Sudanese warlord Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti, has landed in Uganda to participate in the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Heads of State and Government meeting, raising concerns about the absence of Sudan’s military leader, Gen Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan.
The summit, scheduled for Thursday at State House Entebbe, focuses on addressing the security and humanitarian crises in Sudan and the escalating conflict between Ethiopia and Somalia over Red Sea access.
Leaders already present in Uganda include South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit, Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh, and Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
In Kampala, Dagalo, who commands the rebel Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan, met with Mr. Ramatane Lamamra, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General of the United Nations. Dagalo discussed the situation in Sudan, emphasizing the need for peace and stability, expressing the desire to rebuild the Sudanese state under true democratic civil rule.
Gen Al-Burhan’s absence remains uncertain, casting a shadow over the summit’s political discussions. The Sudanese government, citing IGAD’s failure to facilitate talks between Al-Burhan and Dagalo, announced on January 13 that Al-Burhan would not attend the Entebbe summit. Khartoum objected to a rebel leader’s invitation, considering it a violation of sovereignty and IGAD’s charters.
Al-Burhan’s non-participation could hinder political solutions to Sudan’s crisis. The United Nations reports over 12,000 casualties since the conflict began in April 2023, with more than 7.3 million people displaced inside and outside Sudan. The number of displaced individuals in Sudan has risen by approximately 500,000 in one month, largely due to conflict-induced displacement from various states.
