Al-Burhan to an African delegation: Sudan faces “new colonialism”

Sudan – The head of the Sudanese Sovereignty Council, Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, said yesterday, Thursday, that the war his country is facing with the Rapid Support Forces “represents new colonialism.”

Al-Burhan affirmed his rejection of attempts to control his country through “foreign parties” using “rapid support.”

This came during Al-Burhan’s meeting in Port Sudan (east) with the delegation of the African Peace and Security Council, headed by Mohamed Gad, Egypt’s permanent representative to the African Union, and the current rotating president of the Peace and Security Council, according to a statement by the Sovereignty Council.

During the meeting, Al-Burhan stressed that “what Sudan is exposed to represents new colonialism.”

He explained that “the African Union’s ignoring of the crisis that the people of Sudan are experiencing results from its lack of knowledge of the reality of this crisis,” according to the statement.

The statement quoted Al-Burhan as saying: “We reject control over Sudan by foreign parties (which he did not name) that use the Rapid Support militia in their war against the country.”

He continued: “The country is occupied by a rebel militia (Rapid Support) with the participation of foreign mercenaries, and the assistance of countries known to everyone,” without further details.

Since April 2023, a war has continued between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces, resulting in about 21,000 deaths and about 10 million displaced and refugees, according to the United Nations.

UN and international calls are mounting to end the war in order to spare Sudan a humanitarian catastrophe that has begun to push millions into famine and death due to food shortages due to the fighting that has spread to 13 out of 18 states.

Regarding the relationship with the continental bloc, Al-Burhan said: “We still see that the African Union’s characterization of what happened on October 25, 2021 as a coup, is inaccurate and contradicts the facts.”

He pointed out that “there is a political force (which he did not specify) that wants to return to power by any means before citizens return to their homes and areas occupied by the militia.”

The African Union decided to freeze Sudan’s membership in the continental bloc on October 27, 2021, two days after Al-Burhan imposed “extraordinary measures,” including dissolving the Sovereignty and Transitional Council of Ministers, arresting ministers and politicians, and declaring a state of emergency.

For his part, the head of the African Peace and Security delegation, Mohamed Gad, said, “This is the first visit of the Peace and Security Council to Sudan in several years.”

Gad explained that the clarifications provided by Al-Burhan to the Council delegation “helped in understanding the dimensions of the Sudanese crisis.”

He stated that the meeting with Al-Burhan touched on “the necessity of creating the necessary environment for Sudan to regain its membership in the African Union.”

Gad added, “Sudan cannot go through such a crisis and have its membership in the African Union frozen.”

Earlier Thursday, the African Peace and Security Council delegation arrived in Port Sudan on an indefinite visit during which it will meet with Sudanese officials.

Anatolia