Readout of the Vice President's Call with Former South African President Thabo Mbeki

Vice President Biden called the Chairperson of the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel for Sudan and South Sudan and former President of South Africa Thabo Mbeki today to discuss Sudan. Vice President Biden thanked President Mbeki for his leadership and his efforts to bring the many Sudanese groups together, and the two discussed the importance of establishing one nation-wide approach to ending the conflicts in Sudan. Vice President Biden and President Mbeki discussed the urgent need for continued pressure on the Sudanese government and opposition leaders, as well as civil society groups, to begin the process of a national dialogue. The Vice President emphasized that African Union leadership will be crucial to promoting inclusive governance, ensuring respect for human rights, and urgently bringing the conflicts in Blue Nile, Southern Kordofan, and Darfur to a peaceful end. They agreed to continue closely coordinating African Union and U.S. efforts.