While Sudan is sinking deeper into war every day, no diplomatic initiative has yet succeeded in breaking the cycle of violence between the army and the Rapid Support Forces. Monday, July 10, an Igad meeting on the country was however held in Addis Ababa, following the summit of June 12, during which the regional organization had planned a peace process to restore dialogue.
The host of the Igad summit on Monday morning July 10 was Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. The latter tried to give an appearance of serenity to this meeting devoted to Sudan, despite the absence of South Sudanese President Salva Kiir and a representative of the Sudanese army.
A representative of the Rapid Support Forces was present, but the army announced that it had certainly dispatched a delegation to Ethiopia, but had given up participating in the meeting, recalling that it still refuses that the presidency of the Quartet of the ‘Igad on Sudan is occupied by the Kenyan William Ruto whom she accuses of not being ” not impartial “.
Yet it was indeed William Ruto who presided. The African Union, Saudi Arabia and the European Union were represented. And the United States announced the arrival of Under Secretary of State for African Affairs, Molly Phee, to participate in discussions.
In the statement that followed the meeting, Igad asked for an end to the fighting and regretted ” the escalation caused by outside interference that prolongs and exacerbates the conflict “. And the organization has requested the summit of the East African Standby Force to meet in order to consider its possible deployment “.
Finally, note that another political initiative is to take place this week, with a summit of Sudan’s neighboring countries announced for Thursday in Cairo.
Historic day as the #IGAD Quartet Group and partners agreed to chart pathways to peace in the Republic of Sudan.
The Summit called for an immediate & unconditional cessation of hostilities by the warring parties and a permanent ceasefire to open humanitarian corridors for aid… pic.twitter.com/IvnQdMeaZZ— Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu (@DrWorkneh) July 10, 2023
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