Sponsored by the African Union (AU) and IGAD, the second round of consultations on creating a political framework for the inter-Sudanese conversation ended in Addis Ababa on Monday without a final agreement.
Parties involved in the political process, including the Coordination of Civilian Democratic Forces “Tagadum” and other armed movements, were unable to come to an agreement over the draft accord.
The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North, led by Abdelaziz Al-Hilu, and the Sudan Liberation Movement, led by Abdel Wahid Al-Nur, both objected to the proposed text and the technical committee’s inability to take their suggestions into consideration, therefore they both skipped the closing session.
The suggested text will be submitted to the AU tomorrow, according to persons with knowledge of the situation who spoke with local media despite these obstacles.
The “Tagadum” Coordination’s Secretary-General, Al-Siddiq Al-Sadiq Al-Mahdi, told Sudan Tribune that the plan is based on identifying the important players and concerns, with the delivery of humanitarian supplies and the end of hostilities being the top priority.
Al-Mahdi disclosed talks on the need to unite platforms and mediators in order to end the suffering of the Sudanese people, as well as make sure that real parties, not “artificial blocs,” are included in the post-war political process.
Regarding the withdrawal of the two movements, Al-Mahdi stated that there is room for discussion and acknowledged the need for additional work and communication to come to a consensus on the structure of the political process.
The AU High-Level Implementation Panel for Sudan’s head, Mohamed Ibn Chambas, reaffirmed that the goal of the consultations is to get feedback from Sudanese civilian forces. He emphasized the integration of all outputs to establish the basis for representation in the main debate. He gave his word that the AU would adhere to the ideals of the Sudanese dialogue process and would not meddle in the political process’s design.
Lawrence Korbandy, the IGAD envoy to Sudan, urged the warring parties to participate in the Geneva ceasefire negotiations and advocated for a massive humanitarian effort. He underlined the necessity of a thorough meeting to resolve the political differences and stop further collapse, but he also issued a warning against external interests and global competitiveness overshadowing Sudanese necessities.
Korbandy reaffirmed that the AU and IGAD are working closely together to support political discussions, which are still solely controlled by Sudan. He emphasized that outside parties play the role of support and facilitation, with the Sudanese taking responsibility for setting their own agenda, vision, and processes.
