{"id":20062186,"date":"2023-12-11T14:18:53","date_gmt":"2023-12-11T13:18:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dabangasudan.org\/?p=20062186"},"modified":"2023-12-12T09:08:40","modified_gmt":"2023-12-12T08:08:40","slug":"igad-to-redouble-efforts-to-achieve-peace-and-democracy-in-sudan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dabangasudan.org\/en\/all-news\/article\/igad-to-redouble-efforts-to-achieve-peace-and-democracy-in-sudan","title":{"rendered":"IGAD will \u2018redouble efforts\u2019 to achieve peace and democracy in Sudan"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In the extraordinary assembly<\/strong> session on the situation in Sudan that took place in Djibouti on Saturday, the member states of the Horn of Africa Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) agreed to redouble efforts to achieve a peaceful resolution to the ongoing war between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Rival commanders El Burhan and Hemedti have agreed to a one-to-one meeting. The IGAD members will support a civilian-led political process that will move Sudan \u201cto a viable, civil democratic rule\u201d.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following the failure of the US-Saudi led peace talks in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah last week<\/a>, the IGAD heads of state, already preparing<\/a> to organise negotiations between the commanders of the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF, held an emergency session<\/a> on Sudan on Saturday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The session was attended by SAF Commander and Sudan\u2019s Sovereignty Council President Lt Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan, Kenyan President William Ruto, Ethiopian PM Abiy Ahmed, Somali President Hasan Sheikh Mahmud, AU Commission President Moussa Faki, and representatives of the UN, USA<\/a>, and EU. An RSF delegation travelled to Djibouti to discuss the situation with IGAD heads of state on the margins of the summit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe violence threatens the country’s existence and regional stability. Today’s summit is a beacon of hope. Sudan needs peace\u201d, Djibouti President and IGAD Chair Ismail Guelleh said in a statement on Saturday. He demanded an immediate ceasefire in Sudan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

IGAD Secretary General Workneh Gebeyehu said<\/a> in a message on X<\/em> (formerly Twitter<\/em>) that he was pleased with \u201cthe constructive discussions\u201d on addressing the conflict in Sudan. \u201cThe [IGAD] Assembly effectively secured a commitment from the Sudanese belligerents to promptly convene & agree upon a cessation of hostilities\u2014a crucial step in addressing the aspirations of the Sudanese people!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One-to-one meeting<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the communiqu\u00e9<\/a> of the IGAD session, the assembly welcomed El Burhan\u2019s approval of the summit\u2019s proposal to hold a bilateral meeting with RSF Commander Mohamed \u2018Hemedti\u2019 Dagalo, with the assistance of IGAD, and appreciated Hemedti\u2019s acceptance, in a \u201csubsequent telephone conversation\u201d with the IGAD heads of state, \u201cof the proposals of the Assembly for an unconditional ceasefire, resolution of the conflict through political dialogue and the holding of a one-to-one meeting\u201d with El Burhan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The session also agreed to establish \u201can IGAD framework comprised of respected diplomatic and political interlocutors, nominated by IGAD Heads of Government to undertake the mediation efforts in Sudan\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Democratic governance<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The IGAD summit also approved the Declaration of the Expanded Mechanism<\/a> on the Crisis in Sudan, issued on December 7, in which the 28 members, including the AU, the Arab League, EU, UN, USA, Russia, China, and a number of Arab and African countries, state that there can be no sustainable military solution to the crisis in Sudan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOnly an inclusive, representative, Sudanese-owned and Sudanese-led dialogue among all Sudanese stakeholders, including the belligerents, other armed movements, political parties, civil society organizations, women and youth groups, resistance committees, labour unions and professional associations, traditional leaders, and academics, can lead to a peaceful and sustainable solution to the crisis.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In its communiqu\u00e9 on the session on Saturday, IGAD repeated its commitment \u201cto support a civilian-led inclusive political process that will elaborate the nature and structure of the Sudanese society and governance and move the country to a viable, civil democratic rule.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The assembly therefore \u201cdecided to fast-track efforts in organizing an IGAD-AU facilitated all-inclusive Sudanese-owned and Sudanese-led civilian dialogue aimed at forging national consensus towards the formation of a civilian-led transition that will culminate in the holding of open, transparent and democratic elections\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Welcomed<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sudanese political parties and groups, civil society organisations, and rebel movements all welcomed the outcomes of the IGAD summit in Djibouti on Saturday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThese steps come while the people are desperately waiting for a solution that will save them and the country from the disaster of war that has exhausted them and destroyed the country\u2019s both green and dry land,\u201d the Civil Democratic Forces alliance Tagaddum<\/em> said in its response on social media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Darfur Bar Association asked the United Nations to intervene and take urgent measures to oblige both sides responsible for the ongoing war in Sudan to stop fighting immediately, before Sudan collapses completely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sudan\u2019s newly formed National Mechanism to Support Civil Democratic Transition and Stop the War sent a call to all political and civil forces, resistance committees, professional groups, rebel leaders, civil society leaders and heads of Sufi orders, \u201cto demonstrate historical responsibility and agree on the right steps to stop the war -steps the Sudanese will stand behind without delay or hesitation\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The spokesperson for the mechanism, Ambassador Ahmed Hussein, told Radio Dabanga on Sunday that \u201cthe continuation of the bloody conflict after the suspension of the Jeddah negotiations has by far diminished the sparks of optimism among the Sudanese about a possible return of a normal life\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Former PM Abdallah Hamdok (2019-2021), chair of the Democratic Civil Forces<\/a>, also known as Tagaddum<\/em> (progress in Arabic), a newly established coalition of political parties, professional groups, and civil society organisations concerned with stopping the war and the building of a new, democratic Sudan, met with Salva Kiir<\/a>, president of South Sudan, on Friday to discuss its six-step roadmap<\/a> to end the war.<\/p>\n