By No. 1 Citizen Daily Newspaper
The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, has announced the appointment of a distinguished panel to address the ongoing conflict in Sudan.
The panel comprises three eminent African personalities who will serve on the AU High-Level Panel on Sudan.
Leading the panel is Mohamed Ibn Chambas, the AU High Representative for Silencing the Guns. Joining him are Speciosa Wandira-Kazibwe, the former Vice President of the Republic of Uganda, and Francisco MADEIRA, the former Special Representative of the Chairperson of the Commission to Somalia and Head of AMISOM/ATMIS.
The appointment, effective immediately, is in accordance with the AU Peace and Security Council’s decision as communicated through the communique PSC/MIN/COMM. 1185 (2023).
It reflects the AU’s commitment to fostering peace and stability on the African continent.
The AU High-Level Panel members will collaborate with all Sudanese stakeholders, including civilian forces, military participants, and regional and global actors such as IGAD, UN, and the League of Arab States.
Their mandate is to facilitate an inclusive process that expedites the restoration of peace, constitutional order, and stability in Sudan.
Expressing gratitude to the esteemed personalities for accepting this crucial task, the Chairperson urges Sudanese stakeholders and the international community to provide necessary cooperation and support to the Panel members.
This comes as Sudan suspends any interactions with the regional bloc Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), accusing it of “violating Sudan’s sovereignty”.
The move is likely to put a strain on the latest peace bid to end war in the country.
The Sudan’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, which has been critical of IGAD lately, said it was no longer cooperating with the bloc on any Sudanese affairs, the East African reported.
The announcement came just 47 hours before IGAD was due to hold an extraordinary meeting in Entebbe, Uganda to discuss Sudan’s war.
Khartoum had already said it would not attend the summit because IGAD had invited Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, the leader of Rapid Support Forces’ leader, which the junta in Khartoum regards as a militia.
Sudan, through the Foreign ministry, informed Djibouti, the current chair of IGAD, that Khartoum had decided to cease its engagement and to freeze its dealings with IGAD regarding the current crisis.
It accused the bloc of violations for including the Sudan crisis on the agenda of the heads of State and government summit in Entebbe on Thursday, January 18, without consulting Sudan and for inviting the leader of a ‘militia’.
IGAD invite
Sudan termed the invitation of the RSF commander Hemedti as “a violation of Sudan’s sovereignty and a serious breach of the IGAD Charter and the rules governing the work of international and regional organizations”.
On Saturday, the Sovereignty Council headed by army commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, announced that it had declined an invitation from IGAD to hold a summit to discuss the country’s situation.
Meanwhile, Hemedti announced that he would attend the IGAD summit in Entebbe.
Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh called for the extraordinary summit in Uganda to discuss the situation in Sudan and the dispute between Ethiopia and Somalia, as part of the bloc’s intensified efforts to pressure both sides in the military conflict in Sudan to sign a cessation of hostilities agreement that would help deliver humanitarian aid to those affected by the conflict.