General Abdel Fattah's deputy counters RSF leader's regional tour advances

Sudan's Vice-President of the Transitional Sovereignty Council, Malik Agar, is bolstering relationships with continental countries to push back against Rapid Support Forces leader Mohamed Hamdan 'Hemedti' Dagalo's growing influence in the region.

Malik has visited countries whose role could be critical for junta leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan in the future as conflict with the Rapid Support Forces drags, now in its 10th month.

On Sunday, the junta deputy leader met with South African leader Cyril Ramaphosa, delivering a message from General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who presents himself as the sovereign leader of Sudan.

The junta is in competition with ex-janjaweed militia leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, who is also salivating to lead the war-torn country.

Ramaphosa, who hosted the leader of the Rapid Support Forces in Pretoria last January, stirred controversy when the South African Presidency referred to Mohamed Hamdan as the President of Sudan in a now-deleted statement shared on social media.

VVIP treatment

The erroneous post occurred as the Sudanese foreign minister announced that they had summoned the Sudanese ambassador to Nairobi to express their displeasure at the official reception of Mohamed Hamdan by Kenyan President William Ruto at his office.

He was received at the JKIA Presidential pavilion by top security chiefs in Kenya, complete with a troupe of dancers.

This VVIP treatment, way fancier than what Sudanese military leaders got, did stir up some drama with Port Sudan.

In South Africa, Ramaphosa was briefed on the ongoing situation which has left around 25 million people currently in need of humanitarian assistance.

According to OCHA, over 6.2 million people have been displaced internally, while 1.8 million crossed the border since April 15, 2023.

South Africa PresidentCyril Ramaphosa during a meeting with Vice President of the Transitional Sovereign Council of the Republic of Sudan, Malik Agar Eyre Nganyoufa in South Africa on March 3, 2024. (Photo: PresidencyZA)

Malik has also made visits to Rwanda, Uganda and South Sudan since February 12.

Last Monday, General Malik's deputy and his delegation met with Rwandan President Paul Kagame in Kigali, discussing a comprehensive overview of the humanitarian crisis resulting from the ongoing conflict.

He also levelled accusations against the rival RSF, alleging "crimes against humanity" both before and during the war.

Malik condemned a multitude of violations, including murder, sexual violence, ethnic cleansing, and forced displacement, as a stark breach of national and international laws.

IGAD membership

He criticised the regional bloc, IGAD, for failing to "respect" Sudan's sovereignty and for not making sufficient efforts to address the country's complex issues.

Sudan withdrew from IGAD in January.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry released a statement indicating that General Abdel Fattah had sent a letter to President Ismail Omar Guelleh of Djibouti, the current IGAD chairperson, informing him of Sudan's government's decision to suspend its membership.

This decision followed IGAD's invitation to Dagalo to attend the meeting in Uganda where he rubbed shoulders with regional leaders.

While Malik expressed the military junta's willingness to engage in political processes, the ongoing bitter fighting has resulted in the displacement of nearly eight million people.

In Uganda with Museveni, the VP accused external players of financing RSF militia to kill, rape, and conduct ethnic cleansing.

He accused the RSF of branding the war as one aimed at achieving democracy and sometimes as a war against the Muslim Brotherhood.

"They are just slogans for the purpose of covering and political propaganda, and a justification for the violations committed by the militia, which are basically a creation of the Bashir regime. The government of Sudan is willing to end the war and seeks to do so," the Vice President told Museveni.

He also met the South Sudanese leader Salva Kiir, who triples as EAC chairman and IGAD deputy chairperson on February 12.

In Juba, Malik repeated what he told Kagame in Kigali about the progress made by the Sudanese military as well as regional and international peace initiatives.