Sudan has recently suspended its membership in the regional organization of The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD)following the dispute upon the invitation of Rapid Support Forces Leader Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dalago (Himiti). Since the eruption of ongoing war in Sudan between the Sudan Military SMF and SAF, the relationship between the Sudan de facto government Sovereign Council has been tensioned on the basis of the role the regional organization has been playing as the Sudan government claims to be biased towards SAF and interfere in Sudan sovereign affairs.
As to the escalating nature of civil war and its gross human violations, the path to the peace deal has been stalled. Further to that, no tangible efforts to be taken in order to pave a constructive ground for any serious peace talks. Indeed, the defeated military backed by former Islamists components has casted its shows on the Sudan central gripped junta. The action against IGAD would complicate Sudan crisis at regional and international levels, while the SAF leader continues his diplomatic shuttle appearances in Eastern African states welcoming by their presidents, the counterpart Gen. Abdel Fatah al-Burah leader of SMF refused any summit that would put him meeting the SAF leader.
Sudan Ministry of Foreign Affairs which announced on a statement that Sudan has suspended its membership on IGAD by a letter sent by the Chief Army to President Ismail Omar Guelleho of Djibouti, current chair of IGAD, “to inform him of the Sudanese government decision suspending its membership”. Diplomatically, such action is not without a political if not ideological position, for the major states of the regional bloc have troubled strategic interests with Nile sharing states as Egypt and Ethiopia which did not attend the summit held on 18 January. Seemingly, Sudan opportunistically depends on Egyptian role and support in its conflict with African neighboring states.
On the battle ground, the national military and its allies lost so many states, military bases and towns across the country. This turn in war has not only complicated the internal situation of the internally displaced people IDPs; war brutality would definitely be doubled. The situation will be continuing without foreseeable solution nor peace
deal reached either. Each fighting party is insisting to win the war as an overwhelming victory, regardless of the fact the death toll has reached an uncalculated number.
What’s next? Sudan membership suspension at the IGAD would result in multifaceted international cooperation, not to mention the coming up of isolation regionally. The decision of withdrawal from a regional organization was underestimated at least politically for a number of reasons. Firstly, Sudan was among the founding states of the first African organization, the former African Unity Organization substituted by the current African Union AU. Secondly, the mediation role being played by IGAD to foster the peaceful means to settle down Sudan’s crisis has been essential in transforming the nature of the brutal conflict.