Khartoum, September 8 (SUNA) - Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued yesterday a press statement in which it clarified Sudan’s objection once again to the presidency of the Quartet of IGAD. Hereunder Sudan News Agency (SUNA) publishes the text of the statement:
Press Statement
In reference to the Communique of the Second Meeting of the IGAD Quartet on Sudan, yesterday in Nairobi, on the margins of the Africa Climate Summit, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs renews the objection of the Government of Sudan to Keny's chairmanship of the IGAD Quartet, because it is siding with the rebel militia, hosting its leadership, who is pursued by international sanctions. The Government of Sudan does not see any justification for transferring the chairmanship of the Committee from the Republic of South Sudan, as decided by the IGAD Extraordinary Summit on April 16, 2023. Second: It is unfortunate that the Communique is devoid of any reference to the Government of Sudan and the need to be consulted and its consent be obtained regarding steps that IGAD intends to take with relation to the crisis in our country. This is a clear an unacceptable undermining of the sovereignty of Sudan, the second oldest independent member state, founding member of the organization, and the President of IGAD until June 12, 2023. The Final Communique of the 14th Ordinary IGAD Summit in Djibouti praised the able leadership of General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, President of the Transitional Sovereignty Council of IGAD, for the past four years. This is also against the nature of IGAD as an intergovernmental organization whose all decisions and actions must be sanctioned by the relevant governments and its resolutions are passed by consensus. Third: The statement mandates the African Union and IGAD to map the venue, agenda and identify participants in what it called a political process owned by the Sudanese. The question is what mandate does the Quartet itself have to mandate others in matters concerning an independent, sovereign country and a full member of the United Nations? How can the alleged political process be owned by the Sudanese, while they do not determine its rules and foundations? Several decades ago, Africa has done away forever with the legacy of trusteeship and mandated. Fourth: It is regretted and discrediting IGAD that the Communique of the Quartet failed to mention any of the horrific atrocities committed by the rebel militia. These atrocities have been condemned by the entire world except IGAD and the African Union. It is not possible to hide behind the pretensions of neutrality between what the statement calls “ warring parties”, as there is no neutrality towards genocide, ethnic cleansing, the use of rape and sexual violence as a tool in the conflict and other atrocities. Nor can the national army that defends the country and its people against killing, ethnic cleansing, and rape be considered a mere equal party to the terrorist militia that perpetrates all these atrocities.This contravenes international law, the principle of state sovereignty and the right of self-defence. In conclusion, the Ministry would like to make it clear that if the chairmanship of the Quartet is not changed, the Government of Sudan will reconsider the usefulness of maintaining its membership in IGAD, an organization that was its brain child. Khartoum, September 7, 2023
