Kenya Pushes for African-Led Peace in Sudan

By Kennedy Nalyanya

Kenya is stepping up, welcoming a joint statement from the Quad—a group made up of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States—on their efforts to bring peace back to Sudan.

In a recent statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that any lasting solution for Sudan must be African-led. Kenya believes it's crucial for the various peace talks to be brought together under one unified process, one that is strongly supported by the international community.

The Kenyan government has consistently called for a coordinated response from major regional and international bodies, including the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the African Union (AU), the United Nations (UN), and the Arab League.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Kenya’s position is clear: a negotiated settlement between the warring Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) is urgently needed. The government believes that political solutions should always be the priority in resolving conflicts.

Kenya also took a firm stance against outside interference, calling for an immediate halt to all external military support. The government argues that these outside influences are fuelling the crisis and creating more instability not just in Sudan, but across the entire region.

In a show of solidarity, Kenya reaffirmed its commitment to facilitating the delivery of much-needed humanitarian aid through its territory to help the Sudanese people.

The ongoing two-and-a-half-year war between the RSF and the army has created what the UN calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Widespread famine is a growing threat, particularly in places like al-Fashir, the capital of North Darfur. This city has become a major front line in the conflict as the RSF works to establish a parallel government.

The fighting has forced nearly half a million people to flee al-Fashir since May 2024, with 270,000 still trapped in the city. The people of Sudan are in desperate need of a peaceful resolution, and Kenya's push for an African-led solution aims to put the power back in the hands of the continent to solve its own problems.