Tijani Sisi to “Sudanhorizon”: Attempts to Delegitimise the Government Mean an Implicit Acknowledgment of Its Legitimacy

Cairo – Sudanhorizon – Sabah Musa

Dr. Tijani Sisi, the head of the Sudanese National Movement Forces, believes that the Civil Forces Coordination “Taqaddum” initiative’s discussions on stripping legitimacy from the government in Port Sudan implicitly acknowledge the government’s legitimacy.
In a special statement to the “Sudanhorizon” news site, Sisi explained that stripping legitimacy means there is legitimacy to be taken away. He added that the idea of forming an exile government will fail because the parties that propose it are divided on the matter. He pointed out that the UAE is pushing for the creation of such a government under the leadership of former Prime Minister Dr Abdallah Hamdok but emphasised that this government will have no impact. He also questioned who would recognise this government, stating that Taqaddum should ask itself this question before announcing its formation.
Sisi elaborated on why the National Movement Forces refused to attend the recent Geneva meetings with Taqaddum and other political forces. He mentioned that Taqaddum’s stance on a comprehensive solution did not agree with their position. He also noted that Taqaddum intends to exclude certain individuals, a principle that the National Movement Forces reject. He revealed that Taqaddum rejected the attendance of Hisham Al-Shawani, a moderate figure who should not be excluded, reinforcing their opposition to exclusionary practices. Sisi stated that the final statement from the political meetings in Geneva had some reservations from their side and added that they promised to respond. He pointed out that some issues should be addressed in a better manner. He emphasised their desire for a broader roundtable with more extensive representation rather than the limited representation Taqaddum wants. He also mentioned that Egypt could make a significant effort by extensively consultations with different political forces and agreeing on specific criteria for representation.
Regarding the planned second conference for political and civil forces in Cairo, announced by Egyptian Foreign Minister Dr Badr Abdel Aty recently, Sisi said: “So far, we have not received any invitations regarding this meeting.”