Sudan rejects Kenya chairmanship of IGAD mediation quartet

The Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has rejected the appointment of Kenyan President, William Ruto, as head of a quartet formed by the Inter-governmental Organisation for Development in East Africa (IGAD) to mediate peace in Sudan.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the Sudanese Foreign Ministry accused Kenya of “bias” towards the rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militias, citing statements by senior Kenyan officials and the Kenyan government behaviour in support of the RSF’s members.

The Ministry explained that the Sudanese government has informed IGAD that it reaffirms its support for appointing South Sudan President, Salva Kiir Mayardit, as Head of the quartet as prelude to dealing with it.

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Kenya, or the Rapid Support Forces, did not comment on the Sudanese Foreign Ministry statement.

On Monday, Djibouti hosted the 14th Summit of IGAD, and discussed the crisis in Sudan.

During the Summit, Kenya expressed its support for expanding the tripartite mediation committee on the Sudanese crisis, which currently includes, in addition to Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia.

Accordingly, IGAD announced the formation of a Quartet Committee headed by Kenya and South Sudan, with the membership of Ethiopia and Somalia.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry, Meles Alem, called in a statement on the parties to the conflict in Sudan to negotiate in Addis Ababa.

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