EU offers support to Sudan’s National Dialogue
The EU is concerned about the ongoing conflicts in Sudan, and the violations of humanitarian and human rights laws. It is ready to support the National Dialogue initiative, and encourages all stakeholders to join efforts towards this process. In a press statement issued on Monday, the EU Foreign Affairs Council published the conclusions of its recent meeting on Sudan, saying that it remains deeply concerned about the “ongoing conflicts in Sudan, notably in Darfur, Southern Kordofan, and Blue Nile, and the accompanying violations of humanitarian and human rights laws.” The EU Council states that the conflicts in Sudan cannot be solved by military force. “The EU therefore supports the African Union Peace and Security Council’s repeated call for a holistic approach to Sudan’s multiple challenges and the need to tackle comprehensively the political, economic and social causes of persisting conflict.” In the face of the worsening humanitarian situation, the EU expresses its concerns about the access restrictions “still imposed for international humanitarian agencies and organisations”, and reiterates its call on the Sudanese government and the rebel movements to guarantee “safe, timely and unhindered humanitarian access to all areas by humanitarian agencies, in particular in conflict-affected areas in line with international humanitarian principles”. National Dialogue The EU Council considers the initiated National Dialogue process “the best opportunity to make progress towards this goal and to pave the way towards internal peace, reconciliation and democratic governance, and therefore welcomes “recent signs of a political momentum, in particular the Agreements on the National Dialogue and Constitutional Process signed in Addis Ababa on 4 September 2014”. The EU stresses that it “stands ready to support the National Dialogue process [..] and encourages all stakeholders inside and outside Sudan to join efforts towards such a process”. According to the Council members, the Dialogue should be transparent, inclusive and comprehensive. “Space should be given for a meaningful participation of the opposition parties and armed movements as well as civil society, including women’s, groups. The dialogue should include stakeholders from all of Sudan’s regions, and reflect the full ethnic, religious and cultural diversity of Sudan.” “To address Sudan’s internal conflicts, issues such as socio-economic marginalisation, unequal distribution of resources, political exclusion and lack of access to public services need to be tackled. The dialogue should provide mechanisms for the way forward for peace and development in all regions in conflict.” File photo: EU flag Related:EU Ambassadors in Sudan plan to visit Darfur in November (20 October 2014) Sudan’s National Dialogue ‘clinically dead’: NUP (22 August 2014)
The EU is concerned about the ongoing conflicts in Sudan, and the violations of humanitarian and human rights laws. It is ready to support the National Dialogue initiative, and encourages all stakeholders to join efforts towards this process.
In a press statement issued on Monday, the EU Foreign Affairs Council published the conclusions of its recent meeting on Sudan, saying that it remains deeply concerned about the “ongoing conflicts in Sudan, notably in Darfur, Southern Kordofan, and Blue Nile, and the accompanying violations of humanitarian and human rights laws.”
The EU Council states that the conflicts in Sudan cannot be solved by military force. “The EU therefore supports the African Union Peace and Security Council’s repeated call for a holistic approach to Sudan’s multiple challenges and the need to tackle comprehensively the political, economic and social causes of persisting conflict.”
In the face of the worsening humanitarian situation, the EU expresses its concerns about the access restrictions “still imposed for international humanitarian agencies and organisations”, and reiterates its call on the Sudanese government and the rebel movements to guarantee “safe, timely and unhindered humanitarian access to all areas by humanitarian agencies, in particular in conflict-affected areas in line with international humanitarian principles”.
National Dialogue
The EU Council considers the initiated National Dialogue process “the best opportunity to make progress towards this goal and to pave the way towards internal peace, reconciliation and democratic governance, and therefore welcomes “recent signs of a political momentum, in particular the Agreements on the National Dialogue and Constitutional Process signed in Addis Ababa on 4 September 2014”.
The EU stresses that it “stands ready to support the National Dialogue process [..] and encourages all stakeholders inside and outside Sudan to join efforts towards such a process”.
According to the Council members, the Dialogue should be transparent, inclusive and comprehensive. “Space should be given for a meaningful participation of the opposition parties and armed movements as well as civil society, including women’s, groups. The dialogue should include stakeholders from all of Sudan’s regions, and reflect the full ethnic, religious and cultural diversity of Sudan.”
“To address Sudan’s internal conflicts, issues such as socio-economic marginalisation, unequal distribution of resources, political exclusion and lack of access to public services need to be tackled. The dialogue should provide mechanisms for the way forward for peace and development in all regions in conflict.”
File photo: EU flag
Related:
EU Ambassadors in Sudan plan to visit Darfur in November (20 October 2014)
Sudan’s National Dialogue ‘clinically dead’: NUP (22 August 2014)
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