Sudan’s FM to meet Deby, Touadéra over peace in Central African Republic
October 14, 2018 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s foreign minister will travel to Ndjamena and Bangui on Monday to discuss his government efforts to settle the armed conflict in the neighbouring Central African Republic.
Last month in a meeting held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, the African Union integrated the Sudanese initiative to end the armed conflict in the Central African Republic (CAR) between Muslim and Christian militias that continue to destabilize the country despite the deployment of a UN peacekeeping mission.
In a statement released on Sunday, the Sudanese foreign ministry said Minister El-Dirdeiry Ahmed will hand over a message from President Omer al-Bashir to President Idriss Deby of Chad and President Faustin-Archange Touadéra of CAR.
The Sudanese initiative, which involves Russia also, provides to bring together the leaders of the warring armed groups to discuss ways to end the conflict and build confidence between the different communities in the country in order to repair social fabric.
The African Union has its African Initiative for Peace and Reconciliation, however, the mediators failed to bring the armed groups together.
Last August, the Sudanese government hosted a meeting including the main armed groups, the Christian anti-Balaka militia of Maxime Mokom and Muslim Seleka armed faction led Noureddine Adam.
At the end of the two-day meeting on 29 August, the two groups signed a framework agreement pledging to cease hostilities and to not obstruct free movement of persons and goods with the neighbouring countries and committed themselves to the African Union process for peace and reconciliation in CAR.
Khartoum counts on Chad which has good relations with the Seleka militia group to support its efforts to achieve peace in the landlocked country which has growing commercial relations with Sudan.
(ST)