Al-Burhan, IGAD leader agree on need for ceasefire, inclusive dialogue in Sudan
November 26, 2023 (KHARTOUM) – The head of the Sovereign Council in Sudan, IGAD Chairman and Executive Secretary agreed on the need for a sustainable humanitarian ceasefire and the initiation of an intra-Sudanese dialogue to end the current crisis.
On Sunday, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan visited Djibouti, engaging in discussions with Djibouti President and IGAD Chairman Ismail Omar Guelleh, as well as IGAD Executive Secretary Workneh Gebeyehu. During his return to Port Sudan, he made a stop in Asmara for talks with Eritrean President Isaias Afewerki.
Following a closed-door meeting with Burhan and another meeting with their respective delegations, Guelleh stated that they explored avenues to secure a definitive resolution to the current crisis in Sudan, emphasizing the necessity of achieving a ceasefire, according to the official Djibouti news agency.
“We believe that the continuation of the war threatens the unity and territorial integrity of Sudan and opens the way for foreign interventions aimed at dividing Sudan. This is why we are calling for an end to the fighting,” President Guelleh emphasized.
The plan to exit the crisis ultimately aims to establish secure corridors for delivering humanitarian aid to civilians, and implement a lasting truce conducive to organizing an inclusive dialogue involving all political forces in Sudan. This would pave the way for the formation of a Government of national unity, reflecting the collective aspirations of the people of Sudan, further stressed the IGAD chair.
For his part, Gebeyehu echoed Guelleh’s call for a ceasefire, stating, “Our discussion centred on the role of IGAD in facilitating discussions on the prevailing crisis. We agreed on the imperative for a sustainable ceasefire to alleviate humanitarian conditions and create a conducive environment for a final political resolution.”
These meetings in Djibouti followed recent similar discussions with the Kenyan President who heads the IGAD quartet group tasked with the resolution of the Sudanese crisis and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abyei Ahmed. Al-Burhan and the two leaders agreed to convene a summit for the East African bloc to address the situation in Sudan.
The Sovereign Council’s media office reported that al-Burhan reiterated his support for an IGAD summit under Djibouti’s chairmanship. He also commended the efforts of Saudi Arabia, the United States, and IGAD in mediating indirect talks in Jeddah aimed at reaching a ceasefire.
“It was agreed on the importance of holding a summit of IGAD heads soon in Djibouti to set a clear road map to end the crisis in Sudan,” stated the Sovereign Council following al-Burhan’s meeting with the IGAD Executive Secretary.
Al-Burhan’s visits to IGAD countries coincide with ongoing consultations by Saudi, American, and IGAD mediators with Sudanese warring parties on the resumption of indirect talks in Jeddah for a ceasefire.
The Sudanese army insists that the ceasefire should be tied to the withdrawal of SRF fighters from the capital and other urban areas in Darfur, considering the evacuation of urban areas as a fundamental step toward the normalization process in preparation for an inclusive political dialogue.
The Sovereign Council’s media reported that Al-Burhan, on his way back to Port Sudan, stopped at Asmara Airport to discuss with President Isaias Afewerki ways to enhance bilateral relations between Sudan and Eritrea, addressing issues of mutual interest.
(ST)