African Unions calls to take needed measure before to resume talks

June 8, 2019 (KHARTOUM) – Moussa Faki the head of the African Union Commission urged the Sudanese parties to take the needed measures to create a good atmosphere for the resumption of talks on the power transfer in the country.

Faki made his call in a statement on Saturday welcoming the visit of the Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to Sudan in his quality as the IGAD chair to discuss ways to settle the dispute between the ruling military council and opposition Forces for Freedom and Change over power transfer.

“The Chairperson encourages the (Sudanese) parties to undertake all the necessary political and security measures required to pave the way for a rapid resumption of negotiations to achieve a consensual agreement for a transition towards the civilian-led rule,” reads the statement.

During his visit to the Sudanese capital on Friday, Abiy met with the head of the Transitional Military Council (TMC) Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and representatives of the opposition coalition Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC).

Al-Burhan declared his readiness to resume talks with the opposition while the FFC accepted his call to resume talks but demanded the TMC admits its responsibility for the killing of over 100 protesters who were at the sit-in area on 3 June.

Furthermore, the opposition said that the ruling council should release the political detainees including Yasir Arman SPLM-N Agar deputy leader, Ismail Jabal the Movement’s Secretary General and its Spokesperson Mubarak Ardol.

Among others, they asked to withdraw the Rapid Support Forces militiamen who are accused of committing atrocities and human rights abuses in Khartoum.

The chairperson of the African Union renewed his call for the foreign actors to refrain from interference in the crisis and “support the African Union efforts to support a Sudanese-led and owned process that respects the will and aspirations of the people of Sudan, the region and the Continent.”

(ST)