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NEW YORK CITY: A five-member international bloc known as the \u201cQuintet\u201d on Thursday rejected the prospect of any \u201cparallel governing structures\u201d in Sudan.<\/p>\n
As its representatives wrapped up a \u201cGood Offices\u201d mission to Khartoum, they reaffirmed the need for full respect for the country\u2019s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity.<\/p>\n
The rebuke, a reference to a rival administration the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces seeks to establish amid its conflict with the Sudanese Armed Forces, came after the Quintet \u2014 the African Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, the Arab League, the EU and the UN \u2014 held talks with Sudanese leaders in an effort to revive a Sudanese-led political process to end the civil war, which began in April 2023.<\/p>\n
The delegates met the chair and deputy chair of Sudan\u2019s Transitional Sovereignty Council, the prime minister, and the undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. They also attended a working dinner hosted by the finance minister that drew a number of political and civilian figures.<\/p>\n
Beyond government officials, the Quintet said its representatives met a range of political and civilian groups, including the Democratic Bloc, and heard from a committee tasked with fostering the conditions for a nationwide \u201cSudanese Dialogue,\u201d which briefed the delegates on its work. A meeting with independent women\u2019s and youth groups concluded the Quintet\u2019s mission.<\/p>\n
The bloc described the visit as being \u201cin the spirit of listening to the stakeholders on the ground,\u201d with the aim of linking its diplomatic engagement outside of Sudan with initiatives emerging within the country.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is no military solution to the conflict in Sudan,\u201d the Quintet said, adding that any durable political process must be paired with concrete steps to protect civilians and end hostilities.<\/p>\n
The bloc said it remained convinced that a \u201ccredible and inclusive Sudanese led and Sudanese owned\u201d political track can still deliver a transition to a democratic, civilian-led government that reflects the aspirations of the Sudanese people.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n