Bashir Seeks Political, Economic 'Renaissance' for Sudan

Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir on Monday appealed for a political and economic renaissance in his country ravaged by war, poverty and political turmoil.

"We in the National Congress Party (NCP) are calling for all Sudanese to participate in this renaissance," he said in a speech designed to address urgent calls for reform in his 25-year-old regime, but which fell short of critics' expectations.

It was the latest call he has made in the past year for a broad political dialogue, including with the country's armed insurgents.

But this time, he made his appeal directly to opposition figures -- including breakaway members of his own NCP -- who joined the audience of government-linked parties, cabinet members and foreign diplomats at a conference hall along the Blue Nile.

The Islamist Hassan al-Turabi, a leading figure behind the 1989 coup that brought Bashir to power, was among those present, marking the first time in 14 years that he had attended an NCP event.

He broke away in 2000 and formed the opposition Popular Congress.

"The speech did not meet our expectations," Turabi told reporters after.