Norway, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States welcomed an agreement on an initial political framework in Sudan.
The Quad and Troika nations called for continued talks regarding Sudan's urgent political, economic, security and humanitarian challenges, urging Sudanese actors to engage in dialogue urgently and in good faith, according to a Dec. 5 joint statement.
“Now more than ever, political stakeholders must put Sudan’s national interest above narrow political ends and constructively engage with one another to realize the Sudanese people’s continued calls for freedom, peace and justice,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a post on Twitter.
In a military coup beginning in October 2021, the military arrested Sudan’s acting prime minister and senior officials, AP News reported. The country is divided between factions of pro-military and pro-civilian rule.
Protests began and continued despite killings, sparking the attention of human rights activists and countries standing in solidarity, Human Rights Watch reported.
Sudan signed a pro-democracy agreement Dec. 5 to restore the country’s democratic transition facilitated by the military and the Forces for Freedom and Change, The National reported. This was welcomed by Norway, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States as the first step towards a civilian-led, democratic government.
