The Sudanese Minister of Information Ahmed Bilal Osman says meetings of the National Dialogue committee known as “7+7” will kick off Saturday 9 May.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, Bilal said the meetings will pave the way for a possible start of the National Dialogue with the opposition parties including armed rebels.
However, he said the National Dialogue will start officially after a reshuffle of the cabinet by President Omar al-Bashir. He said Bashir will take the oath of office on 2 June.
Bilal confirmed that the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) will later notify the African Union High Implementation Panel (AUHIP) headed by Thabo Mbeki about the start of the National Dialogue so that it can coordinate with opposition groups within and outside Sudan.
In March, the 7+7 committee boycotted a preparatory meeting regarding the National Dialogue in Addis Ababa. The meeting aimed at allowing the parties to participate in “consultations on the process and procedural matters related to the National Dialogue.”