IGAD Calls for Immediate End to Violence in Sudan

July 11, 2023

ADDIS ABABA- The IGAD led quartet meeting urged Sudanese warring parties to immediately stop the violence and sign an unconditional and indefinite ceasefire.

This was noted here yesterday at the Inter- Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Secretariat quartet heads of state and government meeting hosted by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD).

The meeting was concluded issuing statement that strongly urged the parties to immediately stop the violence and sign an unconditional and indefinite ceasefire through a cessation of hostilities agreement that shall be supported by an effective enforcement and monitoring mechanism.

The statement appreciated the planned meeting of states neighboring the Republic of Sudan scheduled to be held in the Republic of Egypt on Thursday, 13th July 2023 and welcome the complementary role in supporting the shared objectives of the IGAD Quartet for peace and stability in the Republic of Sudan.

It is to be recalled that during its 14th Ordinary Assembly, IGAD leaders decided to establish a four-member mechanism to Sudanese conflict in their recent meeting in Djibouti and picked Addis Ababa to be the venue for the deliberation.

Expresses deep concern regarding the impact of the ongoing war in the Republic of Sudan which has so far killed thousands of people, and displaced almost 3 million people including 2.2 million IDPs and nearly 615,000 refugees that have crossed the border into neighboring countries; and appreciates the neighboring states of the Republic of Sudan that have opened their borders to provide protection to our Sudanese brothers and sisters.

IGAD Executive Secretary Workneh Gebeyehu (PhD), President of Kenya William Ruto, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Djibouti Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, Benjamin Bol Mel, Special Envoy of the Republic of South Sudan, representing the President of the Republic of South Sudan and Deputy Chairperson of IGAD and delegation from others took part in a quartet ministerial meeting.

BY HAILE DEMEKE

THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD TUESDAY 11 JULY 2023