Ending Sudan's war rests with Sudanese alone, says former PM Hamdok
The fighting between the regular army, led by Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), headed by his former deputy Mohamed Dagalo, erupted on April 15, 2023 and has claimed tens of thousands of lives, displaced 13 million people and triggered the world's worst humanitarian crisis.
"The war was ignited by Sudanese hands, and the responsibility for ending it immediately rests with the Sudanese alone," Mr Hamdok said in his letter. "It is truly regrettable that, despite all the death, destruction, and devastation that has befallen the country and its people, the sound of the gun remains the loudest, and the warring parties continue to threaten us with more killing and destruction," he said.
Mr Hamdok was installed as prime minister in a civilian-led transitional government in August 2019, months after the military removed long-time dictator Omar Al Bashir amid widespread protests against his rule. His government was toppled by the military and the RSF in October 2021. He now leads the Civil Democratic Alliance for Revolutionary Forces, which was formed earlier this year and comprises political parties, professional groups and unions, and civil activist groups.
Mr Hamdok warned in his letter that recent ISIS-affiliated violence in Sudan would return the country to the same situation that placed it on the list of state sponsors of terrorism under the former regime, and threatened to transform it into a "fertile ground for extremist and international terrorist groups".
He said that the former regime's approach of destabilising neighbouring countries and engaging in confrontation with the international community, which led to the Sudan being isolated for 30 years, was again looming. "The recent military threats against Chad, South Sudan, Kenya and regional countries, as well as the lawsuit filed against the UAE at the International Court of Justice, are dangerous indicators of this trend," he said.
He expressed "deep appreciation" to all countries and regional and international organisations that have supported Sudanese civilians during the war. He called on the warring parties to accept the Sudan Peace Appeal initiative, which was launched by the alliance during the holy month of Ramadan to try to end the war.
The initiative calls for a joint meeting of the UN Security Council and the African Union Peace and Security Council, attended by the leaders of the army, the Rapid Support Forces and other Sudanese groups. The goal of the process is to reach a permanent ceasefire, a comprehensive peace agreement and the formation of a transitional civilian authority with full powers to address the effects of the war, rebuild Sudan and lead the country to elections.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Etihad
2 days ago
- Al Etihad
Time for international organisations to adapt and change
29 July 2025 01:16 By: OBAID FAISAL ALKAABIThe international organisations and their role in today's world have become a subject of debate, not only in the Global South but also in the western corridors of power. Over the past decade, some western countries have taken the lead in criticising international organisations and blocs with some even opting to withdraw from them, claiming that these bodies no longer serve their interests or align with their policies, with the United States at the forefront during the first and second administrations of President Donald the most recent US decisions in this regard was its withdrawal from UNESCO; it has already left the World Health Organization, the Paris Climate Agreement, and the Human Rights Council. Trump's return to the White House has renewed this trend, as his administration once again reviews America's membership in various United Nations-affiliated bodies. Official justifications for these decisions often centre around claims of bias, lack of independence, poor crisis management, and failure to achieve US interests. The United States contributes significantly more funding to these organisations than many other, more populous countries. The change has gone to the point that a Republican senator introduced a bill in the Senate urging the US to quit the United moves significantly weakened the activity of some organisations and perhaps paralysed others, whether due to funding cuts or by banning their operations in certain from official reasons, Trump is not convinced by the post-World War II global order, which was established by the US and led to the creation of international political and economic institutions, chief among them the United Nations and its agencies. While the multiple US withdrawals from international organisations and treaties may diminish its global role to some extent, Washington views this as a principled rejection of multilateral mechanisms, even as international law is largely dependent on such Trump, the United States adopts a transactional attitude towards global engagement. As such, membership in international organisations is evaluated through a cost-benefit lens, especially in terms of economic cutting costs may be one factor, the more decisive motive remains the 'America First' policy. Accordingly, Washington places little value on organisations that do not align with its inward-focused policies and its preference for domestic over international before Trump came to power, there was another example from the western part of the world. In 2016, the United Kingdom chose to leave the European Union for reasons connected to immigration, economics, and sovereignty. This marked a return of protectionist measures to the global economic scene, culminating in today's widespread tariff hikes, although many believed such practices had been dismantled in the post-World War II transformations take time, there seems to be a shift toward alternative mechanisms that may marginalise international organisations, especially if this western vision is not merely a passing phase