Al-Burhan’s visit to Djibouti this morning involved meetings with President Ismail Omar, primarily focusing on enhancing bilateral relations. During his visit, Al-Burhan also engaged with Workneh on the sidelines of his meeting with the Djibouti president.
According to a statement from the Sudanese presidency, discussions between Al-Burhan and Workneh centered on ongoing talks in Saudi Arabia, where the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are engaging indirectly.
“The President of the Transitional Sovereign Council, Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, during his visit to the Djiboutian capital, met with the Executive Secretary of IGAD, Mr. Workneh Gebeyehu,” the presidency stated.
“The meeting primarily addressed the progress of indirect negotiations at the Juba platform and the challenges obstructing the path to an agreement,” the statement added.
Furthermore, it was announced that an emergency IGAD summit concerning the Sudan situation had been mutually agreed upon.
“The meeting concluded on the vital importance of expediting an IGAD summit in Djibouti to chart a definitive path towards resolving the crisis in Sudan,” the statement emphasized.
The statement attributed to the IGAD executive secretary highlighted that “a sustainable ceasefire, aimed at improving humanitarian conditions and fostering an environment conducive to a lasting political resolution, is imperative.”
Workneh confirmed the meeting with Al-Burhan on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), acknowledging the discussion about IGAD’s role in facilitating talks on the current crisis.
“I had a discussion with H.E. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, Chairman of the Sovereign Council of Sudan, in Djibouti today. Our discussion centered on the role played by IGAD in facilitating discussions on the prevailing crisis,” he stated.
“We agreed on the imperative for a sustainable #ceasefire, aiming to alleviate humanitarian conditions & create a conducive environment for a final political resolution,” he further added.
This meeting occurs amidst escalating violence in Sudan, with the RSF expanding its influence across Khartoum and the Darfur region, having secured control over four out of five states.
The conflict has resulted in numerous casualties, displacements of millions, and substantial damage to crucial infrastructure, with both sides attributing responsibility to each other for potential war crimes.