Let there be peace in Sudan

If anything, the recent walkout by Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council from the African Peace and Security Dialogue reflects the deep-seated tension and internal wrangling afflicting the warring parties in Sudan. This is not the first time Sudanese leaders have walked out of the Mbeki peace dialogue. In 2012, Sudanese leaders walked out of the Mbeki peace dialogue due to disagreements over critical issues between Sudan and South Sudan. It is worth recalling that Thabo Mbeki, the former South African President, led the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP), which was mediating the peace talks in Sudan.

Incidentally, the same Sudanese leaders have walked out of the 2024 Mbeki peace dialogue. An initiative of the Thabo Mbeki Foundation, the Mbeki Peace Dialogue was held from October 4-6, 2024. The dialogue, under the theme Towards a Peaceful and Secure Africa: Challenges and Opportunities, brought together foreign affairs and defence ministers from across the continent, including Sudan, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Liberia, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Mauritania, to evaluate the factors obstructing peacekeeping in Africa.

For years, peace has eluded Sudan. The country has persistently been engulfed in endless cycles of bloody conflicts and wars, resulting in widespread war crimes and other atrocities against civilians, leaving Sudan completely battered and tattered. That is why the 2024 Mbeki peace dialogue was greeted with a sigh of relief. Many had hoped that the dialogue would usher in the elusive peace and security in war-torn Sudan. Unfortunately, the leaders of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council once again walked out of the dialogue in protest over the participation of the rebel Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

According to the Vice-President of the Council, Malik Agar, “The blood of the Sudanese people is not cheap, and the attempt to force the Sudanese people to coexist with this criminal militia is unacceptable.”

Vice-President Agar, who was scheduled to address the dialogue, regretted that the invitation of RSF leader General Mohamed Hamdan and his delegation, who claim to control 72% of Sudanese territory, to participate in the Forum “constitutes a great underestimation of what the Sudanese have been exposed to at the hands of these mercenaries.” As far as Agar was concerned, the presence of the RSF at the dialogue was a grave insult to the Sudanese people, particularly given the immense suffering caused by the war, which has killed thousands and displaced millions of Sudanese.

Even though the outlook for peace in Sudan remains uncertain, given the persistent breakdown in dialogue and the deepening conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF, those involved in resolving Sudan’s conflicts and wars should remain steadfast in their efforts to bring peace and security to the country. The ongoing conflict in Sudan has created one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, with over 26 million people facing food insecurity. The United Nations World Food Programme has stated that Sudan is home to the world’s largest hunger crisis, with an estimated 26.6 million people facing food insecurity.

Therefore, all hands must be on deck to bring peace and security to Sudan. While peace remains elusive in the short term, international pressure, humanitarian concerns, and potential reforms in regional peace efforts could pave the way for renewed dialogue in the future. Neighbouring countries and international powers with vested interests in Sudan, such as Egypt, Ethiopia, and the Gulf States, should seek to influence the peace process in Sudan, either through direct or indirect mediation of the conflicts and wars in Sudan.

The efforts of the African Union (AU), United Nations (UN), and other regional bodies to establish peace and security in Sudan are praiseworthy. The AU has been central to peace initiatives in Sudan, but unfortunately, its impact has been limited by internal challenges, factional intransigence, and broader structural issues. Also, the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC) is the AU’s primary body for conflict resolution, but it has often been slow in responding to crises.

Besides, the effectiveness of the AU is often undermined by the lack of political will among its member states. Strengthening political accountability mechanisms within the AU could help ensure that member states uphold their commitments, especially in areas of conflict resolution, governance, and democracy. The AU is often constrained for being under-resourced and overly dependent on external actors. The AU heavily relies on funding from external actors like the European Union and the United Nations for its peace missions.

Therefore, the AU is overdue for a thorough reform, to create a more sustainable financial model, potentially funded by African member states, to support long-term peacekeeping and mediation operations. Part of the problem in Sudan has been the exclusion of key factions from peace dialogues. The AU needs to ensure that its peace dialogues are more inclusive, bringing all relevant stakeholders to the table, including civil society, local leaders, and women’s groups. Ensuring that peace talks are not limited to warring elites could help address the deeper-rooted causes of the conflict.

AU’s PSC is also in need of reforms. Reforming the PSC to allow for quicker decision-making and deployment of peacekeeping missions or observer teams could help prevent the escalation of conflicts like Sudan’s. This might include decentralising decision-making to enable regional offices or subcommittees to act more quickly.

The current Chairperson of the Assembly rotates yearly, and this individual can significantly influence the pace and direction of reforms. For instance, in 2017, Rwandan President Paul Kagame was tasked with overseeing comprehensive institutional reforms. AU peacekeeping missions often suffer from vague mandates and limited accountability. Reforms could involve clarifying the mandates of peacekeeping forces to include civilian protection and ensuring greater oversight and accountability for human rights violations committed by peacekeepers

Another vital reform is to ensure that the AU involves civil society organisations (CSOs), women’s groups, youth, and traditional leaders in peace processes. Inclusive dialogue is critical for addressing the root causes of conflicts and fostering long-term peace. Economic cooperation is essential for African stability and development. Therefore, the full implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) could boost trade, create jobs, and reduce poverty, contributing to long-term stability. The AU should focus on infrastructure, reducing trade barriers, and ensuring that AfCFTA benefits all member states

With the right reforms and increased financial independence, the AU can become a more agile and impactful organisation that would bring peace and security to Sudan as well as address other challenges of the continent.