IGAD timeline of diplomatic efforts

15 April

The Executive Secretary of IGAD urged SAF and RSF to:

  • immediately cease fighting
  • de-escalate the situation
  • resolve their differences through dialogue

16 April

IGAD convened its 40th extraordinary Summit virtually and adopted a communique that

  • urged civilian parties to engage in assisting cessation of fighting
  • tasked a high-level delegation led by South Sudan’s President, Salva Kiir Mayardit to mediate the two parties

7 May

The Executive Secretary of IGAD urged the SAF and RSF to immediately and unconditionally agree to a humanitarian ceasefire as the two parties started pre-negotiation talks in Jeddah.

12 June

The 14th ordinary session of IGAD Heads of State and Government, held on 12 June in Djibouti, decided to expand IGAD’s mediation team and established quartet comprising Kenya, Ethiopia, South Sudan, and Somalia to resolve the crisis in Sudan, with Kenya chairing the quartet.

19 June

Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the IGAD Quartet Group of Countries on Sudan held their first meeting and agreed to:

  • Implement IGAD Roadmap for peace in Sudan adopted at the 14th ordinary session of the IGAD summit, uphold the principle of subsidiarity, ensure Sudanese-ownership and leadership of the peace process, and facilitate the participation of AU in all meetings of the quartet;
  • Report to IGAD summit on preparations for the face-to-face meeting of the leaders of the warring parties in Addis Ababa;
  • Ensure that all the concerns and requests of the Sudanese people are duly considered and addressed;
  • Adopt a step-by-step approach towards the resolution of the conflict and prioritize the realization of face-to-face meeting;
  • Welcome the Jeddah process facilitated by Saudi Arabia and the US;
  • Launch an all-inclusive political process towards democratic and civilian rule to be hosted by Kenya in mid-July or the first week of August 2023;
  • Designate Senior Officials to coordinate the IGAD Quartet group of countries work and provide technical and advisory support;
  • Appoint an IGAD Special Envoy for Sudan;
  • Channel all official communications regarding the work of the IGAD Quartet group of countries t through the IGAD Secretariat; and
  • Regularly update IGAD summit Quartet group of countries on the work of the Committee.

10 July

Heads of State and Government of the IGAD Quartet Group of Countries for the resolution of the situation in Sudan held the 1st meeting in Addis Ababa and adopted a communique that:

  • Appreciated the efforts of the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia whose concern and commitment to peace in Sudan is very visible through the Jeddah talks;
  • Urged the parties to immediately stop the violence and sign an unconditional and indefinite ceasefire through a cessation of hostilities agreement that shall be supported by an effective enforcement and monitoring mechanism;
  • Decided to take concrete steps to facilitate immediate humanitarian assistance to all Sudanese affected by the conflict;
  • Resolved to request the East Africa Standby Force (EASF) summit to convene in order to consider the possible deployment of the EASF for the protection of civilians and guarantee humanitarian access;
  • Called upon states neighbouring Sudan to step up efforts for the delivery of humanitarian assistance and to take necessary measures to ease and lift any logistical barriers to the delivery of humanitarian aid including visa and customs requirements; and
  • Urged all Sudanese actors to engage in an all-inclusive Sudanese-owned and Sudanese-led dialogue towards a sustainable peace; in this regard, IGAD in coordination with the AU will immediately commence on of civilian engagement process that will deliver on these objectives.

27 October

IGAD—represented by its Executive Secretary, United States of America, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and African Union (AU)—co-facilitate the Sudan Humanitarian Ceasefire Talks in Jeddah.

26 November

During his visit to Djibouti, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan had a closed-door discussion with the president of Djibouti, Workneh Gebeyehu, the executive secretary of IGAD, and Ismail Omar Guelleh, the chairman of IGAD. They discussed ways to find a long-term solution to the current Sudanese situation, highlighting the importance of reaching a ceasefire.