NAIROBI, Apr 29 – Kenya has dismissed a diplomatic note circulated by Sudan’s SAF-led administration blaming Nairobi for exacerbating the ongoing conflict in Sudan, calling the accusations a “baseless tirade.”
In a strongly worded press statement issued on Tuesday, the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs said it had taken note “with concern” of the SAF’s communication to diplomatic missions, which it said wrongly shifts blame to Kenya for the “tragic and unending conflict” that has gripped Sudan for over two years.
“While the human toll and infrastructure damage are heartbreaking, the protagonists continue to pursue their narrow interests with complete impunity,” the Foreign Office said, referencing the Sudanese conflict that has left thousands dead, millions displaced, and millions more without access to humanitarian aid.
Reaffirming its position as a regional peacebuilder, Kenya emphasized that it has acted within the framework of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and other mechanisms to help mediate the crisis.
Unrivalled credentials
The ministry noted that Kenyan officials have met with leaders of both the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), “both simultaneously and at separate intervals,” underscoring the country’s “unrivalled credentials for peaceful conflict mediation.”
The government also addressed recent claims related to a Sudanese opposition gathering in Nairobi, where a political roadmap was adopted by RSF and other opposition factions.
“The convening of this dialogue forum in our capital, Nairobi, or elsewhere on Kenya’s territory, neither equates to endorsing any forum’s outcome nor constitutes the formation of an exile government as has been alleged,” the Foreign Office clarified.
With the conflict in Sudan still unresolved, Kenya urged key international stakeholders to support a negotiated settlement.
“Kenya therefore urges key players to the conflict in Sudan to find a pathway to peaceful resolution and end the bloodletting.”
“Indeed, the international community has a duty under the UN Charter to protect human life, property and help silence the guns,” the foreign ministry asserted.
