President William Ruto and other Heads of State who attended the 42nd Extraordinary Assembly of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), unveiled strategies to bring an end to the ongoing conflict in Sudan.
In a communication sent to Kenyans.co.ke, the Heads of State called for a face-to-face meeting between military leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (Sudanese Armed Forces) and his paramilitary rival General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Rapid Support Forces) within 14 days.
Fattah al-Burhan and Dagalo initially worked together but their battle for supremacy has seen Sudan etched in violence and conflicts.
The assembly, chaired by Djibouti president Ismail Omar Guelleh, stressed that IGAD member states would utilise all means to bring an end to the conflict in Sudan.
"We emphasized that the Republic of Sudan does not belong to the parties but to the Sudanese people and reiterated their call for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire as well as the cessation of hostilities to end this unjust war affecting the people of Sudan to pave way for a political dialogue," the statement read in part.
Further, the IGAD Secretariat was directed to revise the roadmap for resolution of the conflict and within one month convene a process towards a democratic Government in the country.
Moussa Faki, chairperson of the African Union Commission, called on the panel to collaborate with the members of the High-Level Panel for Sudan to facilitate the peace process in Sudan.
Faki also appointed the following as members of the High-Level Panel; Mohamed Chambas, AU High Representative for Silencing the Guns, Speciosa Wandira-Kazibwe, former Vice President of the Republic of Uganda and Francisco Madeira, former Special Representative of the Chairperson of the Commission (SRCC) to Somalia.
IGA also discussed the wrangle between Ethiopia and Somalia, which ensued after the former signed a pact with Somaliland.
The agreement grants Ethiopia access to the Somaliland port in the Gulf of Aden and also establishes a marine force base that aims at strengthening political, economic and security ties between them.
Following the move, Somalia retaliated by cancelling a pact with Ethiopia as it does not recognise the sovereignty of Somaliland.
IGAD Heads of State agreed that the two nations should instead engage in constructive dialogue to solve the conflict.
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