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Khartoum- The Sudanese government decided to freeze the country’s membership in the Intergovernmental Authority for the Development of East Africa (IGAD) which was preparing to bring together the President of the Sovereignty Council and the Army Commander Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan His “rival” is a leader Rapid Support Forces Muhammad Hamdan DagloMy praise“.
Observers considered it a step to close the door to any African effort to resolve the crisis while membership continues to be suspended Khartoum in the African Unionmaking a return to the pulpit grandmother It is necessary to end the file of the war that has been going on for more than 9 months.
The Sudanese Foreign Ministry stated in a statement the day before yesterday, Saturday, that Al-Burhan was informed in a letter to the president Djibouti And IGAD, Ismail Omar Ghaila, the Khartoum government’s decision to freeze its membership in the organization as a result of “its ignoring the decision Sudan He was officially transferred to it by stopping his involvement and freezing his dealings with it on any issues related to him,” which did not happen at the organization’s extraordinary summit in Uganda last Thursday.
Government justifications
The leaders agreed to bring together Al-Burhan and Hemedti two weeks later and begin contacts to hold a Sudanese-Sudanese dialogue conference that would lead to the formation of a civilian government to run the country until general elections are held.
A high-ranking official in the Sudanese Foreign Ministry rejected his country’s accusation of rushing to freeze its membership in IGAD, which it was one of its founders in 1996, and believes that his government “was patient with the organization and gave it an opportunity to correct its wrong positions and violations against it.”
The official – who preferred not to reveal his identity – narrated in an interview with Al Jazeera Net that the African organization held the first emergency summit, which was virtual, a day after the outbreak of the war and formed a tripartite committee to resolve the Sudanese crisis without his participation, even though he was the head of its session, and he considered it a strange precedent.
He explains that Sudan participated in the second summit on June 12 last at the level of… Property owner The Vice-President of the Sovereignty Council came out with decisions without agreeing with him, contrary to the summit system, and the tripartite committee was changed to a quartet and was named Kenya As its president without consulting Khartoum.
The same official adds that the third summit was attended by Al-Burhan on December 12, and at its conclusion, a statement was issued that did not express it and without consulting Sudan, which contradicts its systems that come out by consensus.
He revealed that the last summit in Uganda – which Sudan boycotted – was intended for the dispute between Ethiopia AndSomalia It was held at the request of the Somali presidency, and the Sudan crisis was included in its agenda without an agreement with him.
There is no room for maneuver
Regarding the repercussions of freezing Sudan’s membership in IGAD, the Sudanese official says that there is no negative impact of this step, because the organization has not made any positive contribution to resolving the crisis since its outbreak.
It is believed that Sudan’s decision will not lead to a prolongation of the war, but rather the opposite will happen because “IGAD” was providing the “rebel militia” with opportunities to maneuver and try to buy time to achieve military progress on the ground, and by keeping the organization away from the crisis file, these opportunities will be narrowed for the “militia” and everyone will be put in the dark. In front of their responsibilities.
Regarding the chances of returning to the Jeddah platform that it sponsors Saudi Arabia AndUnited StateThe Sudanese official states that the government has made returning to the negotiating table conditional on the Rapid Support Forces fulfilling its obligations in the “Jeddah Declaration” signed on May 11 and the understandings that followed.
He stresses the need for these forces to commit to leaving the homes of citizens and civilian objects, withdrawing from cities, returning the property they looted from citizens and the state, and fulfilling what was agreed upon regarding humanitarian aid to those affected.
Regarding the possibility of Sudan dealing with the committee formed by the Chairman of the African Union Commission Musa Faki To resolve the Sudanese crisis, Sudanese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ambassador Babiker Al-Siddiq told Al Jazeera Net that the government is waiting to officially receive the decision to establish the committee and review its mandate before determining a position on it.
Last Wednesday, Faki appointed a high-level committee of 3 African members to work on settling the ongoing conflict in Sudan.
The committee includes the High Representative of the African Union to Silence the Guns, Mohamed Chambas, and Symbiosa Wandira, Vice President of the Republic of… Rwanda Former and former Special Representative of the Union to Somalia, Francisco Wandira.
The Commission’s statement explained that the members of the committee will work with all parties concerned with the Sudan crisis, to ensure that there is a comprehensive process to restore peace and stability in the country.
“Wrong decision”
The African Union suspended Sudan’s membership after Al-Burhan’s decision in October 2021 to dissolve the Sovereignty and the Council of Ministers and impose a state of emergency. The Union considered this step a “coup.”
On the other hand, Muhammad Al-Basha Tabiq, advisor to the Rapid Support Commander, describes the government’s decision to freeze Sudan’s membership in IGAD as wrong and increases the country’s isolation, because the organization is active and has relations with the regional and international community.
In an interview with Al Jazeera Net, Tabik believes that “wisdom required the de facto government that claims to represent Sudan to participate in the summit of leaders of the organization’s countries in Uganda and present its observations instead of suspending the country’s membership.”
The freeze decision is also considered an absolute rejection of the initiatives calling for a ceasefire and the outcomes of the Jeddah Platform, which will lead to prolonging the war, increasing the suffering of the Sudanese people, doubling displacement and asylum, and complicating the scene in the country.
Tabik says that the Rapid Support Forces are ready to return to the Jeddah platform if the political will is available and there are guarantees from the countries sponsoring the platform that the army will not withdraw again from the negotiations and that it is serious about stopping the war.
