Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
The European Union strongly condemns the outbreak of violence between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces earlier this morning in Sudan. "The European Union urges all parties to show leadership and engage in an immediate cessation of hostilities. At this critical juncture, priority must be given to silencing the guns, de-escalating the situation and resolving differences through dialogue," said a European statement issued by the European External Action Department in Brussels.
The European statement indicated that in the past months, the Sudanese parties, including the Sudanese Armed Forces and Reporters Without Borders, have made tremendous efforts to return the country towards the path of democracy by agreeing to the framework agreement, paving the way towards a civilian-led government.
Today's event jeopardizes those important gains. The European Union will continue to coordinate closely with regional and international partners to promote the path towards a political agreement that will bring peace, stability and economic development. The Sudanese people deserve nothing less.
Two days ago, the European Union said in a statement issued in Brussels that "the escalatory measures in Sudan threaten to impede negotiations towards the establishment of a civilian-led transitional government," calling on civilians and the military to "take effective steps to reduce tensions."
He added, "We urge them to commit themselves and engage effectively in resolving outstanding issues regarding security reform."
The statement stated that "the time has come to enter into a final political agreement that fulfills the aspirations of the Sudanese people for democracy."
He pointed out that "the establishment of a transitional government with civilian leadership is necessary to address the urgent political, economic, security and humanitarian challenges in Sudan."
Tensions have escalated in the last two days, against the backdrop of a dispute between the army and the "rapid support" forces over technical issues related to the unification of the military establishment in Sudan.
On April 5, the parties to the political process in Sudan announced that the signing of the final agreement would be postponed for an "indefinite period", due to the continuation of talks between the military parties.
This is the second delay in signing the agreement, which was scheduled for April 6, after it was scheduled earlier in the same month. This is due to differences between the army and the Rapid Support Forces.