UN to lead talks about coup fallout

The United Nations will launch talks to help Sudan resolve its escalating political crisis triggered by last year’s military coup, the UN envoy said on Monday, earning a mixed response.

“It is time to end the violence and enter into a comprehensive consultative process,” said UN special representative Volker Perthes, vowing at a press conference to facilitate “indirect talks” between all sides.

His comments came a day after Sudanese security forces again fired tear gas at anti-coup protesters, leaving two demonstrators dead including one who died on Monday morning from wounds to the head.

Mr Perthes said consultations would be held with political and social actors along with armed and civil society groups. But he stressed that “the UN is not coming up with any project, draft or vision for a solution”.

“These are all Sudanese issues for the Sudanese to agree on,” he said, ahead of a scheduled meeting by the UN Security Council today to discuss the crisis in the northeast African country.

Sudan was thrown into turmoil when army chief General Abdel Fattah alBurhan launched the power grab on October 25, detaining Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and his cabinet for several weeks.

The putsch derailed a fragile powersharing transition between the military and civilian leaders that followed the 2019 ouster of longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir.

Crowds have taken to the streets since to demand civilian rule.

The United States, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Egypt all welcomed the UN’s move.

Gen Burhan has insisted that the military takeover “was not a coup” but only meant to “rectify the course of the Sudanese transition”.

A Nov 21 deal saw Mr Hamdok reinstated after weeks under house arrest after the coup. But he resigned last week, warning that the country was now at a “dangerous crossroads threatening its very survival”.