Sudan RSF commander meets Ugandan president

Lt Gen Mohamed ‘Hemedti’ Dagalo, commander of Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) met with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni at his residence in Rwakitura yesterday. The talks mark Hemedti’s first public exit from Sudan since the armed conflict between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) erupted on April 15.

The discussions with President Museveni’s focused on strategies to resolve the Sudanese conflict, according to the Hemedti’s official statement posted on his X account whilst in the Ugandan capital of Kampala.

He provided insights into the origins of the conflict to President Museveni, laying blame on those what he refers to as the “remnants aided by army leaders and obstructive parties” who allegedly support the “continuation of the war”.

The RSF commander presented the Ugandan president with a comprehensive explanation of the situation and reportedly outlined their vision for negotiations, cessation of hostilities, and the reconstruction of Sudan on equitable foundations.

He stated that Museveni affirmed his full support “to advance efforts and to achieve peace and stability in Sudan” in overcoming this “difficult stage”, according to the RSF commander’s statement.

Affirming commitment to the outcomes of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) summit in Djibouti, Hemedti also pledged to implement agreed measures, aiming to bring an end to the war, alleviate the people’s suffering, and restore security and stability in Sudan.

RSF diplomacy

Hemedti’s diplomatic agenda extends to meetings with IGAD and former Sudanese Prime Minister and head of the Democratic Civil Forces (Tagaddum) Abdallah Hamdok.

On Tuesday, the RSF commander publicly accepted Hamdok’s request to meet him, signalling a proactive step towards dialogue and conflict resolution.

Lt Gen Dagalo’s face-to-face meeting with Sudan’s army chief in Djibouti, as agreed by IGAD, aimed at resolving the ongoing conflict, has been postponed to an unspecified date in January due to technical issues, as stated by Sudan’s foreign ministry on Wednesday.