Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi stressed the the state's full support to the choices and free will of the Sudanese people in determining their country's future, and the consensus they will reach in this critical juncture in their country's history. The president's remarks came during the opening of a gathering of African leaders in Cairo on Tuesday to consult on the ongoing crisis in Sudan, 10 days after the ouster of Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir amid mass protests. Sisi said the meeting aims to review the ongoing developments in Sudan and support the efforts of the Sudanese people to achieve their hopes and aspirations towards building a better future, while respecting the efforts by the Sudanese Transitional Military Council (TMC) and political and civilian forces in Sudan to reach a national consensus. “This consensus would allow them to overcome this critical period and its challenges to fulfill a peaceful and seamless transition of power…while preserving state institutions as well as the country's unity and territorial integrity,” Sisi said during the urgent meeting, affirming the importance of a solution to prevent a lapse to chaos and avoid its destructive effects on Sudan and the whole region. Sisi added that formulating African solutions to the continent's problems is the only way to deal with common challenges; with African states being the best equipped to understand the complexities of their own problems. “African states are best able to find serious and realistic solutions… to serve the interests of Africa's nations and preserve them from foreign interference in its matters,” Sisi said, describing such interferences as not being effective in solving the continent's distinct circumstances. The Egyptian president stressed that the resolution of Sudan's situation should come from the Sudanese people themselves through comprehensive dialogue between the various political powers in Sudan to reach a consensual political solution that accomplishes the Sudanese hopes for change, development, and stability. “As neighboring countries to Sudan… and regional partners, we seek to provide support and assistance to the Sudanese people to help achieve the stability and prosperity they deserve,” Sisi said. Another gathering to discuss developments in the crisis in Libya is set also to be held in Cairo later on Tuesday. The meetings on Sudan and Libya are hosted by President Sisi as the current chairman of the AU for 2019. They are being attended by the leaders of Chad, Djibouti, Rwanda, Congo, Somalia, and South Africa. Also participating in the meetings are the chief of the AU commission, the Ethiopian deputy prime minister, the South Sudanese advisor for security affairs, as well as officials from Uganda and Nigeria. The meeting on Sudan aims to discuss the developing conditions in the country and boosting joint work and consultations over the best methods to deal with developments in the country and continuing to support stability and peace. Source: Ahram Online
