Khartoum Confirms Readiness to Cooperate With ICC

 Hamdok received at his office here today International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Ms Fatou Bensouda (SUNA)
Hamdok received at his office here today International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Ms Fatou Bensouda (SUNA)
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Khartoum Confirms Readiness to Cooperate With ICC

 Hamdok received at his office here today International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Ms Fatou Bensouda (SUNA)
Hamdok received at his office here today International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Ms Fatou Bensouda (SUNA)

Sudanese officials confirmed Sunday the commitment of their country to achieve justice and cooperate with the International Criminal Court (ICC).

During a meeting with ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda, Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok affirmed his government's commitment to achieving justice as one of the slogans of the glorious December revolution.

"Sudan's commitment to achieving justice is not only one of the international obligations, but also comes in response to popular demands to establish justice and implement the slogans of the glorious revolution that demanded, among other things, justice,” he said in the presence of Cabinet Affairs Minister Ambassador Omer Manis and Justice Minister Nasr-Eddin Abdel-Bari.

Bensouda’s visit to Sudan comes within the framework of coordination and cooperation with the Sudanese government regarding the ICC arrest warrants against ex-leader Omar al-Bashir in 2009 and 2010 and two other former officials on charges of war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity during his campaign to crush a revolt in Darfur in which an estimated 300,000 people died.

Bensouda arrived in Sudan late on Saturday and met with First Vice-President of the Transitional Sovereign Council, Lt-General Mohammed Hamdan Daglo, who affirmed the Transitional Government's readiness to cooperate with the Court.

For her part, the ICC Prosecutor pointed out in a press statement that the main purpose of her visit is to coordinate and cooperate with the Sudanese authorities.

She said she met with the concerned authorities to obtain full commitment over these issues and stressed the need to achieve justice, especially for the victims of the Darfur region.



Sudan Lashes Out at Kenya's 'Hostile' Support for Rival Govt

Sudanese attend a protest in support of the army in the eastern city of Gedaref on February 22, 2025. (AFP)
Sudanese attend a protest in support of the army in the eastern city of Gedaref on February 22, 2025. (AFP)
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Sudan Lashes Out at Kenya's 'Hostile' Support for Rival Govt

Sudanese attend a protest in support of the army in the eastern city of Gedaref on February 22, 2025. (AFP)
Sudanese attend a protest in support of the army in the eastern city of Gedaref on February 22, 2025. (AFP)

Sudan's army-aligned administration lashed out Monday at what it called Kenya's "irresponsible and hostile" support for efforts by Khartoum's paramilitary rivals to form a parallel government.

Since April 2023, army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, once allies, have been locked in a power struggle that has dragged the country into war.

Late Saturday, the RSF and a coalition of political and armed groups signed in Nairobi a charter that would pave the way for a "peace and unity" government in rebel-held areas, with Kenya's foreign minister later saying the proposed administration would restore "democratic governance" in Sudan.

Sudan's foreign ministry condemned the "dangerous precedent" on Monday, saying that "in a grave threat to regional security and peace, the Kenyan leadership has adopted the parallel government that the genocidal militia and its followers intend to declare in some of the remaining pockets under their control".

The government, it added, would take "the necessary steps to respond to this irresponsible and hostile behavior".

Those steps appeared to be taking shape Monday, with foreign ministry undersecretary Hussein Al-Amin Al-Fadil telling a press conference in Port Sudan that "measures against Kenya are escalating, and there are arrangements for economic measures, including a ban on importing Kenyan products".

He also said Sudan was in the process of withdrawing its ambassador from Nairobi and would file a complaint against Kenya through regional and international channels.

Among the signatories of the charter was a faction of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North led by Abdelaziz al-Hilu, which controls parts of the southern states of South Kordofan and Blue Nile.

The United Nations warned that the signing of the charter would "increase the fragmentation" of the war-torn country.

But in a post on X on Sunday, Kenyan Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi called the charter "a peace agreement", describing the proposed administration as a "a unity government" that would restore "peace, stability, and democratic governance in Sudan".

In its statement, Khartoum accused Nairobi of creating a "false facade for the militia to directly obtain weapons", while "relieving regional sponsors of some embarrassment".

The foreign ministry said that this "would expand the scope of war and prolong its duration" and warned of potential damage to bilateral ties with Kenya.

Fadil said Monday that Kenyan President William Ruto "has known personal interests with the militia leader and its sponsors, and is betting on losing cards".

Saturday's signing of the charter comes as the army and its allied factions are making advances against the RSF in the capital Khartoum and in central Sudan.

The war in Sudan, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives, erupted after a rift emerged between Burhan and Daglo over the future structure of the government.

The war has triggered the world's largest displacement and hunger crisis.

Both warring sides face accusations of committing grave atrocities against civilians, with their leaders sanctioned by the US.