Sudan’s Bashir urges national dialogue

Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir has called on the opposition to take part in national reconciliation talks ahead of the upcoming presidential election.

“Dialogue is the only way to solve the problems about power sharing,” said Bashir in an address to the Sudanese congress on Thursday.

Bashir called on opposition groups from different regions of the country, including the violence-stricken Darfur, to come to the negotiation table and “respond to the nation’s call and to participate in the dialogue in order to achieve consensus.”

Bashir stated that the Sudanese people are tired of years of violence and economic hardship following the secession of South Sudan in 2011.

“We faced the division from South Sudan, which had a negative impact on our economy and (caused) a shortage of resources,” said the North African country’s president in reference to the 2011 peace deal which extricated the oil-rich South Sudan from Khartoum’s rule and put an end to 22 years of deadly civil strife.

Bashir’s recent comments come one day after the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) re-nominated Sudan’s incumbent president for another term in office. The Sudanese presidential election is due next April.

FNR/HMV/SS