Sudan demands reinstatement before accepting AU mediation

Sudan's military leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan says Sudan will only consider the African Union’s proposal to end the conflict if the continental bloc reinstates its full membership.

The AU suspended Sudan following the military takeover of power on October 25, 2021.

Gen Burhan met members of the recently formed AU High-Level Panel on the Resolution of the Conflict in Sudan, led by Mohamed Ibn Chambas, on Sunday, March 3.

The three-member panel was established by the AU Commission in January to facilitate dialogue, restore constitutional order and work collaboratively with Sudanese stakeholders and the international community towards lasting peace.

A statement on the ruling Sudanese Sovereign Council’s Facebook page said Gen Burhan expressed “Sudan’s confidence in the AU and the potential solutions it can provide to end the war, but only if the state regains its full membership and the organization treats it as such”.

The statement added that Ibn Chambas reiterated the AU’s commitment to helping end the conflict and restoring stability in Sudan.