African Union rejects Sudan’s parallel government, holds firm on suspension
August 4, 2025 (ADDIS ABABA) – The African Union on Monday condemned the formation of a parallel government by Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and called for an immediate halt to hostilities, while a diplomat said the bloc was not yet ready to lift Sudan’s membership suspension.
In a statement on the X platform after its 1293rd emergency meeting, the AU’s Peace and Security Council (PSC) labelled the parallel administration a “direct threat to the political process” and reaffirmed its support for Sudan’s sovereignty.
The RSF, which has been fighting the Sudanese army for control of the country, announced in July the formation of a government based in Nyala, the capital of South Darfur.
“The Council condemned the escalation of military actions and foreign interference,” the statement read, urging Sudanese parties to engage in a “comprehensive, Sudanese-led political dialogue” and calling for the coordination and unification of various peace efforts.
The meeting highlighted the dire humanitarian crisis, with the council hearing updates from Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, Chair of the AU’s High-Level Panel on Sudan, and Dr. Haneed Nuru of the World Food Programme. Members emphasised the priority of protecting civilians and ensuring unimpeded access to aid.
The AU’s engagement is structured through three key bodies: an Expanded Mechanism to foster international consensus, the High-Level Panel to oversee the AU’s peace roadmap, and a dedicated committee to engage warring parties on a ceasefire.
Despite these efforts, an African Union diplomatic source told Sudan Tribune that the emergency session did not address lifting the suspension of Sudan’s membership, which was frozen after a 2021 military takeover. “The escalating situation and current complexities… were the focus of the discussion,” the source said.
Speaking before the official session, Sudan’s envoy to the AU, Al-Zain Ibrahim Hussein, had urged the council to lift the suspension. He presented the army-aligned government’s recent appointment of Kamil Idris as a civilian prime minister as a key step in a roadmap towards civilian rule. The council “welcomed” the appointment and called for accountability for human rights violations.
The Sudanese diplomat also called on the PSC to pressure the RSF to lift its siege on El Fasher and urged neighbouring countries to prevent support for the paramilitary group.
The council noted that a full, official communique on the session’s outcomes would be issued shortly.