The Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA) and political forces welcomed the announcement by the facilitators of the Jeddah platform for negotiations between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), of the commitment of both parties to take steps to facilitate increased humanitarian assistance and the implementation of confidence-building measures.
The facilitators of the Jeddah platform (the United States of America, Saudi Arabia, the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) announced yesterday that the two parties agreed on a number of commitments in light of the Jeddah Declaration for the Protection of Civilians signed last May.
Fierce battles have been taking place between the two sides since April 15, killing and injuring thousands of civilians and military personnel, and displacing millions inside and outside the country.
A glimmer of hope
The Sudanese Professionals Association – which played a key role in the protests of the December 2018 revolution that overthrew the regime of deposed President Omar al-Bashir – welcomed the announced commitments of the army and rapid support to implement some of the provisions of the Jeddah Declaration for the Protection of Civilians (May 2023) through a package of measures that must be implemented, describing it as a glimmer of hope to alleviate the human suffering and alleviate it from the shoulders of the Sudanese people, and a major step towards finding a solution to stop the fighting and end the war.
In a press statement, the gathering stressed the importance of implementing confidence measures, which include (establishing a communication mechanism between the RSF and the armed forces, detaining escapees from prisons, stopping the media escalation calling for the continuation of the war for both parties and taking measures against parties that provoke hate speech and escalation and fuel the conflict).
The gathering called on the parties to continue discussions in a positive manner that contributes to ending the conflict and establishing peace, and called on the facilitators of the Jeddah platform negotiations and the international community to develop mechanisms with the parties to the war to ensure the implementation of all that has been agreed upon and implemented on the ground.
Health System Priority
In this context, the head of the Sudanese Congress Party, Omar Al-Digair, welcomed the announcement, and expressed the hope that the two parties will accelerate their engagement in the agreed mechanism to ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid to those in need given the deteriorating humanitarian situation due to the war, and called – with the spread of epidemics – to give priority to starting to restore the effectiveness of the health system as well as the restart of disabled basic services facilities.
Al-Digair called for commitment to confidence-building measures – agreed upon – and a quick return to the negotiating table to agree on a ceasefire in order to allow the issue of the national crisis to be addressed in all its dimensions through a comprehensive political process that saves the country from collapse and puts it on the path of salvation with a collective will.
The political secretary of the Sudanese Congress Party, Sherif Mohamed Osman, described the mediation statement as positive and can be considered a roadmap for building confidence between the armed forces and the RSF in order to end the war.
He said that the duty is to support the leadership of the armed forces and rapid support for the implementation of the measures that have been agreed upon to build confidence between them.
A step forward
The Unionist Rally Party said the mediation’s commitments to facilitate the increase in humanitarian aid and the implementation of confidence-building measures at this stage are “a step forward that can be built upon until a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire agreement is reached, which the Sudanese people eagerly hope to reach”.
The gathering urged the armed forces and the Rapid Support Forces to fully abide by what was agreed, and called on them and the facilitators to continue negotiations and complete the progress of the talks until this expected end is reached.
Source: Al-Taghyeer
