UN-Led Talks To Resolve Sudan Political Crisis To Start Immediately - Special Envoy

The United Nations will immediately launch consultations with Sudan's military to restore the country's democratic transition following the October 25 coup, UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Sudan Volker Perthes said on Monday

UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 10th January, 2022) The United Nations will immediately launch consultations with Sudan's military to restore the country's democratic transition following the October 25 coup, UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Sudan Volker Perthes said on Monday.

"I do hope that these consultations can become something like a confidence-building measure and would help to at least reduce the violence or would help military and their opponents to start with some confidence-building," Perthes said at a press conference to announce the launch of the talks. "That's a fact that still people are killed makes it urgent to start as soon as possible with the talks."

Perthes said the consultations are set to start on Monday afternoon and expressed his hope the initial round of talks will eventually lead to negotiations.

"Negotiations - direct or indirect - may come in a second phase... We will see whether indeed through these (consultations) we can reach some consensus and some important points," Perthes added.

Sudan has entered political crisis since Army chief Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan detained Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and other government officials in October. Following the coup, protesters have taken to the streets demanding civilian rule. At least 60 people have since been killed in clashes with the military authorities.

In mid-November, al-Burhan and Hamdok signed a political agreement stipulating the reinstatement of the prime minister in his duties, the release of all political prisoners detained during the coup and transition of power to a civilian rule at an earlier date.