The so-called '7+7' coordinating committee of Sudan's National Dialogue have expressed willingness to meet Sudanese rebel groups abroad for a meeting about how to arrange for their participation in the process.

Earlier this year the Sudanese ruling party declined to participate in such a meeting in Addis Ababa, drawing criticism from African Union mediators, but now the 7+7 committee says it wants the African Union and “influential countries” to persuade Sudanese armed groups to participate in the National Dialogue.

Abboud Jabir, a member of the 7+7 committee and chairman of the committee for “providing appropriate atmosphere for the dialogue,” said that he does not rule out meetings between a delegation of the mechanism and the armed movements abroad to convince them to take part in the dialogue.

As quoted by state-run Sudan News Agency (SUNA), he said that the 7+7 mechanism has “finalized preparations to boost the committee for communication with parties rejecting the dialogue inside Sudan and abroad, stressing that the mechanism will continue its meeting toward coming out with solutions that are satisfactory for the Sudanese people.”

Sudan's main coalition of rebel groups, the Sudan Revolutionary Front, has rejected participation in the National Dialogue, but the group suffered a leadership dispute over the weekend that some observers say threatens to split the coalition.

In the meantime, thematic committees of the National Dialogue have continued their work in the Sudanese capital Khartoum. The Identity Committee has been discussing “Sudanese values,” issues of centre and periphery, diversity and other components of Sudanese identity.

“A number of the committee members pointed out in the discussion that Sudan like other countries was formed from immigrations, a matter that resulted in attributes and cultural components that necessitated respect for others and respect for differences... The members of committee have asserted the importance of formulating policies, laws and a constitution that respect the rights of people,” reported SUNA.

Another committee led by Professor Barakat Musa Al-Hawati has been discussing issues of law. He announced in a press statement that they discussed the legality of some laws and their compatibility with the constitution.

Photo: Abboud Jabir (SUNA)