Facilitators at Sudan's National Dialogue have announced a change of the name of the Identity Committee to the “Identity and Culture Committee”, and the chairman of the committee has also been changed.

Six thematic committees were formed after the launch of the National Dialogue last Saturday, including committees for discussion of identity, economy, peace and other issues.

Media reports in Khartoum suggest that the first chairman of the committee, Professor Omar Saleh, has been tossed and he was replaced by Rashid Diab.

Diab told the state-run news agency that the committee is working to lay down “a foundation and framework showing the Sudanese identity, culture and diversity. He stressed the importance of identity recognition so it can spread and show the real identity of the people of Sudan.”

Separately, Professor Hashim Ali Salem, Secretary General of Sudan’s National Dialogue told press on Wednesday that the debate within the six committee is progressing well: “The doors of dialogue are open for three months to allow those who wish to join,” he added, reiterating the invitation for groups rejecting the dialogue to join later.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Relations Committee Chairman, Omar Yusuf Barido said that members of his committee submitted a written vision on how to manage the external relations of Sudan. Details were not made available to the press.

Related: 

Argument within Identity Committee at Sudan's National Dialogue (13 Oct.)