Warring Sudanese Generals Al-Burhan, Dagalo agree to meet and talk peace
The Chairman of the Transitional Sovereign Council of the Republic of Sudan, Gen. Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, and his arch-rival and erstwhile deputy, the commander of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo over the weekend agreed to meet and find a resolution to the raging war.
According to a communiqué of the 41st Extraordinary Assembly of IGAD Heads of State and Government Djibouti dated 9 December 2023, the belligerents committed to ceasefire and embrace political dialogue.
“The Assembly welcomed and appreciated H.E. General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, the Chairman of the Transitional Sovereign Council of the Republic of the Sudan for attending the 41st Extraordinary Assembly in person; and for his unequivocal assurances of his commitment to an unconditional ceasefire and resolution of the conflict through political dialogue and his agreement to the proposal by the Assembly for him to have a one-to-one meeting with the Commander of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) with the facilitation of IGAD,” the communique read in part. “The Assembly appreciated the subsequent telephone conversation between the IGAD Heads of State and Government and the commander of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo and his acceptance of the proposals of the Assembly for an unconditional ceasefire, resolution of the conflict through political dialogue and the holding of a one-to-one meeting with the Commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) with the facilitation of IGAD.”
The 41st Extraordinary Assembly of the IGAD Heads of State and Government was held on Saturday, 9th December 2023, in Djibouti, Republic of Djibouti, on the situation in Sudan and was chaired by H.E. Ismail Omar Guelleh, President of the Republic of Djibouti and the Chairperson of the IGAD Heads of State and Government.
The Assembly said it was alarmed by the unprecedented toll the ongoing conflict is having on the lives and well-being of civilians particularly women and children as well as on the security and humanitarian situation in the Republic of the Sudan and the region at large.
“The Assembly reiterated its call to the parties to the conflict to immediately and unconditionally cease hostilities and allow unimpeded humanitarian access and protection of civilians in the affected areas and communities,” the communique said. “The Assembly condemned unwarranted interventions and interferences by external state and non-state actors in the conflict in Sudan and further urged them to refrain from providing and re-supplying war assets and materiel to either side of the conflict and called on the international community to exert maximum pressure on any actor(s) involved in aiding the conflict.”
The IGAD Assembly also said it is mindful of the fact that there cannot be a military solution to the current crisis in Sudan, and that peaceful and respectful dialogue and discussion are the only way to chart the way forward for a peaceful, stable, united and democratic Sudan.
“The meeting decided to fast-track efforts in organizing an IGAD-AU facilitated all-inclusive Sudanese-owned and Sudanese-led civilian dialogue aimed at forging national consensus towards the formation of a civilian-led transition that will culminate in the holding of open, transparent, and democratic elections,” the statement stated. “Further Decided to establish an IGAD framework comprised of respected diplomatic and political interlocutors, nominated by IGAD Heads of Government to undertake the mediation efforts in Sudan.”