Sudan: German foreign minister demands solution to conflict

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has called for greater "pressure" to be applied to both sides to find a negotiated solution to the ongoing conflict in Sudan.

Setting off on a multi-day trip to Djibouti, Kenya and South Sudan, Baerbock said in a statement that she wanted to discuss ways to bring the warring Sudanese generals Burhan and Hemedti to the negotiating table "so that they do not drag the people of Sudan further into the abyss and destabilize the region further."

Since April 2023, Sudan has been gripped by a civil war that has pitted army chief and de facto head of state Abdel Fattah al-Burhan against his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, commonly known as Hemedti, who commands the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia. The conflict has claimed the lives of more than 13,000 people and displaced 7.5 million.

"We must increase the pressure on both sides through sanctions, by holding them accountable for their crimes against the civilian population and by influencing their supporters from abroad," Baerbock said.

Baerbock: Sudan must not become a 'forgotten crisis'

The Green Party politician will call on neighboring countries from the regional Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the African Union to play a central role, but also highlighted Germany's role as the "second-biggest provider" of humanitarian aid to Sudan.

Previous mediation attempts have yielded only brief truces, and even those were systematically violated by the warring parties. Earlier this month, Sudan's army-aligned government spurned an invitation to a summit organized by the IGAD and subsequently suspended its membership in the bloc for engaging with Hemedti.

Beyond political talks, Baerbock will hold meetings with members of Sudan's civil society.

"Sudan will only find long-term peace with a civil democratic government," she insisted, emphasizing that the conflict should not become a "forgotten crisis."

In April 2023, several Western countries launched operations to evacuate their citizens from Sudan during a shaky cease-fire, with the German air force flying out over 600 people and France evacuating 538.

Djibouti: Baerbock to hold talks on Houthi Red Sea attacks

In addition to the conflict in Sudan, Baerbock will also hold talks with Djibouti Foreign Minister Mahamud Ali Jussuf over rising tensions with Houthi rebels in Yemenattacking vessels in the Red Sea.

"It is in our common interest to guarantee the security of shipping in this bottleneck of the global economy," Baerbock said.

Separated only by the 14-mile (26-kilometer) wide Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, a key maritime trading route, Djibouti and Yemen have long maintained close relations.

Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in western Yemen have recently been stepping up attacks on international commercial shipping in what they call solidarity with Palestinian civilians amid ongoing Israeli military operations in Gaza,  forcing several major shipping companies to re-route vessels.

In response, the US Navy and British Royal Navy with international support have struck Houthi targets in Yemen.

mf/sms (AFP, Reuters)