Latest news with #LondonConferenceonSudan
Leaders
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Leaders
Sudan Sovereign Council Appoints Acting Prime Minister
Sudan's Transitional Sovereign Council on Wednesday announced a minor reshuffle in the Sudanese government, particularly in the ministries of cabinet affairs, foreign affairs and education. In a statement, the Council said that the Chairman of the Sudanese Transitional Sovereign Council, Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, appointed Dafallah Al-Haj Ali as the country's Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Acting Prime Minister. Ali is a veteran diplomat who once served as Sudan's representative to the UN and was most recently the country's ambassador to Saudi Arabia, according to Agence France Presse (AFP). Moreover, Al-Burhan appointed Omar Seddik as Sudan's Foreign Minister. Seddik is a current ambassador and took part in the negotiations between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Jeddah last year. Al-Burhan also approved the appointment of Al-Tohami Al-Zain Hajar as the Education Minister. This move comes as the SAF recaptured most parts of Sudan's capital, Khartoum, in March, after two years of fighting against the RSF. The devastating conflict has divided the country in two, with the SAF controlling the center, north and east, and the RSF holding almost all of the western Darfur region and parts of the south. In February, Al-Burhan said he would form a technocratic wartime government to help 'complete what remains of our military objectives, which is liberating Sudan from these rebels.' Earlier in April, the RSF announced it would form a parallel government, a move that has sparked international concerns that the country could remain split. During the London Conference on Sudan in mid-April, Saudi Arabia's Deputy Foreign Minister, Waleed Al-Khuraiji, condemned attempts to form parallel governments as 'illegitimate,' warning they risk derailing peace efforts and deepening divisions. He insisted solutions must respect Sudan's sovereignty and involve only its legitimate institutions. Short link : Post Views: 42
IOL News
25-04-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Inclusive pathway only route to silencing Sudan's guns
Bankole Adeoye, (left), African Union Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security and Britain's Foreign Secretary David Lammy at the London Sudan Conference 2025 at Lancaster House in London on April 15, 2025. London provides an opportunity for the international community to reverse its abject failures by recommitting to promoting a credible and effective peace process for Sudan, says former President Thabo Mbeki. Former President Thabo Mbeki SINCE the outbreak of the war between the Sudan Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces in 2023, I have held frequent virtual consultations with representatives of the Sudanese political parties, civil society leaders, and humanitarian actors. I held one of these consultations shortly before the 15 April 2025 London Conference on Sudan. I am honoured to convey this message on behalf of my Sudanese interlocutors. Today, we mark a grim milestone: it is two years since Sudan descended into a destructive war that has torn asunder the fabric of Sudanese society, devastated lives, displaced millions, and brought one of Africa's most vital nations to the brink of famine and state collapse. But even as we deliberate in London, the violence and devastation continue, with harrowing news of fresh atrocities, including in North Darfur. Therefore, this cannot be just another anniversary for wringing hands. We must, together, seize this moment to prioritise action courage and coordination over apathy, drift and division. London must mark the beginning of a serious and sustained effort to silence the guns across Sudan, to meet the complex needs of a society reduced to the indignities of hunger and abject deprivation, and, most importantly, to catalyse a credible effort of peace-making that privileges the voices and agency of the Sudanese people. The world has failed Sudan through its paralysis, inaction, and, in some cases, complicity in aggravating the violence that is inflicting so much misery on the Sudanese people. Our efforts to respond to the conflict have lacked coherence and political clarity. They have often been piecemeal, reactive and duplicative. Sudanese who invested their hopes in the multilateral system - with its long record of engagement in Sudan - have been bitterly disappointed and disturbed by its inability to muster credible leadership and leverage, or to make its norms and peace-making capacities count in Sudan. The message from our Sudanese consultations is clear. First, there is no military solution. This war is simply unwinnable, and it is destructive. Neither the Sudan Armed Forces nor the Rapid Support Forces can achieve a decisive victory over the other. Continued conflict is bleeding Sudan, deepening polarisation, and imperilling the very survival of a nation. Meanwhile, militia rule is spreading, social cohesion is collapsing, even as civilians pay a heavy price for predation. Ending the violence must be our top priority. This also means we must urge the various regional and international enablers of Sudan's conflict to desist immediately. Second, with millions at risk of starvation and with basic services disrupted, we must act to deliver humanitarian assistance to meet multiple needs across Sudan, and of refugees. The belligerent parties must be urged to fulfil their obligations to ensure humanitarian assistance reaches those in need and stop blocking, delaying and politicizing humanitarian access. Sudanese initiatives - both domestic and from the diaspora - to alleviate the humanitarian crises, must be supported, including the resilient work of the Emergency Response Rooms. But even as efforts to silence the guns continue, civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected from attacks, reprisals, and ethnic cleansing. Women have borne the brunt of the conflict, including appalling sexual violence, which must be stopped. The use of hunger as a weapon of war must be condemned and ended. We must insist upon the parties' respect for international humanitarian law and insist that perpetrators are held to account. Third, Sudan desperately needs a credible and inclusive political process capable of delivering an end to the violence, and charting pathways for transition, reconciliation and reconstruction. In this regard, multilateral engagement should be reinvigorated under the auspices of the African Union, with close support from IGAD, the United Nations, and other stakeholders, to revive a tradition of inclusive Sudanese political dialogue. Any peace process should confront the root causes of Sudan's complex crisis, and the reality of current polarization, and seek to address the range of contemporary drivers of conflict, including the role of regional African and international actors. Our peace-making must also mobilise support for recovery and reconstruction. Sudan will need the active accompaniment of the region and the international community for many years to come. We must move decisively and with greater coherence, harnessing the diplomatic and other resources at our disposal, to facilitate effective dialogue among the Sudanese stakeholders. Under the African Union leadership, a multilateral framework, with a common strategy, should provide the leadership for a process that makes the most use of our respective comparative advantages and complementarities. The effective participation of Sudanese stakeholders is central to the success of such an endeavour. Multiple mechanisms of engagement, including informal and parallel engagements, will be needed to enable the voices of the broadest range of Sudanese civil, political, and armed actors to be heard. London provides an opportunity for the international community to reverse its abject failures by recommitting to promoting a credible and effective peace process for Sudan. We must seize this moment. We owe this to the long-suffering people of Sudan, who have demonstrated extraordinary resilience in the face of relentless pain and suffering. The least this conference can offer them is unwavering solidarity and engagement. Let this anniversary be the last one marked by war. * This is an edited version of Former President Thabo Mbeki's report to the London Conference on Sudan, on April 15, 2025. ** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media.
