Norway’s envoy discusses peace roadmap in Khartoum
October 22, 2018 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s Presidential Assistant Faisal Ibrahim and the visiting Norwegian Special Envoy to South Sudan and Sudan, Erling Skojonsberg on Sunday have discussed the implementation of the RoadMap Agreement (RMA).
Sudan Troika countries including the U.S., Norway and the United Kingdom are facilitating Sudan’s peace talks and seeking to bring all stakeholders to the negotiating table.
In press statements following the meeting, the Norwegian envoy hailed the political and economic reforms carried out by the Sudanese government, expressing his country’s strong support for the ongoing Sudanese-U.S. dialogue.
He also praised Sudan’s efforts to achieve a peace agreement in South Sudan, stressing his country’s confidence that Khartoum would continue to support the implementation of the deal until South Sudan enjoys full peace and stability.
In March and August 2016, the Sudanese government and the opposition alliance Sudan Call respectively signed an RMA for peace in Sudan proposed by the African Union High Implementation Panel (AUHIP).
The RMA provides that the warring parties end the war, negotiate a peace agreement and together with the opposition political groups hold a preparatory conference before to return to Sudan and participate in the national dialogue process and a constitutional conference.
However, the parties failed to strike a cessation of hostilities deal and a humanitarian access agreement in Darfur and the Two Areas for different reasons. As a result, the government held its national dialogue conference and formed a national consensus government to implement its recommendations.
Last month, the AUHIP chief, Thabo Mbeki, sent a letter to the parties proposing to amend RMA, stressing that conditions have changed in the country and the opposition should be flexible
He proposed that after the peace agreements, the parties move directly to the constitutional conference with the participation of the opposition groups without the preparatory meeting for a national dialogue conference.
The Sudanese government accepted Mbeki’s proposed amendments but the Sudan Call rejected the proposal and reaffirmed its adherence to the initial peace plan.
(ST)