Sudan’s al-Burhan conditions acceptance of AU role on membership reinstatement

March 3, 2024 (PORT SUDAN) – Sudan’s de facto leader, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has linked his acceptance of the African Union’s (AU) proposed solutions to the country’s conflict to the reinstatement of Sudan’s full membership in the continental bloc.

The AU suspended Sudan’s membership following the October 25, 2021, military takeover, which eventually led to conflict between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Subsequently, the AU formed a high-level mediation group to facilitate a return to stability.

On Sunday, al-Burhan met with the members of the AU High-Level Panel on the Resolution of the Conflict in Sudan led by Mohamed Ibn Chambas. Other members included former Ugandan Vice President Speciosa Wandira and former Special Representative of the AU Commission in Somalia Francisco Madeira.

According to a statement from the Sovereignty Council, al-Burhan expressed “Sudan’s confidence in the AU’s potential solutions, but only if the state regains its full membership and the organization treats it as such.”

He further explained that the events on October 25 constituted the dissolution of the partnership between the military and civilian components due to their inability to reach a consensus rather than a coup.

The October 2021 takeover saw the military, led by al-Burhan, remove the civilian government and detain its leaders. This action was widely condemned by the international community, including the UN and AU, as a coup.

The statement also mentioned that al-Burhan discussed the subsequent rebellion and human rights violations committed by the RSF. He emphasized the withdrawal of RSF troops from occupied towns and villages as a critical step towards resolving the conflict.

The RSF, a paramilitary force, expanded its control across several regions, including four out of five Darfur states, Gezira state, parts of Greater Kordofan, and the capital, Khartoum. Reports of human rights abuses accompanied this expansion.

Chambas, according to the statement, reiterated the organization’s commitment to ending the conflict and achieving stability in Sudan. He emphasized that the delegation has engaged with all relevant stakeholders, including various political forces.

The three-member mechanism was established by the AU Commission in January 2024 to facilitate dialogue, restore constitutional order, and work collaboratively with Sudanese stakeholders and the international community towards lasting peace.

(ST)