African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies ACJPS | المركز الافريقي لدراسات العدالة و السلام
(29 November 2023) The African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies (ACJPS) welcomes a resolution of the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU) at its 1185th meeting, held at the Ministerial level on the Situation in Sudan establishing a high-level panel to deal with the ongoing armed conflict in Sudan.
In a Communique adopted at its 1185th meeting on 15 November 2023, the PSC at its ministerial session requested the Chairperson of the Commission “to set up a High-Level Ad hoc Panel on Sudan, that will work with all the Sudanese stakeholders including women and the youth, to ensure an all-inclusive process towards this civilian-led political transition”. The communique does not list the specific roles of the high-level panel but it is expected to work on the Sudan situation on a full-time basis.
Acting under Article 7 of its Protocol, the PSC also emphasized that there can be no viable and sustainable military solution to the conflict and that only genuine, truly representative, and all-inclusive Sudanese dialogue can lead to an amicable and sustainable solution to the current situation, and in this regard, while welcoming the Agreement on Humanitarian Access signed on 7 November 2023 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, it stressed the need to ensure Africa’s full and effective participation and involvement in the Jeddah peace process.
The Council further Underlined the primacy of ownership, coordination, coherence, and leadership of all political processes towards a lasting solution to the current situation by the Sudanese, and in this context, reiterated the importance of a single, inclusive, and coordinated peace process for Sudan, under the auspices of the AU and IGAD, and with the support of the other members of the international community.
The Sudan war has continued with more than 10,000 people killed, thousands injured and millions displaced. In November 2023 alone, at least 1,300 people were killed in ethnically motivated attacks in the Ardmata locality of West Darfur. The true extent of the tragedy is likely much higher due to the intensity of the fighting and the challenges in documenting and confirming casualties. Hundreds of civilians have been subjected to sexual violence. Survivors, predominantly women and girls, face brutal acts of rape, abduction, and sexual slavery. Millions are still in need of vital humanitarian assistance, which, in many places, is all but impossible to deliver. Several attempts by the international community to end the war peacefully have yet to yield any positive results.
The PSC had previously in October 2023 reiterated its call for cessation of hostilities and protection of civilians. This November resolution is important as it goes beyond the mere expression of grave concern and condemnation of the war and demonstrates its commitment to ensuring that the armed conflict in Sudan is ended peacefully with the participation of all Sudanese stakeholders.
Therefore, we applaud the Council, for the resolution but urge it to speed up the process of stabilizing the panel and review all the other tools and resources available for it to ensure the two warring parties agree to a cease-fire. We further request the Council to request the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights to conduct a fact-finding mission to establish the facts and circumstances of the alleged recent human rights violations committed in Sudan and present its findings to the AU Peace and Security Council as soon as possible.
