Sudan Expresses Intent to Rejoin IGAD and African Union

Sudan aims to rejoin IGAD and the African Union as indicated by Malik Agar during his visit to Djibouti. He presented a letter from army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan to President Ismail Omar Guelleh. Sudan had previously suspended its membership protest against Hemetti’s participation in a summit and was later suspended by the African Union following a military coup in 2021.

On Sunday, Sudan’s deputy head of the ruling Sovereign Council, Malik Agar, expressed Khartoum’s desire to rejoin the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the African Union during his visit to Djibouti. This information was relayed by both Sudanese and Djiboutian officials, highlighting the significance of Agar’s meeting. He delivered a letter from the Sovereign Council’s leader, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, to Djiboutian President Ismail Omar Guelleh, who is currently presiding over IGAD.

The letter emphasized the importance of strengthening bilateral relations while primarily addressing Sudan’s wish to restore its membership status in these regional organizations. Notably, Sudan had suspended its IGAD membership on January 20, 2024, due to dissatisfaction with the participation of Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, commonly referred to as Hemetti, at a summit in Uganda.

Further complicating matters, Sudan was suspended from the African Union following a military coup on October 25, 2021. This coup, which was led by al-Burhan with Hemetti’s involvement, led to international condemnation and subsequent punitive measures against the Sudanese administration.

In summary, Sudan’s leadership is actively seeking to reintegrate into regional organizations IGAD and the African Union, with efforts spearheaded by Malik Agar’s recent visit to Djibouti. The discussions included addressing previous suspensions caused by political turmoil and military actions. This development highlights Sudan’s intention to re-establish its diplomatic ties and strengthen its standing within the region and the continent.

Original Source: capitalethiopia.com