IGAD to deploy East Africa stand by forces to protect civilians in Sudan
(Addis Ababa 10th July 2023, Ethio Negari) The Heads of State and Government of the IGAD Quartet Group of Countries met in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to discuss the implementation of the IGAD Roadmap for peace in the Republic of Sudan.
The meeting was chaired by William Samoei Ruto, President of Kenya and in attendance at this Summit representing the IGAD Quartet group of countries were, Abiy Ahmed Ali, Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Djibouti and Benjamin Bol Mel, Special Envoy of South Sudan.
And also, IGAD Executive Secretary, Workneh Gebeyehu and Amb. Bankole Adeoye, the African Union Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security as well as representatives of the UN-OCHA,
European Union, the Republic of Egypt, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United States of America and the United Kingdom.
Mr. Yousif Izzat representing the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) was also a part of the meeting and the delegation of the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) was in absence.
The ongoing war in Sudan has so far killed thousands of people, and displaced almost 3 million people including 2.2 million IDPs and nearly 615,000 refugees that have crossed the border into neighboring countries.
IGAD concerned by the escalation of the conflict, repeated violations of the various ceasefire agreements and the spread of violence outside of Khartoum to the other parts of Sudan particularly in Darfur as well as Kordofan where it is assuming ethnic and religious dimensions thereby threatening to deepen the polarization in the country; and regrets that this escalation driven by external interference that is prolonging and exacerbating the conflict.
The IGAD quartet members said that, to request the East Africa Standby Force (EASF) summit to convene in order to consider the possible deployment of the EASF for the protection of civilians and guarantee humanitarian access.
IGAD’s quartet member countries strongly condemns the repeated violations of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961) as manifested in the attacks and looting of diplomatic missions and premises in Khartoum.
