Addis Ababa: Chairman of the AU High-level Panel on Sudan, Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, said that Ethiopia is playing a decisive role in ending the war in Sudan while also taking concrete steps to improve the humanitarian situation in the country.
According to Ethiopian News Agency, it is to be recalled that this week Ethiopia co-hosted a humanitarian conference in Addis Ababa with the United Arab Emirates, the African Union, and IGAD. The conference aimed to mobilize regional and global support to address Sudan’s dire humanitarian crisis and deliver a strong unified call for a humanitarian ceasefire during the month of Ramadan.
During the occasion, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed reaffirmed that Ethiopia stands in solidarity with the people of Sudan during these challenging times, noting that the two countries are deeply interdependent, bound by generations of shared struggles, aspirations, and cultural ties. The Premier also announced a modest contribution of 15 million USD in solidarity with the people of Sudan from Ethiopia.
Chairman of the AU High-level Panel on Sudan, Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, commended Ethiopia’s endeavors in this regard. He explained Ethiopia’s longstanding positive role in ending the war in Sudan while also taking concrete steps to improve the humanitarian situation in the country.
“Ethiopia is always playing a positive role to end the war, improve the humanitarian situation, and support an all-inclusive Sudanese dialogue to bring lasting peace to Sudan,” Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas said. On the sidelines of the African Union summit, the Chairperson told Pulse of Africa that Ethiopia, one of Sudan’s important neighbors, has maintained very cordial and strong relations with Sudan throughout the years.
Ethiopia has been welcoming Sudanese refugees, the Chairman of the AU High-Level Panel on Sudan stated. “Ethiopia is one of the countries with whom we are always consulting, playing a positive role in ending the war, improving the humanitarian situation, and supporting an all-inclusive Sudanese dialogue to bring lasting peace,” he said.
According to Ibn Chambas, Sudan is a major concern, and Ethiopia is working with all Sudanese stakeholders to ensure peace is restored. During the summit, he said there were high-level discussions on Sudan, including a meeting of the Peace and Security Council and a head-of-state meeting on Sudan, with the UN Secretary-General and the League of Arab States in attendance.
At the head-of-state meeting on Sudan and AU’s Peace and Security Council, it was generally agreed that, first and foremost, the war must end. “We are hoping that with the holy month of Ramadan approaching, a truce can be achieved, and all fighting should halt in respect of Ramadan. This should be an opportunity to work toward a ceasefire in Sudan,” he said.
The second priority is the worsening humanitarian situation, Ibn Chambas underlined. Over 10 million people are internally displaced, more than 2 million people have already fled, and there is a lack of food and other essentials. Vital infrastructure is being destroyed. This must be improved, and finally, the importance of a political dialogue was emphasized, the Chairman of the AU High-Level Panel on Sudan underlined.
The AU is committed to leading this process, working closely with partners like IGAD, the UN, the League of Arab States, and the European Union, all of whom want to support Sudan in dialogue, negotiation, and mediation as a way to end the war. There is no military solution to the deep political crisis in Sudan, the Chairman of the AU High-Level Panel on Sudan stressed.