AFRICA/SUDAN - General al-Burhan launches full-scale diplomatic offensive

Khartoum (Agenzia Fides) – As the war in Sudan continues, the diplomatic activism of the government headed by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), is intensifying. This April 10, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) is holding a session to hear the appeal filed by Sudan against the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The case revolves around alleged violations of the Genocide Convention, particularly with regard to the Masalit ethnic group in West Darfur.

According to al-Burhan's government, the Emirates are complicit in the crimes committed against civilians by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by Mohamed Hamdan "Hemeti" Dagalo, by providing them with logistical and financial support.

As part of international efforts to halt the conflict that erupted on April 15, 2023, the United Kingdom will host a diplomatic conference in London on April 15. This conference will be attended by some twenty countries and international organizations—including France, Germany, Kenya, and the UAE, but not the two parties in conflict. This exclusion has been harshly criticized by Sudanese Foreign Minister Ali Yusuf, who sent a letter of protest to his British counterpart, David Lamy, calling it an "obstacle to peace efforts." He also questions the participation of countries such as Chad and Kenya, which he called "actors involved in the conflict."

Despite the tensions, General al-Burhan met on April 9 in Port Sudan with the British Special Envoy for Sudan, Richard Crowder, who assured him that the conference's objective is to promote peace and alleviate the suffering of the Sudanese people, without "imposing external solutions."

This was not the only significant diplomatic meeting for the Sudanese leader in recent days. Al-Burhan also received the heads of the intelligence services of Egypt and Mali. At the same time, Minister Ali Yusuf participated in a ministerial meeting of the Khartoum Process in Cairo on April 9, where he reaffirmed the country's commitment to the fight against illegal immigration. Launched in 2014, the Khartoum Process promotes international cooperation against human trafficking and migrant smuggling, and has expanded its scope to include initiatives for legal migration, development, and regional peace.

Finally, according to Sudanese press sources, Lieutenant General Sadiq Ismail, al-Burhan's special envoy, made a secret visit to Israel last week. The objective was reportedly to improve al-Burhan's image with the new US administration and to coordinate actions with Israeli officials in the face of the growing tensions between the UAE, al-Burhan, and the SAF. The envoy reportedly stressed that the recent resumption of relations with Iran responds to the urgent need for military support, given Sudan's international isolation.
(L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 10/4/2025)

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