South Sudan Special Envoy Galuak meets AU-IGAD-UN trilateral mechanism in Khartoum

The United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS), African Union, and Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) ‘trilateral mechanism’ met on Wednesday with Tut Galuak, Special Envoy to Sudan and advisor to South Sudan President Salva Kiir, the mechanism says.

A statement via the mechanism spokesperson yesterday says that during the meeting, the envoy briefed the mechanism on the steps he has undertaken with some Sudanese parties.

“The Trilateral Mechanism valued the substance of those contacts for its conformity with its approach of encouraging the authorities to take measures fostering a climate for dialogue, namely releasing all detainees, especially members of the Resistance Committees, putting an end to violence and lifting the state of emergency, as a necessary step for holding the Intra-Sudanese talks to decide on ending the crisis in a way that leads to restoring the constitutional order and the democratic transition according to agreed upon foundations,” the statement says.

It concludes that “the two parties decided to maintain continuous liaison to achieve this common goal”.

‘Time is short for Sudan’ – Perthes

Addressing the UN Security Council in New York on Tuesday, UN Special Representative for Sudan, and head of the United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS), Volker Perthes, said: “Time is short for Sudan to reach a solution to its protracted political crisis,” warning that if the impasse is not urgently overcome, the consequences will be felt beyond national borders, impacting a whole generation.

Envoys of the trilateral mechanism facilitating intra-Sudan talks – the United Nations, the African Union and regional body, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) – have stressed that it is up to the Sudanese, particularly the authorities, to create an environment conducive to the success of any negotiations, he said.

The AU-IGAD-UNITAMS joint effort, which was launched on Thursday, May 12, has been established to support Sudan through the next phase of the political process, to facilitate a Sudanese-led political process with the aim of restoring a civilian-led transition to democracy.

Some rebel movements and protest groups, including the Forces for Freedom and Chance (FFC) and the Resistance Committees of Khartoum, refuse to participate in the tripartite initiative or take part in any dialogue with the military coup authorities and those who support them as they fear that this will legitimise the coup.

Others, such as the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF), have called on the revolutionary parties to make concessions and engage in the dialogue.