News24.com | 'We've been in this game for some time': Kenya volunteers to mediate in Sudan crisis

• Kenya won't remove its embassy officials from Sudan as it takes centre stage in negotiating peace.
• Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces agreed to a 72-hour peace deal, the United States said.
• Kenya has asked foreign "interests" not to take sides in the war despite personal interests.

Kenya resolved not to remove its embassy officials from Sudan, as other nations have done, because it intends to be at the centre of finding a peaceful solution to the fighting that has stretched for over a week.

It appealed to foreign "interests" to "just keep off and let us bring peace to Sudan".

Alfred Mutua, Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs who is on a working visit to New York, said at a media briefing that his country was the best candidate for the job.

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"What we are doing as Kenya is that we are not just going to wait. We are saying – we've stuck our necks out and said, we can provide a solution. We've been in this game for some time. We kind of have a bit of experience in how these things are done," he added.

Diplomacy might be the next big step to end the conflict in Sudan after the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) agreed to abide by a three-day ceasefire, which was due to start at midnight on Tuesday.

In a statement issued late on Monday night, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the temporary ceasefire, which he hoped would be the first step to a full-time cessation of hostilities.

"Following intense negotiation over the past 48 hours, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have agreed to implement a nationwide ceasefire starting at midnight on 24 April, to last for 72 hours. During this period, the United States urges the SAF and RSF to immediately and fully uphold the ceasefire," he said.

Blinken said during the ceasefire the US, together with other global and regional partners, would "assist in the creation of a committee to oversee the negotiation, conclusion and implementation of a permanent cessation of hostilities and humanitarian arrangements in Sudan".

Mutua said because of its mandate as an Intergovernmental Authority on Development member, Kenya would not remove its embassy officials from Sudan.

He said:

If the warring parties abide by the three-day cessation, President William Ruto of Kenya would likely fly to Sudan.

"President Ruto is looking forward to going to Sudan as soon as it stabilises and there is enough security to try and see how we can engage the leaders. We are trying to engage the two warring parties. We're trying to bring them to the table so that we can have a good end to a cessation of the violence," Mutua added.

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Like other international partners, Kenya wants to see a return to civilian rule in Sudan. However, that's a sticking point in the conflict.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a Sudanese diplomat told News24 the military rulers feared a civilian-led government because it would make both the SAF and RSF accountable for war crimes they committed in the past and during the current upheaval.

Some governments from across the world have been angling for an advantage in the Sudan crisis depending on which side of the war they are supporting. But Kenya has pleaded to foreign nations not to go that route because war will not necessarily bring about a victor or leave Sudan in a better position.

"In terms of involvement and indirect and direct involvement of various groups, we've been quite concerned by some of our friends in the Middle East and Russia and others who, for a long time, have been friendly to either one or the other side.

Mutua added:

Mutua said there was hope for a Kenyan-led peace process because "the two warring leaders are talking to us, so that's a good sign. When they are being spoken to, they're talking back, and we're able to open the channels of communication".

Mutua said the first issue that needed to be addressed during the talks was the reason why they were fighting. Therefore, finding common ground was the first step to moving forward, Mutua added.

The News24 Africa Desk is supported by the Hanns Seidel Foundation. The stories produced through the Africa Desk and the opinions and statements that may be contained herein do not reflect those of the Hanns Seidel Foundation.