After nine months of a destructive war, the Commander of the Rapid Support Forces has expressed willingness to negotiatiate with the Sudan Armed Forces for a comprehensive solution to the conflict.
RSF commander Lt Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo on Wednesday met with Kenya’s President William Ruto at State House Nairobi where they held talks over the conflict that broke out in April last year.
After the meeting, Gen Dagalo said they discussed the developments, the reasons for the outbreak of war, and ways to reach a solution.
“Dagalo briefed the Kenyan President on the vision of the Rapid Support Forces for a ceasefire and the start of negotiations to reach a comprehensive solution and achieve just and lasting peace in Sudan,” RSF said in a statement.
On Tuesday, he signed a declaration with the Taqadum civilian coalition in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with former PM Abdalla Hamdok, who was removed from power by the RSF and the Sudanese army in a joint coup in October 2021, and invited the army to do the same.
“If the army came with this same document, I would sign it immediately,” Dagalo said.
The Addis Ababa Declaration seeks to offer a platform for further negotiations and a political settlement.
Although President Ruto had been rejected by SAF leader and the Sudan Transitional Sovereign Council leader Gen Abdel Fattah-Al Burhan, and his push to strike a deal as IGAD Quartet leader didn’t bear fruits, Gen Dagalo thanked him for his efforts.
On his part, President Ruto said the ongoing Intergovernmental Authority on Development talks should bring about a political settlement that would effect a lasting peace in the country.
“Kenya appreciates the commitment by the Rapid Support Forces and its leader General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo in ending the conflict in Sudan through dialogue … We are looking forward to nothing but a peaceful resolution and a stable neighbour,” President Ruto said.
Dagalo received an almost head of state reception at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport complete with a flower girls and troupe of dancers, while he had flag protocols set up at State House Nairobi for the photo op. Uganda and Djibouti did not extend such treatment.
At the airport, he was received by Kenya’s powerful Interior and National Administration Minister Prof Kithure Kindiki, National Intelligence Service Chief Noordin Haji and Nyaribari Chache MP Zaheer Jhanda, a close ally of President Ruto who has in the past been accused of involvement in gold scams.
In May 2019, police investigating a fake gold racket profiled businessman Jhanda as a person of interest in the conning of UAE ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, claims he has severally denied.
In July last year, the legislator released a video telling off Lt Gen Yasser al-Atta, assistant commander-in-chief of the Sudan Armed Forces, who accused Ruto of interfering with Sudanese internal affairs.
Jhanda said Ruto’s intention was to ensure peace prevails in Sudan and people have access to aid and that Kenya has no interest in who governs Sudan but the people must be protected.
“Our business with Sudan is not about who leads Sudan, our business is to ensure that the humanitarian corridor is open so that the people in Sudan should not die. They should be given food; they should be given medicine,” he said.
Kenya Defence Forces Chief of Defence Forces General Francis Ogolla was also present at the State House talks.
In Nairobi, Dagalo also met with Sultan of Darfur Ahmed Ayoub Ali Dinar who “stressed the importance of the role of leaders and symbols of Sudanese society in preserving the unity and cohesion of our people.”
Dagalo’s visit was part of his recent meetings in the region in which he met Uganda President Yoweri Museveni on December 27, Ethiopia Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen on December 28 and Djibouti President and IGAD Chairman Omar Guelleh on December 31.
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