Kenya responds after Sudan rejects Ruto as head of peace talks
3 min read
Kenya issues clarification after reports claiming Sudan rejected appointment of William Ruto by IGAD to mediate peace talks
Kenya issues clarification after reports claiming Sudan rejected appointment of William Ruto by IGAD to mediate peace talks.
Korir Sing’oei, the principal secretary for foreign affairs, responded to allegations that Sudan was against President William Ruto serving as the mediator in negotiations to end the country’s war.
The PS highlighted in a statement on June 15 that no official communication was made regarding the leadership changes.
Sing’oei contended that the appointment could only be revoked by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Summit.
“No official communication on this yet. But both the inclusion of the Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed to the Troika mandated to seek peace in Sudan and the appointment of President William Ruto to lead the Quartet was arrived at by the IGAD Summit and can only be vacated by the Summit,” the statement read in part.
However, the Sudanese foreign minister reportedly released a statement on Tuesday, June 13, objecting with the nomination, according to a report by Sudans Post, an independent South Sudanese online daily.
According to the report, the ministry objected to the nomination on the grounds that the decision-making process was not transparent.
PSC shortlists candidates for over 700 government jobs; How to check status
Key highlights in Ruto’s first budget statement, 2023/2024
How Chinese company registered subsidiaries to evade KSh1bn in taxes
Babu Owino explains confusion after Azimio MPs skip finance bill vote
Additionally, the ministry requested that the IGAD secretariat keep South Sudanese President Salva Kiir in place of Ruto and cancel his appointment.
“Sudan expressed its disagreement and objection to a number of paragraphs that were mentioned in the draft final statement of the summit due to the fact that they were not discussed and agreed upon, and the delegation called on the IGAD Secretariat to delete them.
“These paragraphs relate to changing the presidency of the IGAD Committee, as the delegation demanded that the chairman be retained as Salva Kiir Mayardit to chair the committee and demanded the deletion of any reference to the subject of mediation,” the statement from the ministry, according to the report, read in part.
President William Ruto welcomed his appointment on June 13, during the summit, noting that he would meet the warring Sudan generals as a first step to stopping the war.
“Within the next ten days, we will meet face to face with General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (paramilitary) and Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (the army) to speak directly to them on behalf of IGAD to end the war in Sudan.
“We will ask them to halt all hostilities and obtain a commitment to end the war in Sudan,” Ruto, appointed to the role 24 hours after a ceasefire brokered by the United States and Saudi Arabia ended, assured.
Also read,
US economist compares Kenya to Singapore “powerhouse in Africa”
Chaos as Azimio stage a walkout during the presentation of Ruto’s first budget, 2023/34
Ruto to punish Kenya Kwanza MPs who voted against finance bill, 2023
How several MPs defied Ruto, and Raila on the finance bill vote
Follow us
