Excellency Ismail Omar Guelleh, President of the Republic of Djibouti and Chairman of IGAD,

Excellencies Heads of State, and delegations

Ladies and Gentlemen,

May I, first of all, thank President Ismail Omar Guelleh, President of the Republic of Djibouti, Current Chairman of IGAD, for the warm and brotherly welcome accorded to us and for the excellent organisational facilities for this Extraordinary Summit of IGAD on Sudan.

I wish also to thank the Government and people of Djibouti, who have accustomed us to the best hospitable treatment.

Excellencies,

The acute crisis ravaging Sudan is a real disaster.

The situation has deteriorated and there is flagrant and widespread violation of human rights and the International Humanitarian Law and the sufferings of the civilians have become unbearable. Investigations must be carried out and those found guilty of perpetrating the crimes, should be made accountable for their acts.

It has plunged the Region and the Continent into deep sadness and poses the most serious risks of instability to the entire Region and even beyond.

Today, everyone is aware of the tireless efforts made by the AU since the change of regime in this brotherly country in 2019.

Everyone, and first and foremost, the Sudanese people, have also witnessed the positive results obtained by the AU, supported by Ethiopia, at that time. Together, we managed to put in place a balanced, consensual Transition, which got underway and achieved – let us admit it – good results. The current disaster has highlighted the remarkable achievements made and the recovery ushered in 2019 when we compare to the current devastation.

The Coup d’état of 25 October 2021 violently interrupted this Transitional process.

Faithful to the principles of the AU, the Peace and Security Council of the African Union, some of whose members are among you, suspended Sudan until constitutional order is restored.

During the many visits I made to the country, I never stopped calling upon the Chairman of the Sovereign Council and his Vice-Chairman, currently at war today, to take a step in the right direction, just one step, with a view to meeting this exigency, by appointing a consensual Civilian Government to make it possible to plead for the lifting of the suspension of their country from the AU.

Unfortunately, nothing was done by them.

In the meantime, we made tireless efforts, with IGAD and the United Nations, to promote Political Dialogue to put the democratic Transition back on track. We have made enormous progress in this direction.

I talked with both leading protagonists to convince them about the need for an affirmative and hopeful action but unfortunately the war broke out, with all the attendant sad consequences of loss of human lives and damage and destruction of the country.

Following the outbreak of hostilities, we called for a High-level International Conference to unite the international community on the triptych of Cessation of hostilities, opening of humanitarian corridors and initiation of a Political Dialogue between the Sudanese themselves, with the support of the international community, that we have brought together within the Expanded Mechanism and its Core Group.

Since then, we have set up a joint structure with IGAD, which has worked tirelessly on the development of a political and social mapping of The Sudan and the determination of the sequences of the said Dialogue. It continues actively to exchange views with all Sudanese civil and military actors, with a view to overcoming the last obstacles to the convening of the Political Dialogue.

Two phenomena now trigger the urgent need to convene this necessary Political Dialogue:

The significant progress made in bringing together the political forces in less dispersed camps, and the limits reached by the Jeddah Process.

This situation deepens our conviction, established from day one, that this African crisis can only find a solution within an African framework. Everything now indicates that we no longer have any reason to not revitalise the Joint AU- IGAD Roadmap, for a ceasefire and the organization of the Political Dialogue, on which our joint team is working tirelessly and for which it has worked out the essential preparatory elements.

Obviously, some aspects require more consultation with The Sudanese stakeholders.

They concern the participation of the military components in the Political Dialogue, the representation of the provinces and the participation of some groups, those of the former regime, in particular.

Excellencies,

The multiplicity of parallel initiatives is a negative factor in the sense that they often constitute a complication rather than facilitate a solution.

I, therefore, urge you to oppose it and to solemnly proclaim our commitment to the Joint IGAD-AU action, supported by the Expanded Mechanism and its Core Group, which brings together all the neighboring countries of Sudan and the whole international community.

During my several contacts with the Sudanese parties, I sensed their general acceptance of the legitimacy of the Joint IGAD-AU Team.

It has the support of the international community. It has proven expertise and knowledge of the ground.

It has greatly advanced in the mapping and sequencing of the Sudanese political process.

I appeal to your wisdom to support such structures and to provide them, through your Summit and your High-level Panel, composed of Four (4) Heads of State and Government, with the relevant direction and to avoid the plethora of structures in charge of this crisis.

Excellencies

We cannot call upon others to refrain from multiplying parallel initiatives while we give the counterproductive example of the same phenomenon of proliferation of structures and approaches.

You can rely on the unwavering support of the AU for the relevant decisions that you will take in all wisdom and determination.

I wish full success to your deliberations. I thank you.