(Ecofin Agency) - Since April 2023, deadly fighting forced around 1.5 million people to flee Sudan. In this context, its neighbors organized a summit, which aims to explore ways of putting an end to the current conflict and its negative repercussions.

Last July 13, Sudan’s seven neighbors held a summit, in Cairo, to find solutions to the ongoing conflict. During the summit, they called for an end to foreign interference, explaining that "the current conflict is an internal Sudanese affair [...].”

“Such interference prolongs the conflict and hampers efforts to contain its escalation and achieve a concerted settlement that will restore stability and security in Sudan," they said.

The summit was initiated by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sissi. Participants included Presidents of the Central African Republic, Chad, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Libya, and South Sudan, the Chairman of the African Union Commission, and the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States. It aims to establish mechanisms involving neighboring countries to peacefully resolve the Sudan crisis, in coordination with regional and international efforts.

While the summit was expected to develop clear crisis resolution solutions, it primarily resulted in recommendations for the main parties involved in the conflict. However, the attending states agreed to establish a ministerial mechanism consisting of their foreign ministers to coordinate joint efforts in resolving the ongoing conflict. The first meeting of the ministerial mechanism will take place in N'Djamena, Chad.

Since April 2023, Sudan has been plagued by a conflict between the forces loyal to General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the army chief and the country's leader since the 2021 coup, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) led by his deputy, Mohamed Hamdane Daglo. Despite numerous ceasefire agreements, the fighting has continued, forcing over 1.5 million people to flee their homes and seek refuge in other parts of the country or neighboring countries.

Charlène N’dimon (intern)