Sudan war: AU restates its position against external interference
By Fortune Abang
The African Union (AU) has restated its position against external interferences in the Sudan war situation.
Dr Mohamed Ibn Chambas, Chair, AU High-Level Panel of the Resolution of the Conflict in Sudan (HLP-Sudan), stated this in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday.
Chambas, also AU High Representative for Silencing the Guns, spoke on the outcome of the first phase of the preparatory meeting of the Inter-Sudanese Political Dialogue that started from July 10 to 15, in Addis Ababa.
According to him, the dialogue organised for stakeholders of the AU and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) sought to peacefully resolve the armed conflict situation in Sudan.
Chambas said, “the danger of any of these plans, of course is that outside interference is always a factor that is why Sudanese must also put supreme interest of their country over any other consideration.
“Otherwise, the longer this conflict lasts the more you will see external interference multiply that can only lead to detriment of Sudan, as they seek diverse interest rather than Sudanese people.
“The AU and IGAD have severally called for end to external interference, which fuels the war; if the belligerent of Sudan really want to be helpful, they should be providing assistance.
“They should provide for the vulnerable Sudanese population, not sending weapons and other war materials which only lead to more sufferings, more killings and more destruction of Sudan.
“AU’s position is non-interference by outsiders that fuels the war and leads to more armament to belligerents. AU calls for end to external assistance to the belligerent which only prolongs the war.”
Chambas, a former Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for West Africa and Head of the UN Office for West Africa (UNOWA), promised to meet Sudanese stakeholders unable to participate in the dialogue.
He said the next phase of the meeting would be held with Taqqadum, SLM Abdul Wahid, SPLM-North-Al Hilu, the Radical Bloc and other Sudanese political and civil actors unable to attend the meeting.
He mentioned others to include Sudan Liberation Movement, Abdul Wahid, Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, El Hilo, and then what is called the Radical Bloc, and Addis, for similar consultations in Addis Ababa.
“We believe political and civilian actors can also play role to get the belligerent groups to stop the fighting, because right now the fighting is done by the army and the rebel Rapid Support Forces.
“We have not brought these belligerent groups to the dialogue process yet, because the ceasefire talks are a different track, which is supposed to convene in Jeddah.
“We believe the political talk is important to mobilise political class, civil society, Sudanese youth, women professional groups, that way they would have set the view of all the important stakeholders.
“Specifically, set a small team of all the representatives who will constitute the planning committee for the all-inclusive, comprehensive Sudanese-Sudanese dialogue.
“By so doing we can have inclusive process with no one left behind, when we bring all the actors together,” he added.
He said bringing stakeholders together would enable the participants set agenda and timing of the political dialogue that they would determine themselves, in conformity with the principle of Sudanese-owned and Sudanese-led process.
“There can be no military solution, this has to be political, therefore to be dialogue of all Sudanese actors in a process that has commenced and this has been on since past five days.
“We are quite satisfied with the outcome of the consultations, because the group we met here has come up with 17 recommendations, which will guide on proper ways to have successful inclusive Sudanese dialogue.
“This includes issues on what agenda should be, who should participate, transitional justice, what kind of government to have, security sector and reform programme for youth and women,” he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Abiemwense Moru
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