JUBA – Darfur Region Governor Minni Arko Minnawi said Sudan is not opposed to dialogue or negotiations, stressing that any peace process must preserve the country’s unity, sovereignty and independent decision-making.
Speaking during a visit to Juba, Minnawi said his trip to South Sudan is part of a wider regional tour that has included engagements in neighboring countries to explain Sudan’s position on the crisis and assess the conditions of Sudanese refugees and communities abroad.
Minnawi said the Sudanese government and political forces supporting the state were facing what he described as a campaign to portray them as rejecting dialogue and peace efforts. He said that portrayal did not reflect reality or serve the cause of peace.
He said the forces he represents support dialogue and a political solution, but argued that sustainable peace must be “genuine and fair” and address the root causes of Sudan’s crisis rather than legitimize what he described as realities imposed by war.
The visit comes amid continued regional and international efforts to end the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which began in April 2023 and has displaced millions of people inside Sudan and across its borders.
Minnawi said his meetings in Ethiopia, Uganda and South Sudan were also intended to clarify Sudan’s position to neighboring states and the international community, amid what he described as attempts to interfere in Sudan’s internal affairs and reshape the country’s political landscape to serve external interests.
He also discussed the situation of Sudanese refugees and members of the Sudanese community in South Sudan, saying he sought to understand the challenges they face and work with relevant authorities on possible solutions, including arrangements for safe, voluntary and dignified return.
Minnawi said any political process should end the violence, safeguard Sudan’s security and sovereignty, and pave the way for an inclusive settlement that brings Sudanese together rather than deepening divisions.
