Sudan’s FA Ministry ‘exchanges views’ with EU Ambassador

The Delegation of the European Union to Sudan confirmed that the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs held an “exchange of views” with EU Ambassador Tomas Ulicny on Tuesday about the EU position on the election.

In the meeting, Ambassador Tomas Ulicny referred to the statement of EU High Representative Federica Mogherini on the election, issued on 9 April, four days before the general election would commence, the EU Delegation to Sudan reported in a press release today.

The statement was issued on behalf of the twenty-eight EU member states, “as an expression of a unified and common position of the EU and its member states on the Sudanese election, the need for resumption of the national dialogue, and respect for human rights. 

“With the EU commitment to the people of Sudan unwavering, the EU Ambassador is confident that the EU statement will not significantly impact relations with Sudan. The Ambassador reiterated his readiness and personal commitment to continue in a spirit of constructive dialogue,” the press release reads.

‘The Sudanese deserve better’

EU Foreign Affairs Chief Mogherini on 9 April announced that the EU has chosen not to engage in support of the elections.

“When dialogue is bypassed, some groups are excluded and civil and political rights are infringed, the upcoming elections cannot produce a credible result with legitimacy throughout the country,” she stated on behalf of the 28 EU member states.

She pointed to the EU conclusions of October 2014, calling for an inclusive political process that would provide peace and prosperity for Sudan, and expressed the Union’s disappointment “that the Government of Sudan is missing the opportunity by not responding to the efforts by the African Union to bring all stakeholders together.

“The failure to initiate a genuine national dialogue one year after it was announced by the Government of Sudan is a setback for the welfare of the people of Sudan.” [..] They “deserve better”.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Ambassador Ulicny the next day, as it considered Mogherini’s statement, a “deliberate distortion” of the facts.

Troika

On Tuesday too, the ambassadors of the USA, UK, and Norway, constituting the Sudan Troika, were summoned by the Ministry.

The Troika countries had issued a joint statement on Monday, expressing their “regret” about “the Government of Sudan’s failure to create a free, fair, and conducive election environment”.

They also condemned “the acts of violence during the election period”, citing restrictions on political rights and freedoms and “the lack of a credible national dialogue and the continuation of armed conflict in Sudan’s peripheries” as reasons for what they called a very low voter turnout.

The Ministry called the statement “a blatant intervention in the internal affairs of the country”. The Ministry also accused the Troika of deliberately ignoring to condemn violent acts carried out by the rebels during the election period.