This archive report was first published on 3 July 2019.
On July 3, 2019, Sudan's protest leaders made a significant move towards resolving the country's ongoing crisis. After African Union and Ethiopian mediators intervened, the Alliance for Freedom and Change agreed to hold direct talks with the ruling generals.
According to prominent protest leader Madani Abbas Madani, the decision was made after a meeting between the protest leaders. "The Alliance for Freedom and Change met and decided to accept the invitation for direct negotiations" with the generals, he told reporters.
One of the conditions for the talks was to reach a decision within 72 hours, Madani added.
The African Union and Ethiopia have been mediating between the two sides since tensions soared following a deadly crackdown on a weeks-long sit-in last month that killed dozens of demonstrators and wounded hundreds.
Talks between the two rival groups had collapsed in May over the make-up of the governing body and who should lead it – a civilian or soldier.
On Tuesday, the mediators called on both groups to resume talks on Wednesday, but it was still unclear if the negotiations would resume on that day.
