By Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Africanews
Published on 2024-01-19 08:11:30
Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni recently hosted the 42nd extraordinary summit of the East African bloc in Entebbe. The meeting was attended by his fellow IGAD (African Intergovernmental Authority on Development) leaders and focused on the war in Sudan and the dispute between Mogadishu and Addis Ababa.
The presidents of Uganda, South Sudan, Kenya, Djibouti, and Somalia were present at the summit. However, the head of Sudan, army general al-Burhan, boycotted the meeting, while his rival general Hamdane Daglo was in attendance. Despite an agreement, the warring generals did not meet in December.
In the communiqué issued at the end of the summit, IGAD leaders reminded the parties of their commitment and called for a face-to-face meeting within two weeks. The IGAD Secretariat was directed to revise the roadmap for the Resolution of the Conflict in Sudan and organize Sudanese-led talks on a democratic government within a month.
Regarding the Ethiopia-Somalia crisis, IGAD insisted that any agreement should have the consent of the Federal Government of Somalia. This came after Ethiopia signed a memorandum of understanding with the breakaway Somali region of Somaliland to lease a 20-km stretch of the strategic coast of the Red Sea. Somalia condemned the move and called for Ethiopia to retract its deal.
Tensions between Sudan and IGAD were evident as the Sudanese government suspended ties with the regional bloc, accusing it of violating Sudan’s sovereignty. IGAD has been mediating between the country’s army and a rival paramilitary force in an effort to end the conflict. However, after nine months of war, Sudan is still without a politically negotiated solution.
The summit addressed several critical issues, including the war in Sudan and the dispute between Ethiopia and Somalia. However, challenges remain, particularly in the mediation efforts in Sudan and the tensions between Sudan and IGAD. The need for continued dialogue and diplomatic efforts to resolve these issues was emphasized at the summit.
