East Africa envoy set to mediate with rival factions in Sudan conflict
The east African bloc IGAD's envoy to Sudan has said he plans a visit to the country next month where he is trying to act as a mediator.
Monday's announcement from IGAD's special envoy Lawrence Korbandy comes a year after the government in Sudan froze relations with the regional bloc and suspended its membership of the body.
Since April last year, Sudan has been mired in a brutal conflict, with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces under Mohamed Hamdan Daglo fighting the Sudanese Armed Forces, led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.
IGAD – in parallel with the United States and Saudi Arabia – has repeatedly attempted to mediate between the two warring generals, but to no avail.
In January, the bloc invited Daglo to a summit in Uganda, prompting a furious response from the Sudanese foreign ministry in the army-aligned government.
It accused IGAD of "violating Sudan's sovereignty" and setting a "dangerous precedent", saying it would suspend its membership of the bloc.
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New year visit
Speaking to journalists on Monday, special envoy Korbandy confirmed that a visit to Port Sudan was planned in the new year.
