Sudan Reportedly Seeks to Resume its Membership in African Union
In this April 30, 2019 file photo, Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the deputy head of the military council, second right, speaks at a press conference in Khartoum, Sudan. 
Sudan’s membership in the African Union (AU) was suspended in October 2021, following a military coup that toppled the transitional government of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. The regional bloc condemned the “seizure of power,” suspending the country from all its activities until the restoration of constitutional order.Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, deputy chairman of the Sudanese Sovereign Council, visited Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, to facilitate the resumption of its membership in the African Union (AU), local media reported.According to media, the trip, which is largely seen as part of Khartoum’s efforts to gain legitimacy in the East Africa region, was made at the invitation of Nairobi, which is set to be a facilitator in the process of Sudan’s gradual re-acceptance into the continent-wide bloc. During his visit to Nairobi this week, the deputy chairman first met with Kenya’s Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. The parties discussed bilateral ties between the two nations in various spheres, as well as ways to strengthen them and enhance the countries’ coordination at the regional and international levels.Apart from that, during the meeting, they raised the most pressing security issues that constitute a major threat to stability and peace in the region, in particular the peace process in South Sudan. Even though Sudan is suspended from the AU, the country is a current chair of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), a regional body established to ensure security in the Horn of Africa and which acts as a peace mediator in the neighboring state.
AfricaSudan, South Sudan Agree to Create Joint Forces to Ensure Border SecurityYesterday, 12:15 GMTThe parties highlighted that the two nations are going to develop mutually beneficial and strong relations, specifically in the economic field, as the countries have been close trading partners for years. Kenya’s deputy president promised the government’s support for all the existing agreements, saying that Nairobi is interested in boosting the partnership. “We appreciate the cooperation between our countries. Sudan imports a lot of tea from Kenya and we would like you to import more because our tea is the best in the world […].We would like to increase the volume of trade between our countries,” said Rigathi Gachagua, as cited by the media. Dagalo, for his part, also underlined the importance of developing economic ties between the countries, as this area of cooperation has “many opportunities that can still be activated.” Later, Sudan’s deputy chairman discussed the political developments in Sudan with President Ruto, saying that the current administration is determined to allow a civilian transition, including the establishment of a transitional civilian authority and planned elections. These conditions are provided by a political framework agreement signed by the country’s military and opposition on December 5. Earlier this week, the second phase of political negotiations between the Sudanese military government and civilian groups started.The military has been in power in Sudan since October 2021, when the armed wing of the civilian-military coalition seized full control of the country.During his meeting with the Sudanese deputy chairman, Ruto praised the country’s efforts to achieve stability in the region, focusing on its role in the peace process in South Sudan. According to local media, Kenya is seeking to facilitate the lifting of the AU suspension of Sudan, as the president is counting on a decision of the 48th Ordinary Council (Ministers of Foreign Affairs) of IGAD, which supported the reinstatement of the country’s membership in the union. In November, the ministers decided to send a fact-finding mission to Sudan to evaluate the progress and conditions for full reinstatement.
