By Ebi Kesiena
African Union (AU) Commission Chair Moussa Faki Mahamat on Monday called for the immediate resumption of dialogue between Sudan’s military and civilians, after security forces detained senior figures in the transitional government.
In a post on Twitter, Faki called for immediate consultations between both parties.
“The chairperson calls for the immediate resumption of consultations between civilians and military within the framework of the political declaration and the constitutional decree,” he said.
He expressed deep dismay at developments in Sudan, where Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok has been detained and armed forces opened fire on protesters who took to the streets of Khartoum in opposition to Monday’s apparent coup.
Faki said dialogue and consensus was the only path to salvaging Sudan’s troubled democratic transition.
”The Chairperson further calls for the release of all arrested political leaders and the necessary strict respect of human rights,” he added.
The AU suspended Sudan in June 2019 after pro-democracy protesters demanding civilian rule were gunned down outside army headquarters in Khartoum.
Their membership was reinstated three months later, after Hamdok announced the appointment of Sudan’s first Cabinet since the ousting of veteran leader Omar al-Bashir.
