Foreign Minister Heiko Maas issued the following statement today on the informal coordination meeting on the Sudan at the Federal Foreign Office on 21 June:

We need a peaceful resolution to the current crisis in the Sudan. It is good that we succeeded in bringing together important international and regional partners in Berlin today to coordinate our efforts on this.

Further violence and escalation must urgently be prevented and the voice of the people must be heard.

A political solution can only be achieved if the opposition and Military Council return to the negotiating table. Our efforts must aim to support this path. The African Union plays a leading role in the mediation efforts.

To this end, international and regional partners attended an informal coordination meeting at the Federal Foreign Office today to discuss the situation and to explore how ongoing mediation efforts led by the African Union and a sustainable transition process can be supported.

After the meeting, the Chair issued the following statement.

Statement of the Chair: 

A broad group of international partners met in Berlin to ensure that our efforts are fully coordinated in support of a peaceful resolution to the Sudan’s current challenges. These cannot be solved by unilateral actions.

The events of 3 June were a tragedy. It is important that there is no further violence against the Sudanese people, and that those responsible for such acts are held accountable. Partners underlined the importance of unified and coordinated mediation efforts in support of negotiations leading to a civilian-led transitional government that is acceptable to the Sudanese people. They commended the leading role played by the African Union as well as by neighbouring countries.The group noted that the formation of a civilian-led government as the outcome of the negotiations would be an essential step in facilitating the provision of economic and technical support for the Sudan and ensuring the political stability of the Sudan.

Background information:

On 21 June, the Federal Foreign Office hosted a private, informal coordination meeting in Berlin for international partners and regional stakeholders to discuss the Sudan. This was the first meeting of its kind.

It was attended by special envoys, ambassadors and senior officials of important partners, as well as stakeholders from the United States, the United Kingdom, Norway, Germany, France, Egypt, Ethiopia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the African Union, European Union and United Nations.

The aim was to agree on support for the ongoing mediation efforts by the African Union, United Nations and Ethiopia in order to prevent further violence and escalation and to foster the endeavours to achieve a political settlement to the crisis. The agenda also included the humanitarian situation in the Sudan and an exchange of views on ways to support the Sudan in overcoming the economic crisis on condition that a transition process comes about under a civilian-led transitional government that reflects the will of the Sudanese people.