CAIRO (Reuters) – Representatives of Sudan’s military-allied government have refused to meet in person with prominent politicians at a conference in Cairo to discuss ways to end Sudan’s 15-month war.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Aty said at the opening of the “Together to Stop the War in Sudan” conference, which kicked off Saturday in Cairo, that “any real political solution to the crisis in Sudan must be based on a pure Sudanese vision emanating from the Sudanese themselves,” according to a ministry statement.
The minister pointed out that “the current conflict is mainly a Sudanese issue, and that any future political process should include all national actors on the Sudanese scene, within the framework of respecting the principles of Sudan’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, non-interference in its internal affairs, and preserving the state and its institutions,” stressing “the importance of the unity of the Sudanese armed forces for their role in protecting Sudan and maintaining the safety of its citizens.”
But government officials, including Sovereign Council Vice President Malik Agar, Finance Minister Jibril Ibrahim and Darfur Governor Minni Minawi, refused to hold a direct meeting with former Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and the Sudanese Civil Democratic Forces Coordination (TAQADUM), according to sources on both sides.
Representatives of the military-aligned government accused the former prime minister and the Coordination of being a front for the RSF, sources close to Aqar and Hamdok told AFP.
Hamdok was ousted as prime minister in a coup by army commanders Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the Rapid Support Forces Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo. The two men were allies before the conflict erupted on April 15 April 2023.
Abu Dhabi-based Hamdok is Sudan’s most prominent political figure, but is accused of being close to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which are also accused of committing atrocities including crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing.
On January January, Hamdok and Dagalo met in Addis Ababa and signed a joint declaration declaring their intention to “end” the war.
On Saturday, the military-allied government camp urged the Coordination of Sudanese Civil Democratic Forces (CCDF) to “condemn the atrocities” of the RSF and “break up the partnership” with them, a source close to the AFP said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.
Taqaddam spokesman Bakri al-Jack said in a statement that the coordination “has always condemned any atrocities committed by both sides,” and denied that the bloc is “a political wing of the Rapid Support Forces.”
A source close to Minawi said the pro-army camp attended the conference as a “courtesy to Egypt”, a key ally of Burhan.
The war in Sudan, a country of 48 million people, has killed tens of thousands, displaced millions and triggered one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
The United States and Saudi Arabia have already sponsored several rounds of negotiations in Jeddah without any result. Mediation by the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development in East Africa (IGAD) has also failed.
The United States has indicated that talks can resume in Jeddah, but the fighting continues unabated as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) make territorial gains and advance towards the army-controlled east of the country.
On Saturday, US special envoy for Sudan Tom Perriello told AFP that although the two camps did not hold a face-to-face meeting, Cairo had proven it was possible to “bring together key players from across the political spectrum”.
(AFP)
