Ethiopian diplomacy secures return to transition talks in Sudan
One of the main points of last week’s mediation efforts in Sudan was the visit of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to Khartoum where he held talks with the military and protest leaders.
The weekend that followed was riddled with intense civil disobedience which kicked off on Sunday. On the third day of the Social Media shutdown, it turned out that the Ethiopian mediation had secured two big gains.
A suspension of the civil disobedience – which was planned to be indefinite. And a resumption of talks which have broken down along with the forced dispersal of a sit-in in Khartoum early last week.
Abiy according to Ethiopia’s Foreign Ministry had assigned H.E. Ambassador Mohamoud Dirir as his Special Envoy to shuttle between the two sides to assist the parties to resume their talks in good faith and in the spirit of ironing out the remaining sticking points of previously started discussions and negotiations.
After meetings with the respective sides, the suspension and resumption positions were achieved as at late yesterday, June 11.
reports indicate that the streets of Sudan’s capital, Khartoum remain largely deserted on Monday, the second day of an indefinite civil disobedience campaign.
Many people heeded the call from protest and opposition groups for civil disobedience and the majority of businesses and offices in the capital, Khartoum are closed despite a few movements unlike on Sunday.
The aim is to force the country’s military leaders to transfer power to a civilian authority. A security operation on Sunday is said to have claimed four lives in and around Khartoum.
Despite the crippling nature of the shutdown, the junta’s spokesperson Gen. Kabbashi is on record as saying all was normal across Sudan.
The state-run television also showed footage suggesting that life was going on as normal in Khartoum but activists pointed out that the said footage was an old one. Meanwhile, a major FCC player, the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA) has stressed that it will not return to talks with the ruling junta, the Transitional Military Council (TMC) till its demands are met.
As at today, an internet cut that was imposed mid-week last week continues to be in effect, reports have confirmed.