tied to certain political figures. Yet, we must also acknowledge the shortcomings of international organisations in the face of global conflicts. Some international organisations' handling of wars and crises has often exposed institutional bias, either embedded within their structures or forced upon them by dominant global powers seeking to legitimise their geopolitical end of World War II ushered in a new era of global governance, where sovereign equality among nations would be enshrined through the United Nations. But it seems that the current US administration wants to reshape the world in a way that advances its own interests and reinforces its dominance and values. It seeks to rewrite the rules on global issues like trade, cyberspace, and emerging technologies. Meanwhile, many countries in the Global South remain disillusioned by the current global system that has yet to fulfill their aspirations. They now call for a multi-polar world order that respects sovereignty and ensures economic and social these diverging global visions, international organisations find themselves at a critical juncture: Will they remain entrenched in the current world order, or will they evolve to become foundational institutions in the coming era as well? The columnist is a staffer at the think-tank firm TRENDS Research & Advisory
The National
3 days ago
- The National
Sudan's army-backed government condemns RSF naming new PM
Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF) named a prime minister and a presidential council to lead a government to rival the army-backed administration in a move that risks further dividing the war-torn country. The army-backed government has condemned the RSF's announcement, describing it as a 'phantom government' and accusing the group of 'disregarding the suffering of the Sudanese people'. 'This is clear evidence of the defeat and rout of the rebel group at the hands of our valiant armed forces,' the army-backed Foreign Ministry said on Sunday. The RSF appointed Mohamed Hassan Al Tayashi – a former member of Sudan's Transitional Sovereignty Council from 2019 until 2021 as Prime Minister. The announcement was made from the city of Nyala, in Darfur, where the group's tribal power base resides. Authorities accused the RSF of deliberately trying to undermine the military-aligned government, which has been the ruling body of the Afro-Arab country since 2019. Sudan is split, with the army controlling the north, east and centre, having recently retaken the capital Khartoum, while the RSF holds most of Darfur and parts of Kordofan. General Abdel Fattah Al Burhan has pledged to continue fighting until the army regains control of all territory. The RSF and allied rebel groups claim the move is a step towards forming a 'New Sudan' and challenging the army's legitimacy. The Mashad Organisation for Human Rights and Humanitarian Development, a Sudanese NGO, warned that the RSF's announcement could deepen the country's humanitarian crisis. 'This represents a grave violation of international law and an affront to the will of the Sudanese people,' the organisation's head, Ahmed Abdullah, told The National last week. 'Any effort to impose realities by force will only lead to more violence and division,' he said. Since the conflict erupted in April 2023, more than tens of thousands have been killed, and more than 20 million displaced, according to the UN. Sudan's war has also pushed millions into hunger, with the UN warning that the RSF's move could further fragment the country and complicate already fragile peace efforts.
The National
3 days ago
- The National
Powerful Iran-backed militia clashes with Iraqi troops in Baghdad over government appointment
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani has ordered an investigation, after clashes erupted in Baghdad on Sunday between Iraqi security troops and a powerful Iran-backed Shiite militia after the group stormed a government office to reinstate a dismissed official by force, security authorities said. The militants entered the building of an office linked to the Ministry of Agriculture where the new director was holding a meeting with employees 'causing panic among the employees, who immediately called for security assistance', the Interior Ministry said. When units of the Federal Police and Emergency Response Teams arrived they 'came under direct fire from the gunmen', it said. A number of security troops were injured and at least 14 militants arrested, it said. The Joint Operation Command identified the arrested militants as affiliated to Brigades 45 and 46 in the Popular Mobilisation Forces, an umbrella group of paramilitaries of influential Tehran-backed Shiite militias. When ISIS swept through large parts in northern and western Iraq, US-trained security troops collapsed in a humiliating defeat. To face the advancing extremist militants, thousands of Shiite volunteers answered the call to arms by Iraq's influential Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali Al Sistani. At the time, the government of former prime minister Nouri Al Maliki had already formed the PMF to organise and supervise the volunteers as parallel forces. Shortly after its formation, several powerful Iran-backed Shiite militias joined the PMF. By then, some of them were fighting alongside Bashar Al Assad's forces in Syria 's civil war. During the fight against ISIS, some of these militias were accused of human rights breaches against civilians in Sunni areas. The Iraqi government and PMF acknowledged these breaches as 'individual acts'. The US has blacklisted several PMF leaders in a bid to increase pressure on Iran's proxies in Iraq, sanctioning senior figures between 2019 and 2021 under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act. Since declaring ISIS defeated in late 2017, the PMF and mainly Tehran-aligned militias have emerged as a powerful force in Iraq and grown more defiant towards the government and opposition groups.
