Al-Bashir accuses unnamed circles of obstructing Sudan’s mediation for peace in Central Africa
November 15 (KHARTOUM) – Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir on Thursday accused unnamed circles of obstructing his Russian supported mediation to bring peace to the western neighbour the Central African Republic (CAR).
On the same day in New York, where the Security Council discusses the extension of the UN peacekeeping mission for an additional year, France filed a draft resolution specifying that an African Union-led initiative is “the only framework” for peace in the CRA.
“Many envy Sudan in his efforts to achieve peace in the region and obstruct its efforts to achieve peace in the Central African Republic,” said al-Bashir during a speech to the conference of the Islamic Movement in Khartoum on Thursday.
Sudan had to host a peace conference on 15 November but four days before the meeting it postponed the meeting saying the African Union requested the delay due to an Extraordinary Summit on the Institutional Reform which will take place in Addis Ababa from 14 to 18 November.
The adjourned meeting follows an agreement signed by the Christian anti-Balaka militia led by Maxime Mokom and Muslim Seleka armed faction led by Noureddine Ada and other splinter factions in Khartoum in August 2018 pledging to cease hostilities and committed themselves to the African Union process for peace and reconciliation in CAR.
The foreign ministry said last Sunday 11 November that consultations are underway to set a new date for the negotiations.
President al-Bashir stressed that all the warring groups in the Central African Republic are convinced that Sudan can achieve peace in their country.
He further said that Sudan is leading efforts to achieve peace in the CAR after it succeeded in ending the five-year armed conflict in the Republic of South Sudan.
“Despite the problems and wars caused by the colonial powers, Sudan, which they wanted to destroy, is the one who has achieved peace in southern Sudan,” al-Bashir said.
Worried by the growing Russian influence in the CAR, Paris recently invited the head of the Sudanese intelligence service Salah Gosh for consultations on the situation in the former French colony.
The AFP reported Thursday 15 November that Russia is opposing the French draft resolution which is seen as targeting its joint efforts with Sudan to end violence in the CAR.
Russian Deputy Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy told AFP that their joint efforts with Khartoum for peace do not contradict with the African Union imitative for peace and reconciliation in the Central African Republic.
“It’s a kind of jealousy that we see,” said Polyanskiy.
“We do not like the current draft,” he further added expressing hope to reach a compromise over the issue.
The United States, also, opposed to the French draft resolution pointing to their main concern that peacekeeping operations should reduce costs.
U.S. diplomat demand that any logistical support provided by MINUSCA should not lead to additional expenses for the mission, said the AFP.
(ST)