Friends of Sudan Group Supports UN-African Initiative to Resolve Sudan’s Crisis

 Head of UNITAMS Volker Perthes. (AFP)
Head of UNITAMS Volker Perthes. (AFP)
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Friends of Sudan Group Supports UN-African Initiative to Resolve Sudan’s Crisis

 Head of UNITAMS Volker Perthes. (AFP)
Head of UNITAMS Volker Perthes. (AFP)

The Friends of Sudan group has reiterated its strong support for the combined efforts of the United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission to Sudan (UNITAMS), the African Union (AU), and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to facilitate a Sudanese-led political process to restore a civilian-led transition to democracy.

The group, consists of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Saudi Arabia, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union.

It issued a statement on Wednesday saying it looks forward to the imminent launch of the next phase of the talks with the aim of building consensus around the structure of credible, civilian-led institutions that will lead Sudan through a revived civilian-led transition period, culminating in free and fair democratic elections.

“The urgency cannot be overstated,” the group stressed, urging constructive engagement of all stakeholders in this next phase and underscoring the importance of ensuring women, as well as youth, and other historically marginalized groups enjoy full, effective, and meaningful participation and inclusion throughout every stage of the process.

The statement called for creating the enabling environment that allows all stakeholders to participate and freely express their views, adding that Sudanese citizens must be protected from all kinds of violence.

“Full respect for freedoms of association, expression, and peaceful assembly is vital, as is protection of property.”

The group also expressed its deep concern by the immense economic pressures currently facing the Sudanese people, affirming that it is committed to continuing to provide direct, humanitarian support to them during this difficult period.

“We look forward to the restoration of a credible transitional government agreed through the UNITAMS-AU-IGAD-facilitated political process, which would pave the way to restore economic assistance and international debt relief,” it added.

The group members said they continue to endorse the Sudanese-led political process facilitated by UNITAMS, the AU, and IGAD as the best vehicle to realize the Sudanese people’s aspirations for freedom, peace, and justice and to restore Sudan’s democratic transition and pledged their full support to the Sudanese people and this process.

Meanwhile, Sudan’s opposition Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC) has announced supporting the political process launched by the UNITAMS and the AU.

It commended in a statement the report of the Secretary-General’s Special Representative and Head of UNITAMS, Volker Perthes, before the UN Security Council in which he denounced the grave human rights violations against protesters and underlined the need to restore civilian democratic rule in the country.



Syria President Vows those Involved in Church Attack will Face Justice

The attack was the first of its kind in the Syrian capital since Islamist-led forces toppled longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December - AFP
The attack was the first of its kind in the Syrian capital since Islamist-led forces toppled longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December - AFP
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Syria President Vows those Involved in Church Attack will Face Justice

The attack was the first of its kind in the Syrian capital since Islamist-led forces toppled longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December - AFP
The attack was the first of its kind in the Syrian capital since Islamist-led forces toppled longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December - AFP

Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa vowed Monday that those involved in a "heinous" suicide attack on a Damascus church a day earlier would face justice, calling for unity in the country.

The shooting and suicide bombing Sunday at the church in the working-class Dwelaa district of the Syrian capital killed 25 people and wounded 63, the health ministry said, raising an earlier toll of 22 killed.

The authorities said the attacker was affiliated with the Islamic State group.

"We promise... that we will work night and day, mobilising all our specialized security agencies, to capture all those who participated in and planned this heinous crime and to bring them to justice," Sharaa said in a statement, AFP reported.

The attack "reminds us of the importance of solidarity and unity of the government and the people in facing all that threatens our nation's security and stability", he added.

Condemnation has continued to pour in from the international community after the attack -- the first of its kind in the Syrian capital since the toppling of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December.

It was also the first inside a church in Syria since the country's civil war erupted in 2011, according to a monitor, in a country where security remains one of the new authorities' greatest challenges.

Since the new authorities took power, the international community has repeatedly urged the government to protect minorities and ensure their participation in Syria's transition, particularly after sectarian violence in recent months.