AFRICA ( Commonwealth Union) _ The Arab League (AL) convened an urgent meeting in Cairo, marking the third such meeting in three weeks, to address the ongoing military conflicts in Sudan. The clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have resulted in casualties and raised concerns. Previous emergency meetings were held by the Arab League on April 16 and 30 to discuss the situation in Sudan.
However , during this recent meeting, high-ranking diplomats from Arab countries gathered in Cairo to explore avenues of cooperation in order to facilitate successful talks in Sudan. Their main and ultimate aim is to prevent the country from descending into a prolonged armed conflict and to find a genuine solution that ends the bloodshed. Protecting the well-being of Sudanese citizens, particularly given their reliance on humanitarian aid, is a paramount concern for the Arab League at this moment. The priority lies in finding a way out of the current crisis, rather than labeling the RSF as a militia or not, as highlighted by Amira Sayed, an African affairs researcher.
The meeting of the Arab League followed a busy week for Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, who engaged in discussions about the Sudanese crisis. Shoukry held talks with General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan of the SAF and General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo of the RSF, who represented the rival factions. Furthermore, Shoukry conferred with foreign ministers from seven Arab and African nations, including Kenya and Djibouti, to address the recent developments in Sudan.
Moreover, according to the Sudanese Health Ministry, the clashes have caused a significant toll and resulted in the deaths of 550 individuals and injuries to 4,926 others. However, it is evident that Arab League has started negotiations between Sudan’s warring sides.
