German official discuses national dialogue with Sudanese government

A visiting German diplomat is holding talks with Sudanese government officials regarding resumption of the National Dialogue which had been halted due to April elections.

A visiting German diplomat is holding talks with Sudanese government officials regarding resumption of the National Dialogue which had been halted due to April elections.

Sudan’s Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour said he met the Head of the Africa Department in the German Foreign Ministry Marian Schuegraf and that they discussed the national dialogue.

In a press statement after the meeting, Ghandour confirmed his government’s commitment to the national dialogue which will be resumed after the holy month of Ramadan by involving all parties committed to the dialogue as a means to resolving the differences.

He further said the government is ready to provide full guarantees for the opposition to participate in the dialogue and join the peace process.

Meanwhile, the Sudanese Minister of Information Ahmed Bilal Osman said the national dialogue is the priority of the newly reshuffled government. In an interview with Radio Tamazuj, Bilal said the government will contact all political parties and armed movements for the resumption of the dialogue through mediators.

Opposition rejects National Dialogue

For his part, Abu Bakar Yusuf, spokesman of the National Consensus Forces, said they received an invitation letter from the visiting German delegation.

He pointed out that the National Consensus Forces and the Sudan Appeal group cannot participate in any negotiation before their preconditions are fulfilled.

Abu Bakar demanded political freedoms, the halt of the ongoing war, and a conducive environment for the national dialogue that could lead to the formation of a transitional government, while calling upon the other political parties to boycott the dialogue.

Separately, the National Liberation and Justice Party led by Al Tijani al-Sisi yesterday decided to suspend its political partnership with the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) and withdraw from the the newly reshuffled government at all levels.

The decision was taken in an emergency meeting of its political bureau on Wednesday morning. The meeting reportedly assessed the political partnership with ruling the National Congress Party (NCP).