President Ruto to lead mediation towards ending Sudan conflict

The 14th Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Assembly of heads of state and government continued in Djibouti on Monday with diplomatic sources indicating that Kenya has been tapped to spearhead mediation towards restoration of democratic rule in the troubled Sudan.

The anticipated assignment will involve the initiation of talks between Sudan's political and civil society groups that were the bedrock of civic activities even during years of protracted military rule in Khartoum.

Diplomatic sources in Djibouti have given strong indications of an enhanced role for Kenya and President William Ruto in the search for a resolution of the ongoing conflict in Sudan.

Heads of state and government meeting in Djibouti have reportedly identified a double-fronted approach to resolving the conflict; the first front involving efforts to end the ongoing fighting while the second front focuses on the long term issues in the conflict.

It is on the resolution of long term issues that diplomats say Kenya will be tasked to engage political parties and civil society groups in a broad framework to pave the way to restoration of democratic rule in Sudan.

Though the military has dominated the politics of Sudan for much of its years of independence, the war-torn country has had a substantially effective base of political parties and civil society groups.

These groupings are considered critical to the resolution of long-term issues particularly the formula to returning the country to civilian rule.

The IGAD Heads of state and Government are expected to fine-tune a formula that would place President William Ruto on the driving seat of a civilian-centred Sudan peace process.

On the ongoing hostilities in Sudan, the Djibouti IGAD session has once again tasked South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir to lead negotiations for a lasting ceasefire and a peace agreement between Sudanese Army head General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the head of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, a.k.a Hemedti.

The IGAD Troika on Sudan has now been expanded to include Ethiopia and Somalia, with Kenya chairing the quartet in ending the conflict in Sudan and have 10 days to meet the warring military generals in Sudan.

The next three weeks will see mediators convene an all-inclusive national dialogue to give the people a forum to discuss their diversity and the future of Sudan.

The generals will also send their representatives.

The path to a democratic and civilian rule stalled following a military coup in 2021, which saw the military take control of the country dimming the hopes of the civilian-powered uprising that toppled military ruler Omar al-Bashir.

The IGAD framework on the Sudan peace process will push Kenya back to the centre of regional peace-making initiatives

The contemplated Sudan peace process is likely to refresh memories of a similar process mediated by late President Moi through chief mediator General Lazarus Sumbeiywo, assisted by then Foreign Affairs Minister Kalonzo Musyoka, in a process that culminated with the signing of the comprehensive peace agreement in January 2005 in Naivasha signed by the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement [SPLM].

The Naivasha agreement effectively ended over two decades of conflict and marked a major breakthrough that ended with birth of South Sudan in 2011.

Late this evening, diplomats in Djibouti were hammering finer details to the Sudan mediation framework proposed by the two-day summit of IGAD heads of state and government.