AU appeals for implementation of immediate ceasefire in Sudan, concerted int’l humanitarian assistance
Addis Ababa, ,ay 2, 2023 (FBC) – The African Union (AU) has appealed to the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), engaged in armed confrontations since the 15th of April 2023, to implement an immediate ceasefire, in order to ensure the protection of civilians, health, sanitary, transport and other critical infrastructure, particularly water and electricity services, humanitarian access and assistance, as well as political dialogue.
Today’s official press release from AU recalled the efforts made by the AU Commission Chairperson to silence the guns in Sudan through a high-level global meeting with continental and international concerned parties. These parties “agreed to exert pressure on the belligerent SAF and RSF to silence the guns, and support Sudanese stakeholders through a jointly led AU-UN mechanism aimed at coordinating international action to end the violence and the destabilisation of Sudan, the region and continent”, the statement said.
The press release further recalled the AU’s and other actors’ efforts to end violence in the East African country since 2019.
It also cited the Communiqué of the Ministerial Special Session on Sudan of 20th April 2023 which “condemned the violence and called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, demanded the belligerents establish humanitarian corridors, return to political dialogue and negotiation towards the establishment of an inclusive civilian-led government, and strongly rejected all forms of external interference while committing to coordinate, collaborate and harmonise joint international action on Sudan.”
“The participants requested the Trilateral Mechanism under the leadership of the AU Commission Chairperson be enlarged to include the LAS, the EU, the Troika and bilateral actors and immediately engage the leadership of the SAF, the RSF and other stakeholders towards consolidating peace in Sudan.”
It is stated that the above resolutions are underpinned by the AU’s guiding principles, namely that no military action can solve the crisis, secondly that any political process must be an inclusive Sudanese-owned process and thirdly, the strong rejection of any foreign interference in what is already a dangerous crisis in Sudan, with grave implications for the region and the continent.
Quoting Amb. Bankole Adeoye, AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, it is indicated that “The ongoing conflict in Sudan presents a real risk of regional conflagration and internationalisation akin to the situation in Libya in 2011. There is, therefore, a compelling need for the international community to speak with one voice and in coordination with the African Union.”
It is stated that a follow up meeting focused on the implementation of the communique of 20 April 2023 will be held at the AU Commission on 2 May 2023.