Joint Statement on National Dialogue in Sudan
11 Jun 2014 12:25 PM
Joint Statement by the
United States, Norway and the United Kingdom on National Dialogue in
Sudan.
The Members of the Troika
welcome the National Congress Party’s stated intent to undertake a
process of national dialogue in Sudan. We have long shared the view of many
Sudanese that a sustainable peace and a prosperous Sudan can only be achieved
through a fundamental review—and reform—of national governance
systems that concentrate power at the center and marginalize the
regions.
To this end, we are encouraged
by the leadership’s stated intent to confront questions regarding the
country’s ongoing conflicts, poverty, governance, political freedoms, and
national identity. We note that a common understanding of the dialogue process,
and the desired goals, will invite broad participation and offer the best
chance for success. In this regard, we encourage Sudan’s leaders to work
in close coordination with the AU High-level Implementation Panel, led by
President Mbeki, to ensure that those goals are met.
As history has demonstrated, a
dialogue that involves voices only from Khartoum or from
“traditional” political parties cannot yield the results that the
people of Sudan demand. We encourage the political leadership to ensure the
time and space necessary to deliver on their promise of a genuine, holistic,
and truly inclusive dialogue that will include the armed and unarmed
opposition, as well as civil society.
Unfortunately, the Government of
Sudan has taken actions of late that have enabled some to raise doubts about
the sincerity of this initiative. Most notably, the Government continues to
wage a war and target civilians in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile and bears
primary responsibility for intensifying the conflict in Darfur, where some
300,000 have been displaced this year. Tangible steps by all parties to bring
these conflicts to an end are critical now to build popular confidence in the
process. Similarly, the Government’s restriction and increased repression
of individual, political and press freedoms limits the space necessary for a
successful national dialogue; such a process will demand both goodwill and a
conducive environment if it is to enjoy broad legitimacy.
We will continue to follow
developments closely and stand ready to work with those who seek to advance
meaningful reforms.