Sudan’s Revolutionary Front: Momentum, concepts, and motives behind signing AUHIP road map have now changed

Sudan’s Revolutionary Front has said that the momentum, concepts, and motives behind the signing of the AU High-level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) road map with the government in Addis Ababa in 2017 have now changed.

Speaking after a meeting in the Ethiopian capital with AUHIP led by former South African President Thambo Mbeki on Saturday, the head of the Revolutionary Front and the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM-MM), Minni Minnawi, told Radio Dabanga that the map, its bases, and the way we have all landed have changed.

He said that “the road map is still favourable to the road map's signatories to the second part of the national dialogue which is the constitutional aspect in it”.

Minnawi stressed that “the national dialogue that we have outlined in the map is not the national dialogue led by the National Congress.”

He pointed out that the forces of Sudan Call (also referred to as Sudan Appeal), the Sudan Revolutionary Front, and the Sudan Liberation SLM-MM have a clear and declared position.

He said a meeting would be held in the next few weeks without specifying its venue.

Minnawi added that the forces of Sudan Call and the Sudan Revolutionary Front are ready to talk about the roadmap after that we will hear all those interested in the Sudanese cause and anyone who wants to understand.

Government delegation

The Sudanese government delegation to Addis Ababa called on the opposition to join the peace process in order to participate in the constitutional arrangements for the 2020 elections.

On Saturday, Darfur negotiator for the government, Dr Amin Hassan Omar said after the government delegation met with African mediators in Addis Ababa: “The time is tight and the draft constitution has to be agreed upon since the elected Parliament in 2020 would approve this draft.”

He said that the election begins with the formation of the Electoral Commission and the issuance of the election act before them, which are subject to consultation with all the parties and if they want to be part of this process, they must be a party to the peace process.

He pointed out that there is still an opportunity for the signatories to the road map to join the second part of the national dialogue represented in the constitutional aspect.

Talks adjourned

The Addis Ababa negotiations between the Sudanese government and the faction of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North, led by Abdelaziz El Hilu (SPLM-N El Hilu), were adjourned on Sunday. Khartoum wants a definite agreement on security arrangements first, while the SPLM-N prioritises the delivery of humanitarian aid to the victims of the conflict.

After the two sides failed to reach an agreement on the delivery of humanitarian aid to the conflict affected people in the Two Areas (South Kordofan and Blue Nile) this weekend, the AU High-level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) decided to suspend the talks for an indefinite period of time.

At the end of the negotiation round, that began on Wednesday, the parties issued a joint statement in which they confirmed their desire to continue the negotiations, and each declared an extension of a unilateral ceasefire in the region.