IGAD condemns RSF violations, calls for Sudan’s return to bloc
By Faith Lagat, January 30, 2026The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has condemned violations committed by Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and called on Khartoum to rejoin the regional bloc, following high-level consultations held in Djibouti.
In an official statement released on January 29, 2026, IGAD said its Executive Secretary, Workneh Gebeyehu, met Sudan’s Prime Minister, Kamil El-Tayeb Idris, to discuss the prevailing peace and security situation in the country. The statement was later shared through IGAD’s official channels, including an X post on January 30.
“The IGAD Secretariat, through its Executive Secretary, condemns all forms of violations committed by the Rapid Support Forces and reaffirms its full support for the unity and sovereignty of the Republic of the Sudan, as well as its existing national institutions,” read the statement in part.
Sudan has been engulfed in conflict since April 2023, when fighting erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF, triggering widespread displacement and humanitarian challenges across the region.
Call for Sudan’s return to the regional bloc
IGAD said it remains open to Sudan’s reintegration into the organisation, describing the move as key to regional peace and stability. The bloc urged Sudan to rejoin and welcomed the country’s national peace initiative.
It stated that it “calls upon Sudan to return to the Organisation and welcomes Sudan’s National Initiative to bring peace and stability in the country,” while reiterating its “readiness to welcome the Republic of the Sudan back into its institutional framework.”
Sudan suspended its IGAD membership in early 2024, citing concerns over the bloc’s approach to the conflict, including what it described as biased engagement and invitations extended to RSF leadership. The latest consultations signal renewed engagement between the two sides.
During the meeting, Prime Minister Idris presented Sudan’s national initiative aimed at restoring peace and stability, which IGAD acknowledged as part of ongoing efforts to resolve the crisis.
Regional tensions add pressure on IGAD states
The IGAD statement comes amid heightened insecurity in the wider Horn of Africa. In neighbouring South Sudan, the army has launched “Operation Enduring Peace” in Jonglei state after losing territory to opposition forces linked to Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition leader Riek Machar and the White Army militia.
Army spokesman Lul Ruai Koang ordered civilians to evacuate Nyirol, Uror and Akobo counties and directed humanitarian agencies to leave within 48 hours. He said the operation aimed to recapture seized towns and restore law and order.
Information Minister Ateny Wek Ateny said the country was “not at war” but was “only stopping the advancement” of opposition forces. However, concerns have been raised following footage of senior commander General Johnson Olony urging troops to “spare no lives,” remarks that drew condemnation from the United Nations and other actors.
The UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan warned of the risk of mass violence, as analysts caution that the offensive could worsen ethnic tensions and deepen the region’s humanitarian crisis.