AU Holds Firm on Sudan's Suspension Amid Bloody War and Calls for Peace

KHARTOUM - Sudan's suspension from the African Union still stands, officials say, following a reinstatement bid by Khartoum, which is still battling with a myriad of internal political challenges, including but not limited to the conflict with Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

While calling for a ceasefire following renewed political dialogue to resolve the ongoing conflict, the African Union (AU) maintains that Sudan must solve its internal conflicts before applying for reinstatement to the union which brings together African countries.

The African Union suspended Sudan in October 2021 after a coup. General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, Sudan’s de facto leader, insists the AU cannot mediate the country’s conflict until the sanctions imposed on his government are lifted.

“The AU’s position is constant: zero tolerance for unconstitutional coups,” Bankole Adeoye, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, told a news conference in Addis Ababa.

Adeoye said the AU was working with regional bloc IGAD and the United Nations to find a “practical solution” to the crisis, prioritizing an immediate ceasefire and humanitarian access. He said the deployment of a proposed AU mission to Sudan hinged on a durable ceasefire agreement.

“We believe that a military solution to the crisis cannot be achieved without the participation of active civilian and political actors,” Adeoye said, emphasizing the need for dialogue. He stressed the AU’s commitment to democracy and good governance in Sudan, calling for a “new Sudan that lives in peace with itself and its neighbours.”

He condemned the external interference in Sudan and Libya, adding that the African Union would counter the use of mercenaries in the continent. Sudan has been unstable since 2019 after the ouster of Omar al-Bashir, the man who is being pursued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

He said the AU was focused on addressing key issues in Sudan, including balancing power between central and peripheral regions, protecting the rights of marginalized groups, preventing ethnic cleansing, and ensuring aid delivery.

GAROWE ONLINE