ENTEBBE (Uganda), Jan 19 (NNN-KBC) — The Intergovernmental Authority on Development Heads of State meeting has called on the warring parties in Sudan to agree to a ceasefire, end the war and a face-to-face meeting between the two Generals.
The 42nd IGAD Extraordinary Summit in Entebbe on Thursday, attended by among others Kenyan President William Ruto, also affirmed the territorial integrity of the Republic of Somalia.
The Summit said any agreement reached should be signed with Somalia.
In the meeting were Presidents Ismail Omar Guelleh (Djibouti), Yoweri Museveni (Uganda), Salva Kiir (South Sudan) and Hassan Sheikh Mohamud (Somalia).
Others were Africa Union Commission Chair Moussa Faki, United States Special Envoy to Sudan, representatives of the UN Secretary-General, Turkey, the Arab League, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.
On Tuesday Sudan’s government suspended involvement in peace talks mediated by IGAD.
IGAD 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 after the regional group added Sudan to the agenda of a meeting and invited the RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo to attend.
And on Wednesday the African Union appointed a high-level panel on the resolution of the conflict in Sudan.
According to a statement, the African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki said the appointment would take effect immediately and was in line with the conclusion of the AU Peace and Security Council through communique PSC/MIN/COMM. 1185 (2023) and in furtherance of the AU’s mandate and determination to entrench peace and stability on the Continent.
The three include; the AU High Representative for Silencing the Guns Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas has been appointed as the Chair, Dr. Speciosa Wandira-Kazibwe who is a former Vice President of Uganda will be a member as well as Former Special Representative of the Chairperson of the Commission (SRCC) to Somalia and Head of AMISOM/ATMIS Amb. Francisco Madeira.
Faki said the members of the AU High-Level Panel will work with all the Sudanese stakeholders: all civilian forces, military belligerents and regional and global actors including IGAD, UN, League of Arab States, to ensure an all-inclusive process towards the swift restoration of peace, constitutional order and stability in Sudan.
The Chairperson called on all Sudanese stakeholders and the international community to extend the necessary cooperation and support to the Panel members towards a successful execution of their mandate.
Since the war broke out in April around 7.5 million people have been forced to flee their homes. — NNN-KBC
