Sudan’s Dialogue Preparatory Meeting to Be Held Before March 30 

March 18, 2015 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan’s dialogue preparatory meeting will be held before the 30th March a head of the presidential and legislative polls next month.

The preparatory meeting is part of an African Union roadmap aiming to support peace and democratic reforms in Sudan. The meeting, which will be facilitated by the African Union High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP), should discuss the requirements and the procedure of the dialogue process.

In a meeting sponsored by the German government, the opposition groups announced their readiness to participate in the national dialogue but warned that they will boycott it if the government delays the meeting for the after elections period.

The meeting should be held on 27 or 28 March and in any case before 30 March, reliable sources told Sudan Tribune on Wednesday after consultations held by the UN special envoy for Sudan and South Sudan Haile Menkerios in Khartoum on Tuesday.

Menkerios, during his short visit to Khartoum discussed with the Sudanese presidential assistant Ibrahim Ghandour possibilities of holding talks between the government and opposition at the African Union premises in Addis Ababa.

In statements following the meeting, the international diplomat said he came to Khartoum as representative of the African Union’s chief mediator, Thabo Mbeki, to offer support to the government and opposition to push forward the national dialogue process.

The UN official pointed out that he discussed with leaders of all political forces and Ghandour ways for holding talks in Addis Ababa.

The legislative and presidential vote will be conducted from 13 to 15 April.

(ST)