East African nations to convene in Ethiopia to tackle Sudan crisis

By Andrew Wasike

NAIROBI, Kenya (AA) - In a concerted effort to address the ongoing Sudanese crisis, East African nations are set to convene in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, within the next 10 days.

The meeting, announced by Ambassador Meles Alem, spokesman for the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, aims to seek viable solutions to the Sudan war and foster regional cooperation in resolving the crisis.

Alem stated in a press briefing on Thursday that Ethiopia will serve as the host country for this important gathering noting that representatives from Ethiopia, Djibouti, South Sudan, and Kenya are expected to attend the summit.

The spokesman stated that the four-way mechanism was established during the recently concluded Intergovernmental Development Authority (IGAD) meeting in Djibouti.

He emphasized that the primary objective of the mechanism is to seek viable solutions.

"The direct talks between the Sudan warring parties [is] to be facilitated by Quartet leaders of Kenya, Ethiopia, South Sudan, and Somalia, it will be held next week in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia as per the decision of the IGAD Summit," Alem said.

He also highlighted the urgency of silencing the guns in Sudan that has led to the loss of hundreds of lives.

The Sudanese crisis has been a growing concern for East African countries, with various political, social, and economic implications affecting the entire region.

On Wednesday the Sudan Sovereignty Council Deputy Chairman Malik Agar announced that they agreed with the mediators to hold a meeting between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (HDK) commanders, which have been in conflict in the country since mid-April.

At the heart of the ongoing crisis are two opposing military figures: Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the prominent leader of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), and Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, commonly known as Hemedti, the head of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Since October 2021, when the military dismissed Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok's transitional government and declared a state of emergency, Sudan has been without a functioning government.

The move was widely condemned by political forces as a "coup."

The transitional period, which began in August 2019 following the ouster of President Omar al-Bashir, was originally scheduled to conclude with elections in early 2024.