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Kenya has offered to host a process of mediation between warring parties in Sudan as East African Community member states take lead in bringing peace in the country.

In a statement on Friday, April 21, President William Ruto said Kenya has a strong track record in effectively facilitating peacemaking and settlement of political conflict in the region.

“To support further progress in the peaceful resolution of the conflict in Sudan, Kenya hereby offers to host a process of mediation between the parties to the Agreement.

“We make this offer in the spirit of brotherhood, peace, and solidarity as an acceptable neutral venue and also as an engaged stakeholder well-seized with the challenges facing our region,” he said.

Sudan’s peace negotiation

The President further said Kenya is strongly persuaded that a peacefully negotiated solution to the conflict in Sudan is within reach and, as always, stands ready to make her contribution.

“We note with appreciation the gesture by the parties to the Political Framework Agreement to cease hostilities in response to the call by the IGAD Heads of States and Government Summit on Sunday, April 16, 2023, and subsequently the African Union’s Emergency Ministerial Meeting on the Situation in Sudan held in Addis Ababa on April 20, 2023,” he stated.

He added: “We regard the cessation of hostilities as a welcome signal of goodwill, commitment to arrest the descent into conflict, insecurity, instability, and humanitarian crisis, and pursue peaceful resolution of the outstanding items in the framework agreement, with a view to ending the conflict in Sudan. It also expresses a willingness to do this within the peacemaking frameworks under IGAD, the AU, and the UN.”

At the same time, Ruto urged IGAD, AU, and the UN to mobilise an effective international coalition to support a comprehensive peacemaking agenda for the war-torn country.

“I convey to General Abdel Fattah Abdelrahman al-Burhan and General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo the numerous pleas and emphatic calls from our brothers and sisters in Sudan, the people of our region, and the international community that it is now time to give peace a chance. Your commitment to mediation will restore peace and stability to Sudan within a short time.”