European Union calls for an inclusive process in Sudan and welcome the progress by the Sudanese Stakeholders
Ambassador Signe Burgstaller, Swedish Ambassador to Sudan delivered the European Union’s Speech at the Launching Event of the Final Phase in the Friendship Hall 8 January 2023. The representatives of the European Embassies in Sudan joined the Swedish Ambassador on the stage. Ambassador Signe said:
I would like to thank the signatories of the Framework Agreement with the facilitation of the Trilateral Mechanism for inviting the European Union to speak today. On behalf of the of Swedish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, I have the honor to deliver a short statement, joined by my colleagues from Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and the Delegation of the European Union.
We welcome the progress made since the Framework Agreement was signed on 5th December and appreciate all the efforts made by the Sudanese stakeholders with the support of the facilitators - IGAD, the African Union and UNITAMS - to arrive at this point. The political process now enters the final phase, where the “final agreement issues” identified in the Framework Agreement will be further elaborated. This phase of the process envisages broad public participation in all the workshops.
We would like to stress that the meaningful participation of both young people and women in this phase is essential. They represent the majority of Sudan and must have their say in shaping the future of the country.
We are conscious that some stakeholders are still reflecting on when and how to join the current political process. The more inclusive the process is, the better and more sustainable the outcome will be. We encourage continued efforts to broaden the constituency of the political process and for the signatories of the Framework Agreement to embrace additional signatories whenever they are ready to join.
This is a Sudanese-led and Sudanese-owned process. The European Union and its Member States support this process and wish for it to succeed, and we are working with the Sudanese stakeholders and the facilitators of the Trilateral Mechanism on providing expertise to the workshops of the final phase.
The launch tomorrow of the first workshop – on the roadmap for the renewal of the dismantling of the 30 June regime process – should add to the momentum created by the Framework Agreement, and we hope that it hastens the day when a Final Political Agreement can be reached, paving the way for a civilian transitional Government that will restore democracy and lead the country to the free, fair and credible elections the Sudanese people are calling for.
The European Union and its Member States have maintained their support for the Sudanese people throughout the political impasse over the last year and tentative preparations are already underway on how to resume development cooperation in anticipation of the formation of the civilian transitional Government and agreed constitutional arrangements for the transition period. The European Union stands ready to coordinate on economic integration.
Let me end by wishing all the Sudanese stakeholders from all parts of the country, women and men, youth, professionals, experts, civilian and military leaders, together with the facilitators in the Trilateral Mechanism, much success in taking the important work forward in the final phase of the political process, with the aim to reach a final and just political agreement – an agreement on how to shape the transition towards a society in which the Sudanese people can live in freedom, peace and justice.
Khartoum 08 January 2022
