Sudan's warring parties reject initiative for political settlement to conflict

KHARTOUM: Sudan's two warring parties have expressed objection to an initiative proposed by the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) for a political settlement to the ongoing conflict.

At the 14th ordinary session of the IGAD Heads of State and Government, which was held in the Red Sea nation of Djibouti, an initiative including a roadmap for the resolution of the Sudan conflict was adopted, reports Xinhua news agency.

The roadmap included the establishment of a quartet committee, to be chaired by Kenya, to follow up on the Sudanese file, arrange face-to-face meetings between Sudan's two rival factions, and initiate an inclusive process toward a political settlement of the conflict within three weeks.

However, Sudan's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday objected in a statement to Kenya's chairmanship of the quartet committee, which also includes Ethiopia, Djibouti and South Sudan.

The statement demanded keeping South Sudan's President Salva Kiir Mayardit as the chairman.

"Sudan's delegation to the session expressed disagreement and objection to a number of paragraphs in the final communique as those paragraphs were not discussed or agreed on, and thus the delegation asked the IGAD secretariat to omit them," the Ministry said in the statement.

The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), for its part, objected to the multi-forums for a political settlement, calling for uniting the initiative with the Saudi-US brokered one.

Youssef Izzat, the political adviser to the RSF commander, said on Tuesday in a statement that it "is committed to the Saudi-US initiative as the forum to discuss ceasefire issues and permanent political solution".

"We stand with uniting the initiative with the Saudi-US initiative to which we adhere," Izzat added.

In remarks before the IGAD summit, African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat warned that if the conflict in Sudan does not stop immediately, a civil war would set in, chaos would prevail, and the country would totally collapse.

Mahamat added that the African Union encourages a comprehensive national dialogue led by the Sudanese themselves.

Sudan has been witnessing deadly armed clashes between the Sudanese Army and the RSF in the capital Khartoum and other areas since April 15, which has left 863 people dead and 3,531 others injured, according to the Sudanese Doctors Union's update.

At least 1.6 million people have been displaced, fleeing to safer locations inside and outside Sudan, according to UN figures.