KHARTOUM – As the echoes of armed skirmishes between the Sudan Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces reverberate, Khartoum embarks on a daunting quest. What is it, you might wonder? A persistent pursuit to reclaim its place in the councils of the African Union before the weekend summit convenes.
A report stemming from the Sudan Tribune reveals military brass are fervently seeking renewal of bonds once tethered to the AU. Recall October 27, 2021—a coup led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan unravelled Sudan’s civil governance and severed its membership with the Union.
Since then, a sequence of dialogues, whispers exchanged on symposium sidelines, mark Sudanese officials’ resolute endeavors to rejoin the AU fraternity. Four years have slipped by, untarnished by Sudan’s absence at these summits, catalyzed by the dramatic ouster of Omar al-Bashir in 2019, and consequently, the ensuing military tumult.
Promises abound. Sudan’s officials assure an imminent appointment of a prime minister—a stepping stone towards restoring civilian-led leadership by February’s end. This vow aligns with the African Union’s stringent prerequisites for welcoming Sudan back.
In parallel, a special session of the AU’s Peace and Security Council shall dissect Sudan’s quandary on February 14, coinciding with a major dialogue staged in Addis Ababa. This event takes center stage in addressing humanitarian accounts haunting the nation.
A mid-summit resonance will echo through the election of a successor to Moussa Faki, whose reign as Chairperson of the African Union Commission draws to a close. Raila Odinga, astute former Kenyan Prime Minister, and Djibouti’s seasoned Foreign Affairs Minister Ali Youssouf, emerge as frontrunners vying for this consequential mantle.
Pundits project Odinga’s ascendancy—his vast labyrinth of economic and political alliances etched across Africa, buttressed by Nigeria’s venerable former President Olusegun Obasanjo and an ensemble of African dignitaries championing his cause.
Responsibilities awaiting the victor loom large. A mission to pacify a fractured eastern DR Congo where M23 insurgents possess Goma—a critical conduit within the Great Lakes Region. The chronic conflict within Sudan, extremism laying siege to Somalia, among other tribulations, threatens Africa’s fragile peace and call out to this new leader.
Standing at such a crossroads, isn’t it intriguing how geopolitical narratives unfold, each decision, a ripple cascading across a continent yearning for stability? As this summit approaches, one has to ponder: will Sudan’s re-admittance mark the beginning of a truly transformative epoch for the Union?
Report By Ali Musa
Axadle Times International–Monitoring
AXADLETM