Leaders
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Leaders
Saudi Arabia Calls for End to External Meddling in Sudan
Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji urged an immediate end to foreign support for Sudan's warring factions during the London Conference on Sudan on Tuesday. Representing Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, he stressed that halting external interference is critical for achieving a lasting ceasefire and political resolution. Conflict Threatens Regional Security Al-Khuraiji warned the conflict threatens regional stability and Arab-African security, extending beyond Sudan's borders. He emphasized Saudi Arabia's push for dialogue, urgent humanitarian aid, and preserving Sudan's unity, institutions, and resources. The Kingdom hosted Jeddah (1) and Jeddah (2) talks, securing the Jeddah Declaration to protect civilians and short-term ceasefires. Additionally, Jeddah (2) established a UN-led humanitarian forum and outlined steps to address military deployments. Al-Khuraiji cited the reopened Adre border crossing as proof that reducing interference aids humanitarian access. He urged safe corridors to accelerate aid delivery without delays. Warnings Against Parallel Governments The deputy minister condemned attempts to form parallel governments as illegitimate, warning they risk derailing peace efforts and deepening divisions. He insisted solutions must respect Sudan's sovereignty and involve only its legitimate institutions. Reiterating Saudi Arabia's stance, Al-Khuraiji declared the crisis requires a Sudanese-led political process. The Kingdom remains committed to stabilizing Sudan while safeguarding its territorial integrity and national resources. Short link : Post Views: 30
Saudi Gazette
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
Saudi Arabia urges halt to external support for Sudan's warring parties
Saudi Gazette report LONDON — Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Eng. Waleed Al-Khuraiji reaffirmed the Kingdom's firm stance on the need to halt foreign support to all parties involved in the Sudanese conflict. He stressed that this is an essential step to pave the way for a comprehensive ceasefire and a viable political resolution. Representing Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Al-Khuraiji delivered the Kingdom's statement during the London Conference on Sudan, held in the United Kingdom on Tuesday. 'What is happening in Sudan not only affects the Sudanese people, but also poses a threat to regional stability and Arab and African national security,' Al-Khuraiji said. He emphasized the Kingdom's commitment to intensifying efforts in support of dialogue, ceasefire, urgent humanitarian aid delivery, and the preservation of Sudan's institutions, unity, territorial integrity, and national resources. Al-Khuraiji reviewed Saudi Arabia's diplomatic efforts since the outbreak of the conflict, noting: 'The Kingdom led diplomatic initiatives by hosting the Jeddah (1) and Jeddah (2) talks, which resulted in the signing of the Jeddah Declaration on the Commitment to Protect Civilians and a short-term ceasefire agreement with humanitarian arrangements.' He added that Jeddah (2) talks also established a humanitarian forum led by OCHA, endorsed four confidence-building measures, and agreed on a framework to address military deployments. Al-Khuraiji warned that ending foreign interference is key to facilitating humanitarian operations, particularly opening safe corridors to ensure aid reaches those in need without delay — citing the positive impact of reopening the Adre border crossing. The deputy minister also cautioned against steps taken outside the framework of Sudan's official state institutions, describing them as violations of national unity, legitimacy, and the will of the Sudanese people. He said the Kingdom 'strongly warns against calls to form a parallel government or alternative entities,' deeming them 'illegitimate attempts that threaten the political process, deepen divisions, and hinder efforts to reach a comprehensive national solution.' Al-Khuraiji reiterated that the Kingdom firmly believes the solution to the Sudanese crisis lies in a Sudanese-Sudanese political process that respects Sudan's sovereignty and unity and supports the country's legitimate institutions.
