The AUHIP led by former President Thabo Mbeki concluded its visit to Khartoum on 9 April 2017, where it held extensive discussions with the President of the Republic Omar Hassan Al-Bashir, the First Vice President and National Prime Minister, Lt. General Bakri Hassan Salih, as well as senior government ministers and officials.
The Panel also met members of the High Implementation Committee (HIC), which oversees the implementation of the outcomes of the National Dialogue, as well as leaders and representatives of other political parties and civil society, including Imam Sadiq Al-Mahdi, the leader of the National UMMA party. It also interacted with representatives of the United Nations, and members of the diplomatic corps accredited to Sudan.
All the Sudanese interlocutors emphasized the need to adhere to the Roadmap Agreement of March 2016. Accordingly, President Al-Bashir reassured the Panel of his commitment to enhancing the inclusivity of the process of implementing the outcomes of the National Dialogue, particularly the adoption of a new Constitution for Sudan.
President Al-Bashir further reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring the inclusivity of the expanded Government both at national and state levels and the expansion of the national legislature, as well as the Constitution-making process.
The President further reiterated his support for the Panel’s proposal that it should convene meetings of the relevant opposition formations in Addis Ababa to discuss enhancing the inclusivity of the above processes in line with the Roadmap Agreement. Following their internal meeting, the opposition will engage with the AUHIP, and the Panel will determine the next steps for implementing the Roadmap Agreement.
The Panel has proposed that HIC and the opposition should meet to discuss the implementation of the dialogue outcomes, including the composition of the committee. The Panel will continue to engage the HIC and the Sudanese parties, to ensure the success of the above processes, particularly the preparation of the new Constitution.
In accordance with the Roadmap Agreement, the Panel remains committed to supporting and facilitating the various Sudanese processes for ending conflict and promoting democratic transformation within Sudan. The Panel urges all of the parties outside the National Dialogue process to engage seriously with the political and constitution-making processes, which are vital for the political transformation and stabilization of the Sudan.
In the following weeks, the Panel will also facilitate the convening of the Abyei Joint Oversight Committee, as well as an extraordinary session of the Joint Political and Security Mechanism to discuss outstanding issues on the security of the border.
The Panel calls upon the Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Movement/North, Justice and Equality Movement and Sudan Liberation Movement/Minni Minawi, to renew their commitment to completing cessation of hostilities agreements, which are at a final stage of negotiations. These agreements are necessary for ensuring the delivery of urgent humanitarian assistance to civilians in the conflict areas and advancing the important Sudanese political processes.