African Peace and Security Council creates committee to resolve Sudan conflicts

The African Peace and Security Council (PSC) has established a special committee of African heads of state and government to resolve the situation in Sudan.

The committee will work with Army Chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Rapid Support Forces head Mohamed Hamdan to establish a rapid truce. It will start work next week.

The head of the African Peace and Security Council for July, Monguel Mimbi described the situation in Sudan as catastrophic, stressing that the council’s recent meeting at the level of presidents agreed that the council should deal with the cessation of fighting as a top priority.

Mimbi Further noted that the humanitarian crisis in Sudan has reached dire levels, with reports that the country is nearing famine and the number of displaced people rising to a million in addition to the two million refugees in the neighbouring countries.

On June 21, 2024, the Humanitarian Coordination Forum (HFC) issued a statement urging the committee, which was later accepted by the AU and Security Council, to urge for an immediate ceasefire as a top priority for the greater safety of everyone in Sudan, especially displaced persons.

“For the greater protection of civilians, particularly women, children, elderly persons, and humanitarian actors, parties to the conflict must comply with international human rights law (IHRL), and international humanitarian law (IHL),” HFC said.

The African Union Chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat, and the PSC have attempted to condemn the violence several times calling for the cessation of hostilities, humanitarian assistance, and a return to political dialogue in the supreme interest of the Sudanese people.

Despite the numerous efforts by several humanitarian bodies and countries, hostilities have continued to increase, endangering civilians and hindering the delivery of human aid, including health and other basic services such as HIV/AIDS to the millions in need.

The Sudan conflict that has been going on since April 15, 2023, between the Sudanese Army and the Rapid Support Forces has resulted in more than 100, 000 people being killed.