Mbeki’s visit to Sudan is postponed for two weeks : minister

July 15, 2016 (KHARTOUM)- The Sudanese government Friday revealed the postponement of a visit by the African Union Mediator Thabo Mbeki to Khartoum for consolations on peace in the Sudan

Sudanese Government Spokesperson and Information Minister, Ahmed Bilal Osman, didn’t elaborate on the reason behind the adjournment but said the postponement is due to internal conditions related to the government.

Osman expected that Mbeki would visit the country within two weeks to discuss the African Union brokered Roadmap Agreement, and the talks peace between the government and the armed movements.

Last March, the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) and the Sudanese government signed a framework agreement calling to stop war in Blue Nile, South Kordofan states, Darfur region, and to engage in the national dialogue process.

However, the opposition groups invited sign the peace plan – Justice and Equality Movement, National Umma Party, Sudan People’s Liberation Movement -North and Sudan Liberation Movement-Minni Minnawi -refused to sign the roadmap, saying it acknowledges the government controlled dialogue conference and would lead to reproduce the regime.

Osman said that Mbeki would also meet with Sudan’s Higher Coordination Committee of the National Dialogue known as (7+7) , besides the ongoing efforts to persuade the opposition forces to sign the African Union-brokered road map for peace in Sudan.

Earlier this year, Mbeki who seeks a holistic solution in Sudan encouraged the Future Forces of Change (FFC) a new coalition mainly formed of Islamic opposition groups to negotiate with the government in order to joint process.

However the alliance of Left groups which is member of the opposition Sudan Call umbrella refuses to negotiate with Khartoum, unless it accepts their conditions.

QATARI AND GERMAN EFFORTS

In the meantime, the Popular Congress Party (PCP) Political Secretary Kamal Omer disclosed that the African mediation, Germany and Qatar have made intensive contacts with chairman of the National Umma Party Sadiq al-Mahdi and the three armed groups in the past few days to persuade them to join the road map.

Omer told Ashorooq TV Friday that all the holdout groups are invited to participate in the process to reach a national consensus on the national issues.

The leader of the National Umma Party Sadiq al-Mahdi recently said he expects that the “Sudan Call” forces would respond positively to the Roadmap after Eid Al Fitr holidays, a matter that could pave the way for them to sign it.

The Sudan Call groups are expected to meet next week in the French capital, Paris.

(ST)