The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD)’s42nd extraordinary assembly of Heads of State and Government, hosted by President Museveni of Uganda at State House, Entebbe has condemned the ongoing conflict in Sudan.
In a joint communique issued , the leaders decried the Sudan war as unjust and underscored that the Republic of Sudan belongs to its people, urging an immediate and unconditional ceasefire to end the war.
The members also reiterated their call for dialogue and negotiation, extending IGAD’s readiness to facilitate an inclusive peace process, collaborating closely with all Sudanese stakeholders, the African Union (AU) and international actors.
The heads of state proposed a face-to-face meeting between Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the leader of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), and Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, better known as Hemedti, the head of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) within 14 days to initiate reconciliation.
In a move towards concrete action, the leaders further directed the IGAD Secretariat, in coordination with the AU, to revise the roadmap for the resolution of the conflict in the Republic of Sudan, ensuring a clear timeline.
The collective call resonated beyond IGAD, as the leaders urged the African Union and the international community to mobilise support for the peace process in the Republic of Sudan.
Addressing the media, President Museveni noted that the leaders throughout their discussions resolved that the conflicting parties must stop what he called the unprincipled war.
“We described the Sudan war as unjust. We freedom fighters pay attention to these wars. When we were fighting for freedom, we were fighting for justice and we could not get it by any other means,” Museveni said.
“I was sharing with Your Excellencies, if you take for instance the history of ANC of South Africa, it was founded in 1912 but I don’t think they adopted the armed struggle strategy until 1961; so, for 50 years they were using peaceful methods including petitions and demonstrations. It was only when the oppressor completely closed the possibilities of peaceful ways of doing things that the ANC declared war, but you have got wars, every small thing is war. This is ideological shallowness in our view,” he added.
On the other hand, the leaders issued a resounding call for peace and dialogue, urging the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Federal Republic of Somalia to de-escalate tensions and embrace constructive dialogue.
The heads of state also reaffirmed their commitment to the cardinal principles of respecting the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia.
The meeting in Entebbe chaired by Ismail Omar Guelleh, the President of Djibouti and the Chairperson of the IGAD Heads of State and Government was also attended by several head of state including William Ruto from Kenya; Dr. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud( Somalia) and Salva Kiir Mayardit, President of the Republic of South Sudan.
Headquartered in Djibouti city, Djibouti, IGAD is an eight-country trade bloc in Africa that includes governments from the Horn of Africa, the Nile Valley and the African Great Lakes.
