Sudan’s Civil Forces to Launch Discussions on Sticky Issues Next Week

FFC, SRF, DUP, PCP and RP meet Trilateral Mechanism on November 27, 2022

January 5, 2023 (KHARTOUM) – The civil forces signatories of the framework agreement announced Thursday the launch of the second phase of the political process next week, with a workshop on dismantling the former Islamist regime.

The revolution’s and anti-coup forces held a meeting at the premises of the National Umma Party (DUP) in Omdurman to discuss political developments in the country. Also, they were briefed by the different committees about the ongoing preparations to launch the workshops and meetings on the five sticky issues before signing a final agreement with the military component.

In a statement released after the meeting, the participants agreed to launch the final phase on the 8th of January.

The meeting agreed to start the second phase “with a Roadmap Conference to renew the dismantlement of the June 30 regime process, which will be held from 9-12 January 2023 at the Friendship Hall in Khartoum,” reads the statement.

For the remaining four issues will be completed as agreed between the signatories and the tripartite facilitation mechanism.

The statement was referring to the review of the Juba peace agreement, security reforms, eastern Sudan’s plight, and transitional justice.

The meeting underscored that the parties to the process have been already determined and called on the non-signatory groups from the armed groups, signatories of the peace agreement, and other political forces that reject dealing with the military to join them in this political enterprise

On December 31, the head of the military-led Sovereign Council Abdel Fattah al-Burhan called to include more political groups in the two-step process.

For his part, Gibril Ibrahim the deputy leader of the Democratic Bloc confirmed to Sudan Tribune that al-Burhan brokered meetings between them and the FFC recently.

In a tweet posted on Thursday, the political secretary of the bloc hailed the “pivotal role” of the military component to bridge the gaps between the two coalitions.

“I hope that the friends in the (FFC) will continue with this new spirit to end the political stalemate,” he added.

The statement of the civil forces welcomed the international and regional support for the framework agreement and referred to the statement of U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the first of January.

The framework signatories stressed the importance of international and regional support for the political process and called to activate coordination mechanisms with the international community in the next stage to achieve the final political agreement.

In a related development, the UNITAMS posted a tweet saying that the “Trilateral Mechanism and the Joint Coordination Committee held a series of meetings this week to prepare the next phase of the political process”.

The facilitation panel including the UNITAMS, African Union and IGAD provides expertise and support to the workshops and conferences the Sudanese parties will hold on five issues starting with a conference on dismantling.

(ST)