Kenya’s Ruto holds talks with Sudan’s military leader Burhan

July 17, 2023 (NAIROBI) – Sudan’s military leader Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan on Sunday held telephone talks with the Kenyan President William Ruto who is spearheading regional efforts to reconcile the warring parties in Sudan.

The move comes barely a week after Burhan rejected Ruto’s mediation role, accusing him of taking sides with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

In a tweet on Sunday, Ruto said talks with Burhan focused on peace in Sudan.

He further said the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the Jeddah processes must work together to facilitate the realisation of a permanent ceasefire in Sudan, stressing the need to push for free movement of humanitarian assistance, protection of refugees and the reactivation of the political process.

The Kenyan leader, in his capacity as chair of the IGAD Quartet of Heads of States on Sudan also spoke with the President of Chad, General Mahamat Idriss Deby.

“Our conversation centered around the speedy restoration of normalcy in Sudan and support for refugee-hosting countries,” he tweeted.

The conflict between Sudan’s army and RSF since April 15 has killed more than 3,000 civilians and displaced nearly 3 million, according to the United Nations.

Ceasefire talks are expected to resume in Saudi Arabia after Sudan’s army representatives returned to Jeddah on Saturday to resume negotiations with the RSF.

In late May, the Sudanese army suspended its participation in the ceasefire talks mediated by Saudi and the United States negotiators in protest of what it called the RSF violation of a ceasefire deal.

Up to 25 million people in Sudan need humanitarian aid and protection, the UN says.

(ST)