Sudanese Minister of Information Ahmed Bilal Osman says that an inclusive national dialogue is the only way to achieve peace and stability in Sudan, claiming that neither side in the ongoing civil war can win by force.
In an interview with Radio Tamazuj on Monday, Bilal said any attempt by the opposition parties to overthrow the current government will not succeed.
“We think that the environment is now condusive. The notion that the insurgency can be eliminated by force will not be possible, so the political solution is the only way out,” he said.
The government spokesman noted that the National Dialogue will kick after a consultation with President Omar al-Bashir. He added that intensive programmes will be carried out before the dialogue takes place.
“There will be communications with the opposition parties within the country and with the opposition parties which have been boycotting the dialogue as well as the armed opposition. There will be a programme to create an enabling environment for the dialogue,” he said.
Bilal hinted at the possibility of cessation of hostilities and ceasefire declaration if the armed opposition shows seriousness to engage in the national dialogue.
He pointed out that the African Union High Implementation Panel (AUHIP) headed by Thabo Mbeki will play a big role in bridging the divergent viewpoints of the parties involved.
“There are western countries that have also expressed willingness to facilitate the dialogue especially Germany. So they want to create a condusive atmosphere and put pressure on the opposition to participate in the dialogue,” he explained.
Bilal reiterated his government’s commitment to the start of the national dialogue initiative. The government official declined to comment when asked about the formation of a transitional government of national unity as one of the conditions for the national dialogue.
Sudan’s Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour previously announced after a meeting with a German foreign ministry official that the national dialogue will be resumed after the holy month of Ramadan.
Preparatory meeting
Bilal, who is also member of the National Dialogue committee known as “7 + 7”, confirmed their readiness for the negotiations on the procedural matters with regards to the National Dialogue if they are invited by the AU mediators to Addis Ababa.
He stressed that the preparatory meeting should include all political actors without excluding any party. He also welcomed any political process leading to the success of the national dialogue in Sudan.
In April 2015, the “7+7” mechanism boycotted a conference in Addis Ababa about the national dialogue, drawing criticism from the African Union High Implementation Panel (AUHIP).