US diplomat due in Addis Ababa for talks on Sudan conflict

BABAGANA JIDDA

The U.S. assistant secretary of State for African affairs, Molly Phee, will be in Addis Ababa to meet with African leaders and Sudanese civilians on curbing the conflict in Sudan.

While there, Phee will also meet with Sudanese civilians and other senior government representatives, the East African bloc Intergovernmental Authority on Development and the African Union Commission.

Efforts had yielded no results to curb the fighting between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), with warring parties not yet negotiating.

The fighting had begun on April 15 in Khartoum, Sudan’s capital, with over 2.9 million dislodged from their homes, including about 700,000 running to neighboring countries, also with poverty and conflicts.

“We call on the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to immediately end the fighting and return to the barracks; adhere to their obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law; and allow unhindered humanitarian access to meet the emergency needs of civilians,” said the State Department.