UN Secretary-General Dispels Blame from International Community in Sudan Crisis

As the political and military conflict intensifies in Sudan, casting a grim shadow over the nation's future, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has stepped forward to clarify the position of the international community amidst criticism. Speaking in synergy with African Union Commission Chairperson Musa Faki Mahamat, Guterres emphasized that the onus of the strife lies not with the international efforts but with domestic power struggles among Sudanese factions.

The discord in Sudan reached a critical point over seven months ago following a fracture between two formidable military entities, leading to a compromising situation with allegations of atrocities committed against civilians, including massacres. During the 7th high-level dialogue in New York between the UN Secretariat and the AU Commission, Guterres revealed the depth of the problem.

Focusing on the responsibility of two Sudanese generals, he remarked on their blatant disregard for the welfare of the population in a quest for dominance, which has resulted in not only coups but violent conflicts. Guterres underscored the enormity of the situation by referencing the harrowing incidents against the Masilit ethnic group and vehemently rejected the notion that failures in Sudan should be laid at the feet of the UN or the AU. Instead, he attributed the crisis to those leaders who, per his assertion, "sacrificed the interests of their people for a pure struggle for power."

In contrast to the stark overview by Guterres, Mahamat projected a cautiously optimistic view on the road to peace in Sudan. He revealed ongoing efforts to broker a cessation of hostilities, including a promising process in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, which could potentially lead to an immediate ceasefire. He stressed the necessity of investigating and holding accountable those responsible for the conflict while maintaining a focus on ceasing the current hostilities.

Both leaders alluded to the extensive efforts made by IGAD and the AU to kickstart a political process toward transitioning to a democratically elected government in Sudan. Nevertheless, barriers remain significant, and the path towards a stable political horizon in Sudan is yet mired with challenges.

This meeting comes at a poignant time when the Sudanese government itself requested the termination of the UN's political mission, signaling fractures in the international approach to Sudan’s governance issues. Furthermore, conversation at the dialogue didn't shy away from the broader implications of such conflicts on peacekeeping operations in Africa, which are facing severe stress, nor from the call to developed countries by Mahamat to meet their financial commitments at the upcoming COP28 Climate Summit in Dubai.

The detailed discussions between Guterres and Mahamat outline the severity of Sudan's political climate and the imperative for decisive action and international accountability to navigate the country out of crisis and towards a democratic and stable future.