President Ruto backs UN peace efforts in Sudan, urges warring sides to end violence

President William Ruto has restated Kenya’s position that peace in Sudan cannot be won on the battlefield, calling on rival forces to put the suffering of ordinary citizens at the heart of any solution.

Ruto warned that military victories would not end the crisis and urged both sides to embrace dialogue.

He spoke on Saturday at State House, Nairobi, after meeting Ambassador Ramtane Lamamra, the Personal Envoy of United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Sudan.

The envoy briefed him on ongoing UN initiatives to improve humanitarian access, reduce hostilities and restart a political process to return the country to civilian rule.

“I reiterated the commitment of Kenya to support efforts that seek to arrest the tragic humanitarian disaster afflicting the people of Sudan, stop the war, and return Sudan to the path defined by its citizens during the revolution of 2019,” Ruto said.

“As I have repeatedly observed, there cannot be a military solution in Sudan. We urge all parties to this conflict to consider the needs of the people of Sudan above all other interests,” he added.

The statement comes against the backdrop of worsening diplomatic strains between Nairobi and Khartoum.

On July 28, Sudan’s ruling council accused Kenya of undermining its sovereignty after the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) announced the creation of a parallel administration.

Through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the junta denounced what it termed Kenya’s “endorsement” of the RSF declaration, labelling it a breach of international law and the principle of non-interference.

The Sudanese government dismissed the RSF move as “fictitious” and “an insult” to the suffering of Sudanese citizens, adding that the militia was spreading misinformation to hide its battlefield losses.

“The terrorist RSF militia continues to show contempt for the will of the Sudanese people through violence, torture, and now misinformation,” the statement read.

“Their announcement of a parallel government is a desperate propaganda campaign, clearly illustrating their defeat and retreat under the blows of our heroic Armed Forces.”

This was not the first time Sudan has criticised Nairobi. In June, Khartoum demanded that Kenya withdraw what it described as support for the RSF, which it has designated a terrorist group.

The conflict, which erupted on April 15, 2023, pits the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan against the RSF under Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, widely known as Hemedti.

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• urges warring sides to end violence

More than 25 million people now depend on aid, and millions have been forced to flee, creating one of the world’s gravest humanitarian crises.

International actors, including the United States, have also taken a hard line on the RSF. Washington has sanctioned the group for human rights abuses and accused it earlier this year of committing genocide in Darfur.

Kenya has maintained that its talks with both the SAF and the RSF, including meetings with RSF representatives earlier in the year, are part of wider efforts to encourage dialogue.

Mediation attempts by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the African Union, and global partners are ongoing, although deep mistrust continues to slow progress.

Ruto concluded by affirming Kenya’s readiness to keep working with regional and international actors to stop the war and help the Sudanese people regain peace and stability.