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Sudan suspends cooperation with IGAD, citing sovereignty violation

Sudanese soldiers and enroled personnel drive a pick up truck mounted with a machine gun on a street in Gedaref city, Sudan, on January 14, 2024. (Photo by AFP)

By Foreign Reporter | 16 Jan 2024

Khartoum declared on Tuesday the suspension of its engagement and the freezing of all interactions with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) concerning the ongoing conflict in the country.

Khartoum declared on Tuesday the suspension of its engagement and the freezing of all interactions with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) concerning the ongoing conflict in the country.

The decision was attributed to the regional bloc’s organization's perceived interference in Sudan's internal affairs.

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In an official statement, the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs communicated this disengagement to the Djiboutian Foreign Minister, who currently holds the position of Foreign Ministers chair.

The move comes in response to Sudan being included on the agenda of an extraordinary meeting without prior consultation with the Sudanese government.

Additionally, Sudan expressed dissatisfaction with IGAD's invitation to a militia leader to attend the urgent Kampala summit.

The statement emphasized that Sudan views these actions as a violation of its sovereignty and a serious breach of IGAD's charters and established norms governing the operations of international and regional organizations.

Sudanese officials particularly objected to the invitation of a "rebel leader" to a meeting designated for heads of state and government.

On January 13, according to Sudan Tribune, the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs had already announced that Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the head of the Sovereign Council, would not participate in the 42nd summit.

This decision was a result of IGAD's failure to arrange a meeting between al-Burhan and Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the leader of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Sudan insisted on the implementation of this meeting before considering attendance at any subsequent IGAD summits.

An official from the Kenyan foreign ministry has verified President William Ruto's attendance at the scheduled IGAD meeting later this week.

Recently, IGAD pulled the plug on President Ruto’s mediation show at Khartoum’s request, accusing him of bias.

The regional body benched the quartet created in June last year and tossed the peace mediation hot potato back to IGAD and the African Union.

On Monday, Juba offered to host a mediation process between warring parties in Sudan to help restore sanity in the country.

South Sudanese foreign minister James Pitia Morgan made the announcement in Juba, saying that President Salva Kiir has been approached by numerous political actors and groups in Sudan who believe he can play a constructive role in mediating the conflict.

Former IGAD spokesperson on Tuesday tweeted that Sudanes military leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan had accepted an invitation to engage in a dialogue with the Civil Democratic Forces Cordination (Tagadum) led by the former Sudanese Prime minister, Abdalla Hamdok.