Sudan foreign minister hints at shift in Kenya’s stance on Khartoum as army gains
Sudan’s Foreign Minister Ali al-Sadiq Youssif has hinted at a significant change in Nairobi’s stance towards the conflict in his country, following recent battlefield victories by the Sudanese army.
Speaking after he visited Kenya, Ali said he met with President William Ruto, who has previously been associated with close ties to leaders of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
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“Nairobi has reconsidered its position towards Sudan based on the new developments in the war,” Ali told the Sudanese news outlet Al-Muhaqiq.
“The idea of the RSF taking power in the country is over for Kenyan President William Ruto.”
Ali said he attended meetings in Nairobi on Sunday where discussions focused on reviewing sanctions imposed on African nations that have experienced “unconstitutional changes”.
The African Union (AU) suspended Sudan’s membership after the military ousted the civilian-led government on October 25, 2021.
According to Ali, President Ruto now believes that the AU should reconsider its suspension policy for countries facing internal conflicts.
As part of his broader ambitions for African leadership, Ruto is supporting Raila Odinga, his former political rival and current ally, to lead the African Union Commission.
Odinga will contest the position during the AU summit in mid-February, against candidates from Djibouti and Madagascar.
AU suspension
“This is an important development that could lead to the lifting of Sudan’s AU suspension,” Ali said, describing his visit to Nairobi as an effort to mend strained relations between Kenya and Sudan.
During the visit, Ali claimed Ruto assured him that Kenya would not recognise any government-in-exile in Sudan or elsewhere on the continent.
However, RSF leaders continue to find a platform in Nairobi, holding occasional media briefings on the Sudanese conflict.
President Ruto’s ties to RSF leader Hamdan Dagalo ‘Hemedti’, who has been sanctioned by the US for genocide, remain a contentious issue.
Meanwhile, Nairobi has hosted multiple political entities and armed groups from Sudan seeking to establish an alternative government in RSF-controlled areas, deepening divisions within the civilian coalition Tagadum, which has also been holding meetings in Kenya.
Ali, who arrived in Nairobi on Friday at the invitation of Kenyan Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi, revealed that President Ruto had accepted an invitation to visit Sudan from the country’s army chief, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.
The date for the visit is yet to be finalised through diplomatic channels.
Ruto expressed his support for Sudan’s reintegration into the AU and the regional Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) bloc, as well as enhancing bilateral ties and coordinating positions on international platforms, Ali said.
Kenya has yet to issue an official statement regarding the meeting.
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