The African Union (AU) Commission has welcomed the start of the launch of the Intra-Party Dialogue Forum of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) on Saturday in Addis Ababa.
The dialogue is facilitated by the ruling parties of Ethiopia and South Africa, the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) and the African National Congress (ANC).
Yesterday the prime minister of Ethiopia declared the forum open, while participants from the SPLM-G7 and SPLM-Juba factions joined the launch event.
Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the chairperson of the AU Commission, released a press statement on Sunday saying the political process “should enable the SPLM leadership to examine in-depth the underlying causes of the crisis facing their party and of the conflict in South Sudan.”
The statement added that she urges “all the stakeholders to take advantage of the intra-party talks, which are expected to run concurrently with the IGAD-led mediation efforts, to advance the cause of peace, security, stability, reconciliation and good governance in South Sudan.”
Dlamini-Zuma reiterated the AU’s ‘deep concern’ at the continued conflict in South Sudan and the suffering inflicted on the civilian population.
“She renews AU’s full support to the IGAD mediation, and, once again, appeals to the parties to the conflict to put the interest of their country and people above any other consideration and to extend unreserved cooperation to the team of Special Envoys led by Ambassador Seyoum Mesfin,” concluded the statement.
File photo: Chairperson of the African Union Commission Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma (AU)
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