IGAD members root for constructive dialogue between Ethiopia, Somalia

The Heads of State, who convened their 42nd Extraordinary Assembly hosted by President Yoweri Museveni at State House, Entebbe, reaffirmed their commitment to the cardinal principles of respecting the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of Somalia.

IGAD, which is headquartered in Djibouti city, Djibouti, is an eight-country trade bloc in Africa that includes governments from the Horn of Africa, the Nile Valley, and the African Great Lakes.

The meeting was chaired by Ismail Omar Guelleh, the President of Djibouti and the Chairperson of the IGAD Heads of State and Government. Other heads of state in attendance were Dr. William Ruto (Kenya), Dr. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud (Somalia), and Salva Kiir Mayardit (South Sudan).

In a joint communique issued on January 18, the leaders also decried the Sudan war as unjust and underscored that the Republic of Sudan belongs to its people, urging an immediate and unconditional ceasefire to end the war.

The members also reiterated their call for dialogue and negotiation, extending IGAD's readiness to facilitate an inclusive peace process, collaborating closely with all Sudanese stakeholders, the African Union (AU) and international actors.

Looking ahead, the heads of state proposed a face-to-face meeting between Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the leader of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), and Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, better known as Hemedti, the head of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) within 14 days to initiate reconciliation.

In a move towards concrete action, the leaders further directed the IGAD Secretariat, in coordination with the AU, to revise the roadmap for the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of Sudan, ensuring a clear timeline.

The collective call resonated beyond IGAD, as the leaders urged the African Union and the international community to mobilise support for the peace process in Sudan.

Addressing the media, President Museveni noted that the leaders throughout their discussions resolved that the conflicting parties must stop what he called the unprincipled war.