S. Sudan’s Kiir rejects forceful foreign intervention in Sudan
July 13, 2023 (JUBA) – South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir has rejected forceful foreign intervention in Sudan, stressing the need for an African solution to the crisis.
“It is true to everyone that the conflict in Sudan undermines peace and stability but it remains an internal issue. The sovereignty of Sudan and its unity is paramount”, he said at the summit of Sudan’s neighbours in Cairo on Thursday.
Heads of state and governments from South Sudan, Egypt, Chad, the Central Africa Republic (CAR), Ethiopia and Eritrea attended the summit in Cairo, Egypt.
The summit was organised as part of efforts to “develop effective mechanisms” for peacefully resolving Sudan’s disputes through regional and international efforts.
The South Sudanese leader further argued that any solution to the current political and security situation in Sudan should respect sovereign and territorial integrity.
He specifically emphasized the significance of coordination of the efforts to peacefully settle the conflict using African solutions for solving Africa’s problems.
“Our priorities, including African solutions to the African problems”, stressed.
The summit, chaired the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, sought regional and international efforts to adopt a comprehensive solution to the crisis in Sudan.
“The leaders also called on the parties to the conflict to de-escalate and commit to an immediate and sustainable cease-fire to end the war and avoid further loss of innocent civilian Sudanese lives, and further destruction of property,” partly reads a communique issued at the end of the one-day summit.
Also agreed, it noted, was that the current conflict is an internal Sudanese affair and stressed the need for ending any external interferences in the ongoing crisis.
“Such interferences protract the conflict and obstruct efforts to contain its escalation and reach an agreed settlement that will restore stability and security in Sudan,” it further read.
Calls were also made to the international community to step up efforts to provide crucial humanitarian aid and address urgent shortages in food and medical supplies as measures towards alleviating the serious hardships caused by the crisis,
“In this context, the leaders urged various Sudanese parties to provide the necessary protection for humanitarian assistance and personnel and to facilitate their mission of delivering assistance to those in need,” stressed the communique.
The summit agreed to form a ministerial mechanism comprising of foreign ministers of Sudan’s neighbours to coordinate common efforts to resolve Sudan’s conflict.
Clashes since 15 April, 2023 between forces loyal to army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have killed nearly 3,000 people. Another 3 million, according to the United Nations, have been forced from their homes inside the country with almost 650,000 fleeing across borders for their safety.
Up to 25 million people in Sudan need humanitarian aid and protection, the UN says.
(ST)