Sudan Rejects Mediation Efforts from East Africa Block for Peace Talks with Rival Forces
Sudan government says it has suspended any involvement in peace talks mediated by the East African regional body, IGAD.
It had been trying to get the army and the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to negotiate an end to the nine-month civil war.
The foreign ministry said it had suspended dealings with IGAD.
He has just visited several African countries in a bid to drum up political support.
His regional group added Sudan to the agenda of a meeting and invited the RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo to attend.
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Since the war broke out in April around 7.5 million people have been forced to flee their homes.
The Ethiopian and Kenyan presidents’ comments at the IGAD summit stating Sudan was suffering from a power vacuum were seen as particularly offensive.
The statements were met with indignation and condemnation here in Sudan. The [Sudanese] Ministry of Foreign Affairs described these statements as unacceptable, said Vall.
Tuesday’s foreign ministry statement did welcome an upcoming summit held by Egypt – widely seen as closer to the army than to the RSF – to be held later this week.
The IGAD summit, held in Addis Ababa, also featured the US envoy who appeared to reject the prospect of future military rule in Sudan.
Reaching a negotiated settlement does not – and cannot – mean returning to the status quo that existed before April 15, said US Ambassador John Godfrey.
