The return of the crisis in Sudan and the Renaissance Dam to celebrate the weekly agenda in Ethiopia

The heads of state and government of the Quartet of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) met last Monday in this capital, and expressed their concern about the repercussions of the war in Khartoum, with thousands of deaths and the displacement of nearly three million.

At the meeting chaired by Ethiopia, Djibouti, South Sudan and Kenya, as members of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), along with Eritrea, Somalia and Uganda, it was learned that among the number of displaced people are 2.2 million internally and about 615 thousand refugees who have crossed the border. towards neighboring countries due to clashes between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (Reporters Without Borders, in English).

The Quartet warned of the escalation of the conflict, the repeated violations of the various cease-fire agreements, and the spread of violence outside Khartoum to other regions, especially in Darfur and Kordofan, where it acquires ethnic and religious dimensions, which threatens to deepen it. Polarization in the African country.

He strongly urged the parties to immediately end the violence and sign an unconditional and indefinite ceasefire through a cessation of hostilities agreement backed by an effective enforcement and monitoring mechanism.

In view of the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Khartoum, it was decided to take concrete measures to facilitate immediate assistance to all Sudanese affected by the fighting, with a focus on vulnerable populations such as women, children and persons with disabilities.

The Heads of State and Government of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development condemned the widespread and serious violations of human rights, including sexual violence against girls and women.

The meeting was attended by Youssef Ezzat, a representative of the Rapid Support Forces, and although the Sudanese army was also invited to participate, it did not send a representative.

To continue searching for alternatives to the crisis in Sudan, a summit of neighboring countries was held last Thursday in coordination with the African Union and the Arab League in Egypt, an opportunity that Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed took advantage of to speak with the President of the Republic. Egyptian Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.

Ahmed and Sisi agreed to start expedited negotiations to finalize the agreement between the two countries and Sudan regarding the filling of the dam, after discussing ways to bypass the current stalemate of agreements on the subject that also includes operating rules.

An official statement revealed that the two sides decided to make all necessary efforts to conclude the negotiations within four months.

During that period, Addis Ababa expressed its commitment not to cause significant damage to Egypt and Sudan during the filling of the hydraulic project in the hydrological year 2023-2024, in order to meet the water needs of both countries.

According to the text issued by the Ethiopian Prime Minister’s Office, the two parties “affirmed their mutual political will to strengthen bilateral relations between their two countries politically, economically and culturally, based on the common desire to achieve their common interests and the prosperity of the two brotherly states.”

On the other hand, the 43rd Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union was held on July 13-14 in Nairobi, during which issues such as implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, budget issues and institutional reforms were discussed.

The meeting, prior to the semi-annual coordination meeting of that political organization that will be held tomorrow, was attended by representatives of member states, regional economic communities, regional mechanisms and associated international organizations.

Both high-level meetings contain the agenda of African nominations within the international system and the update of Agenda 2063, among other topics.

Omani Rial / Nimr