In the aftermath of the 41st summit of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) held in Djibouti on December 10, Khartoum has rejected the contents of the final communiqué, escalating political tensions.
The extraordinary summit, dedicated to addressing the situation in Sudan, has become a source of contention, prompting Khartoum to threaten withdrawal from IGAD. The quadripartite committee for Sudan, led by Kenya and its president, William Ruto, has come under fire from General al-Burhan, who accuses the committee of siding with his adversary.
The Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has officially communicated its rejection of the proposed final communiqué of the IGAD summit. The ministry asserts that amendments made by the military to the draft were disregarded. General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the head of the Sovereign Council, has outlined preconditions for engaging with his adversary, including the withdrawal of paramilitary forces from Khartoum.
According to the regional organization for the Horn of Africa, IGAD, heads of member countries engaged in a telephonic exchange with General Hemedti. Khartoum contends that only the Kenyan president communicated with the head of the paramilitary forces after the summit’s conclusion, emphasizing that this conversation should not have been included in the final text.
Khartoum laments the inclusion of certain paragraphs in the communiqué, such as the one related to the participation of the Emirati Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, who was reportedly absent. Furthermore, the military asserts that the quadripartite committee lacks neutrality, resulting in its failure to make progress and halt the ongoing conflict.
Informed sources suggest that IGAD is determined to regain control of the situation by either bypassing the committee or considering its dissolution, signaling a proactive stance to address the escalating tensions within the organization.