Sudan conflict: IGAD urges leaders to help end the war, suffering of the people
Khartoum, Sudan (PANA) - The East African regional bloc, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), has appealed to its leaders to help end the war in Sudan.
They should also urge the warring parties to observe an immediate cessation of hostilities so that badly needed humanitarian relief can reach trapped civilians.
Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu, IGAD Executive Secretary, told the opening session of the 41st Extraordinary Assembly of IGAD Heads of State and Government in Djibouti that they should collectively work to implement and translate what has been agreed upon since last May between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in talks in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah.
“This agreement, while commendable, now requires your leadership, our urgent attention and effective implementation to alleviate the immense suffering endured by the Sudanese people,” Dr Gebeyehu said.
He said the suffering of the Sudanese civilians requires quick and collective efforts of IGAD leaders.
“As we convene in unity and solidarity in support of our IGAD family members in the Republic of Sudan, the challenges they are facing demand our collective wisdom, commitment, and concerted efforts,” the Executive Secretary said.
He warned that the East African region stood at a critical juncture, with “the ongoing conflict in Sudan casting a shadow over the aspirations of a peaceful and prosperous Greater Horn of Africa”.
“Our fellow citizens in the Republic of Sudan continue bearing the brunt of this protracted conflict, and it is our moral duty to expedite the implementation of the partial resolutions of the Jeddah Agreement which has been co-facilitated by IGAD under your leadership, and our partners, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the USA.”
He described the agreement on humanitarian access at the Jeddah talks as “a lifeline for urgently needed assistance to reach those in desperate need, and we must ensure that the promises made are translated into tangible relief on the ground”.
“We must insist on the immediate establishment of a ceasefire agreement, silencing the guns that have wreaked havoc on the lives of innocent civilians, our brothers and sisters in the Republic of Sudan.
“Only through dialogue can we address the root causes of the conflict, build trust among the parties involved, and chart a course towards a sustainable peace that respects the dignity and rights of all Sudanese people.”
The continuing war raging between rival militaries since 15 April has claimed over 6,000 lives, driven millions from their homes, led to abhorrent sexual and gender-based violence, and precipitated a severe humanitarian crisis.
The US administration has said the two parties to the conflict have committed war crimes and also charged that the RSF have committed crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing.
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken issued a statement last Wednesday accusing the SAF and RSF of having unleashed horrific violence, death, and destruction across Sudan.
“Since the outbreak of fighting on April 15, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have unleashed horrific violence, death, and destruction across Sudan. Civilians have borne the brunt of this needless conflict. Detainees have been abused and some killed at SAF and RSF detention sites,” Blinken said in the statement released by the US State Department.
The US warned earlier that "there is no acceptable military solution to this conflict" and also called on all external actors to avoid fuelling the conflict.
"The time has come to stop the senseless violence, resume civilian governance, and let the people of Sudan achieve their demands for freedom, peace, and justice," it said.
-0- PANA MO/MA 9Dec2023
