Africa-Europe Dialogue on sustaining multilateral cooperation in support of Sudan’s peace process
On 3 October 2020, Sudan's civilian-led Transitional Government and the Sudan Revolutionary Movements signed a Peace Agreement devised to end decades of civil strife, insecurity, and conflict. The historic agreement was seen as a pathway to paving an inclusive and comprehensive roadmap for peace in Sudan and supporting the creation of a conducive environment towards stability in the wider Horn of Africa. Despite sustained domestic efforts and international support since the overthrow of President al-Bashir, the transition to a civilian democratic state remains fragile and incomplete. At the same time, new challenges have emerged, including growing border tensions with Ethiopia.
Sudan's Constitutional Declaration outlines a range of objectives, including far-reaching legal and political reforms; comprehensive peace, establishing a Transitional Legislative Council inclusive of women, young people, and other marginalised populations, strengthening gender equality and human rights, and rebuilding public institutions, and drafting a new constitution and holding elections etc. International partners such as the African Union (AU), the European Union (EU) and bilateral donors, has supported the efforts of the Sudanese civilian-led Transitional Government to transform the Sudanese state and economy.
The African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD), the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFP) and the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI) hosted a virtual roundtable on the 14th June 2021 as a part of their Africa-Europe dialogue series, supported by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The event focused on Sustaining African-European multilateral cooperation in support of Sudan’s peace process where the panelists took stock of African and European support to Sudan’s political transition, including by supporting and complimenting multilateral coordination efforts. The panelists discussed contemporary conflict prevention, conflict management and peacebuilding support used to help towards the peaceful transition in Sudan and assessed key hindrances slowing current momentum. The participants also explored opportunities for further strengthening multilateral cooperation that can help to address some of the existing gaps preventing Sudan from fully consolidating its democratic transition.
The webinar was opened by Dr. Cedric de Coning, Research Professor with NUPI. The event was lead by two moderators, Dr. Andrew E. Yaw Tchie, Senior Research Fellow with NUPI and Dr. Linda Darkwa, Coordinator of the Training for Peace Programme.
The following panelists addressed African and European multilateral cooperation in support of Sudan´s peace process:
- Mr. Boitshoko Mokgathle, Advisor on Partnerships and former Head of Conflict Management and Post Conflict Reconstruction Division
- Dr. Irene Panozzo, Special Advisor to the EU Envoy to the Horn of Africa
- Professor Munzoul Assal, Department of Social Anthropology, University of Khartoum
- Dr. Endre Stiansen, Norwegian Special Envoy for Sudan
The European Council of Foreign Relation´s (ECFR), Theodore Murphy and the African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Conflict´s (ACCORD) Ambassador Said Djinnit held concluding remarks.
Watch the seminar here: