National Legislature Urges Internal Dialogue, Sustaining National Unity

Khartoum – The National Legislature which comprises two Houses, the National Assembly and the Council of States, stressed the importance of activating internal dialogue and using the momentum generated by the attack on the oil-producing region of Heglig to pressurize the armed movements to renounce violence and war and pursue peaceful politics.

The Legislature also stressed the need to improve living conditions of citizens and alleviate their suffering through the adoption of urgent long and short term packages. The two Houses underlined the importance of controlling markets, bringing down rising prices and rate of inflation through the increase of production and productivity, cut of government expenditure and rationalization of imports.

The two Houses called for diversifying production, facilitating marketing, electrifying agricultural projects and stepping up work to increase Sudan’s oil output to 180,000 b/d. The Legislature recommended propositioning strategic stockpile to avoid food gaps as well as provision of security at agricultural areas especially the areas bordering South Sudan and Ethiopia.

It called on the state to take necessary practical measures to safeguard borders and sovereignty and praised the role undertaken by the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF), other organized forces and the Mujahideen who had repulsed South Sudan’s aggression.

The recommendations of the Legislature’s coordination and drafting committee which prepared a report in response to the speech of the President of the Republic delivered before the two Houses recently, called for finding necessary means to deliver humanitarian assistance to the war-affected people provided aid should not be used as a pretext by foreign NGOs to interfere in domestic affairs. The committee recommended speedy implementation of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur, completion of formation of institutions of the Darfur Regional Authority (DRA) and support to development and reconstruction projects. It reiterated its call to the non-signatory groups to come on board.

The report called for building the capacity of SAF and the enhancement of salaries of its personnel.

The Legislature stressed the importance of securing and demarcating borders with neighboring countries the continued dialogue with national political forces to unify ranks.

The report of the committee praised SAF’s control of security situations in South Kordofan and Blue Nile areas and recommended review of foreign policy towards Africa.

The Legislature described the elements which backed South Sudan’s aggression against Sudan as hostile elements that should be dealt with accordingly.