The Embassies of Norway, the United Kingdom and the United States (the Troika) welcome the reaffirmation by a range of Sudanese civilian and military stakeholders, as set out in recent public statements, to a civilian-led government leading Sudan’s transition to democracy.
Sudan is facing an economic, humanitarian and political crisis. Only a civilian-led transitional government, and a clear but realistic timetable for elections, can put the country on the road to recovery and allow a full resumption of international partnerships with Sudan. Yet no government will be credible unless it is grounded in an inclusive political agreement. Wide consultations, recognition of lessons learned and strong female representation in both the dialogue process and the resulting government, will strengthen the legitimacy of an agreement. We urge Sudanese stakeholders to move quickly to achieve such an agreement, while avoiding artificial deadlines.
It is vital that upon agreement amongst civilian parties to form a transitional government, the military fulfils its stated commitment to withdraw from the political scene. The international community is clear that the military’s future role, pending elections, must be agreed in consultation with civilian groups in order to ensure a sustainable transition.
We are encouraged by the recent willingness of various Sudanese parties to table specific proposals on the way forward, and urge them to continue to work together to fulfil the Sudanese people’s demands for freedom, justice and peace. The Troika continues to encourage intra-Sudanese talks to find a political solution, taking advantage of the resources available through the tripartite UNITAMS-AU-IGAD mechanism.