COMESA Council of Ministers Rejects Foreign Interference in Sudan

Harare – Sudanhorizon

Sudan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ambassador Mohieddin Salem Ahmed Ibrahim, headed the Sudanese delegation participating in the 21st Meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), held today in the Zimbabwean capital, Harare, with the participation of foreign ministers, heads of delegations, and the organization’s Secretary-General.

In his remarks, the minister reaffirmed Sudan’s firm position that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) should be accurately and explicitly described as a “rebel militia” in regional documents and deliberations, given the grave crimes and violations they have committed against civilians and the systematic destruction they have inflicted on infrastructure. He called on COMESA foreign ministers to visit the capital, Khartoum, to witness firsthand the scale of the destruction and the damage caused by the militia’s attacks on the country and its institutions.

The Foreign Minister stressed the importance of strengthening African coordination and joint action through a unified regional mechanism to address security and political challenges and confront rebel movements and cross-border terrorist groups that exploit crises to smuggle goods, undermine economic stability, and drive up the cost of living. He also called for greater regional cooperation to combat organized crime and drug trafficking and address threats to African communities, particularly women, young people, and the elderly, who are vulnerable to exploitation amid poverty and precarious living conditions.

The minister emphasized the close link between peace, security, and development, noting that stability across the region is essential for successful economic integration, expanded intra-African trade, food security, and border protection. He urged COMESA member states to unify their visions and positions on common threats, thereby strengthening the continent’s capacity to address crises and achieve lasting stability.

At the conclusion of its sessions, the COMESA Council of Ministers adopted recommendations concerning the report on the state of peace and security in Sudan and the region. The recommendations affirmed respect for Sudan’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the independence of its national institutions, while categorically rejecting foreign interference and military and financial supplies to armed parties and militias.

The recommendations also called for coordination among COMESA, the African Union, and African-led peace initiatives to prevent competing negotiation tracks. They underscored Sudan’s strategic importance to regional security, intra-African trade, food security, and border protection.

The recommendations further included support for the technical and logistical arrangements required to return the permanent headquarters of the COMESA Court of Justice to Khartoum. They also called for mobilizing African development institutions and the private sector to contribute to Sudan’s recovery and reconstruction, supporting the restoration of stability and strengthening development and economic integration across the region.

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