On 10 and 15 July, SRSG Parfait Onanga-Anyanga attended the opening and closing ceremonies of the “Preparatory Meeting to Launch an Inter-Sudanese Political Dialogue Process”, organized by the African Union Commission (AUC) through the High-Level Panel on Sudan (HLP-Sudan), in collaboration with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD). The six-day consultations aimed to find a durable, inclusive and participatory solution to the conflict and the restoration of a constitutional democratic order in Sudan.

The meeting convened a diverse array of civil and political actors, including civil society organizations, political blocs and parties, religious groups, women’s collectives, and professional associations. The six-day consultation will comprise a series of follow-up meetings conducted exclusively among the Sudanese stakeholders.

Following the opening ceremony, proceedings were conducted exclusively among the Sudanese stakeholders. On 15 July, the participants presented a consensus reached on the ‘fundamental framework’ for organizing the inter-Sudanese dialogue, going forward. The proposal suggests a two-phased approach to the dialogue: 1) to discuss urgent issues related to the structure of a transitional administration and 2) to address the root causes of the Sudanese conflict.

Regarding the challenge of inclusive participation, the attendees insisted on maintaining inclusive and broad participation, excluding only those ‘who could be found guilty of war crimes, crimes against humanity, or genocide’. They further agreed that the dialogue would take place in Sudan, and, ‘ideally’, following a cessation of hostilities. The AUC and IGAD remain committed to facilitating future events with greater participation, including from Tagadom, SLM Abdul Wahid, SPLM-North-Al Hilu, and the Radical Bloc, none of which groupings participated in the meeting.