The head of Sudan’s ruling sovereign council, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, arrived in Juba on Monday, where he was received at Juba International Airport by South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir.
Sudan’s acting foreign minister Ali al-Sadiq said following al-Burhan’s arrival at Juba airport that his country sees South Sudan as a “natural partner” in mediation efforts aimed at bringing the conflict in Sudan to an end.
“We in Sudan feels that South Sudan is the best country to meditate the conflict in Sudan, because we have been one country for so long and we know each other, we know the problems and we know our needs,” he said.
For his part, South Sudan’s cabinet minister Martin Elia Lomuro said Kiir is the best person to mediate between the Sudanese parties.
“It is known that President Kiir is the only person who has intimacy and knowledge about Sudan and can find a solution to the Sudanese crisis,” he said.
The visit is al-Burhan’s second trip outside Sudan since the conflict erupted in Khartoum on 15th April this year.
After fleeing the general command of the armed forces where he was besieged by the rebellious Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Al-Burhan traveled to Egypt last week where he held talks with President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi.
Sudan has been in political turmoil since the overthrow of longtime dictator Omar al-Bashir in 2019.
A transitional government was formed, but it has been plagued by divisions between the military and civilian factions.
In October 2021, al-Burhan led a coup against the civilian government, dissolving the transitional government and arresting several civilian leaders.
The coup sparked widespread protests and observers blame it for the ongoing conflict which has killed thousands of people, mostly civilians, and displaced millions to internal areas and neighboring countries including South Sudan which is hosting thousands.
