The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has expressed concern over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Sudan.
Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu, Executive Secretary of IGAD on the Jeddah Process is calling for an immediate ceasefire as a prerequisite for the provision of humanitarian assistance.
He spoke Tuesday during a meeting at State House, Nairobi, with President William Ruto, who is the Chair of the IGAD Quartet on the Sudan.
Dr. Wokneh was mandated by the Quartet to represent IGAD in Jeddah, as a co-facilitator together with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States of America, in a round of negotiations between the representatives of the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Response Forces (RSF) that sought to achieve agreement on two agenda: humanitarian assistance and humanitarian ceasefire that would guarantee humanitarian access and delivery.
The Executive Secretary noted that although the two sides agreed on the humanitarian assistance, owing to a number of factors, they had not engaged on the substantive matter of the ceasefire.
Describing the situation as urgent, Wokneh said consultations with IGAD leaders were ongoing to determine the next move in efforts to end the crisis.
“In view of the urgency of the situation, and especially the deteriorating humanitarian situation on the ground, with a profound negative impact on the people of Sudan, consultations with IGAD leaders are ongoing on the next steps,” he said.
The two leaders met a day after Dr Ruto hosted Sudan Army Chief President of the Transitional Sovereignty Council of Sudan, Abdel-Fattah Al Burhan.
Ruto and Al Burhan underscored the urgent need to find a solution to the conflict in Sudan in the shortest time possible.
During Monday’s meeting, the two, recognizing the slow progress in Jeddah, the leaders underscored the urgency to accelerate the process towards cessation of hostilities and humanitarian assistance.
They also agreed to work towards the convening of an urgent IGAD Summit to find ways to accelerate the Jeddah process towards cessation of hostilities in Sudan.
Fighting erupted in April between the forces of army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who commands the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
