UN envoy rules our military solution in Sudan

UN Envoy Ramtane Lamamra meets Sudan's Sovereignty Council Chair, Lt Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan, in Port Sudan, May (File photo: @TSC_SUDAN via X)

KHARTOUM - A senior envoy from the United Nations has ruled out military intervention in the Sudanese conflict, arguing that the involved parties should focus more on embracing solutions rather than escalating the issues through military actions.

Ramtane Lamamra, the representative of the United Nations Secretary-General, said Sudanese officials should be committed to peaceful solutions to the problems facing the country, adding that homegrown decisions have proved to be impactful.

During his visit to Sudan last week, Lamamra met Lt Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan in Port Sudan and a paramilitary Rapid Support Forces delegation in Ethiopia’s capital of Addis Ababa to discuss the ongoing conflict. He reaffirmed the UN’s resolve to help Sudan achieve peace, stability, and democratic governance.

“Our only choice is to continue our endeavors,” he said while acknowledging the current stalemate. Among those engaged were members of the civil society who highlighted the plight of women and marginalized groups.

“Those are the people who continue to suffer from the intolerable toll of this heartbreaking war,” he said, underscoring the urgency of addressing civilian suffering while pursuing a broader ceasefire and inclusive political solutions.

The conflict between the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudan Armed Forces has entered its 20th month, but stakeholders are hopeful that this year, warring parties will embrace peace and stability for the sake of millions suffering in different parts of the country.

“There cannot be a military solution for this war. This is the lesson of history in Sudan and elsewhere,” he said.

The envoy stressed the need for an immediate ceasefire to halt the bloodshed and enable a Sudanese-led political process that maintains the country’s unity. He urged global and regional actors to intensify pressure on the warring parties and their foreign backers supplying arms.

“The Sudanese people deserve no less,” he said, pledging to continue his efforts to bring the belligerents closer to a peaceful resolution. Sudan has been in turmoil since the ouster of Omar al-Bashir in 2019 after the military took advantage of the popular uprising.

GAROWE ONLINE