AU Calls for Regional Solidarity to Achieve Lasting Solutions in Sudan and DRC

Fighting has been raging in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) since mid-2021 when the M23 rebel group launched an insurgency against the government. Another armed conflict broke out in Sudan in mid-April this year between the army and a paramilitary force, with its epicenter in Sudan's capital, Khartoum.

African Union Commission Chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat has called for solidarity and cooperation across the continent to address the ongoing crises in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Faki stressed that peace, dialogue and constructive compromise are the only way to bring about lasting solutions to Africa's crises, and urged all parties to commit to this path during an extraordinary summit of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) in Angola's capital, Luanda.

The AU chairman stressed the need for a summit to bring together the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) and the East African Community (EAC) to address the security situation in the region, which he described as catastrophic with significant humanitarian consequences.

He also drew attention to security challenges hampering development, such as the resurgence of armed groups, including the March 23 Movement (M23) and the terrorist threat posed by the Allied Democratic Forces in eastern DRC.

Faki commended the deployment of the EAC Regional Force (EACRF) in war-torn eastern DRC and contributing countries for their commitment to promoting regional peace and security, as well as stressing the need to rebuild confidence in the leadership of the EACRF.

Earlier this month, the leaders of the DRC, Kenya, South Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania and Burundi agreed to extend the mandate of the East African Community regional military force deployed to quell violence in eastern DRC until September. They also reiterated their call on all parties to the conflict to de-escalate tensions and use established regional, continental and international mechanisms to resolve any disputes in the implementation of peace in the country.

On the situation in Sudan, Faki emphasized that the primary responsibility for finding a solution through diplomacy "must come from the Sudanese themselves," without resorting to military means.

"We are doing everything possible to engage them as quickly as possible in an inclusive political dialogue that is fully appropriate for them. It is the only way to save the country from civil war and the entire region from chaos," Faki said.

On April 15, an armed conflict in Sudan broke out between the country's regular Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) led by the deputy chairperson of the country's Transitional Sovereignty Council, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.

According to the latest figures from the World Health Organization (WHO), 702 people have been killed and 5,687 wounded in the clashes.

The United Nations reported that 1.2 million people have been displaced within Sudan and more than 425,000 have fled abroad – more than 100,000 west to Chad and 170,000 north to Egypt.