the AUHIP head who in turn is in direct contact with the government.”
“In the coming days, we expect the road map to be signed and a meeting to be held after Ramadan Festival including the political forces that are part of the map, the government and the (National Dialogue) Higher Coordinating Mechanism (7 +7),” he further said.
Hamid further said that the consultative council was briefed on the different stages of the national dialogue – as the drafting process of the national document-, the meeting of the President with the 7+7 committee, and convening the political parties leaders for a meeting to determine the date of the general conference, its agenda and documents.
Last may, the 7+7 said the general assembly of the dialogue process will be in October 2016, but this month it announced the 6th of August a new date for this important gathering to endorse the outcome of the different committees.
NCP Deputy Chairman further said that national dialogue supporters as Presidents Thabo Mbeki, Abd al- Salam Abu Baker of the AUHIP, African Union, IGAD chair and Ethiopian Prime Minister, beside U.S. and EU representatives will be invited to attend National Dialogue General Conference.
OPPOSITION SHOULD SIGN THE ROADMAP
In a separate statements, the presidential aide called on the opposition forces to sign the Roadmap, adding it would not be changed as the holdout groups requested.
“If the opposition forces refuse to sign the Roadmap, government will continue finalizing the national dialogue,” Ibrahim Mahmoud told SMC, stressing that the Roadmap paves the way for ending war and conflict in Sudan.
Also, he hoped that the spirit of national responsibility prevails on narrow and partisan interests and the holdout opposition groups join the Roadmap Agreement.
We are “Keen not to miss any of the parties, and we are waiting to hear that armed movements and Sadiq al-Mahdi have joined (the process) because the National Dialogue is the largest political dynamic in the past years.”
Last week, the opposition umbrella of the Sudan Call said they will propose a supplemental document to the African Union mediation, and would reassess their position from the Roadmap Agreement according to its feedback.
Sudan Call opposition umbrella called to hold a preparatory meeting for the national dialogue; ensuring political and press freedoms, release of political detainees and to set up a transitional government to implement the outcome of the national dialogue.
However, the head of the African Union High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) has declined the proposal by Sudanese opposition groups to negotiate a supplemental document to the Roadmap Agreement.
(ST)