AU rejects Sudan’s return without civilian-led government

The African Union (AU) has reaffirmed its refusal to reinstate Sudan’s membership, suspended after the October 2021 military coup, until a civilian-led transitional government is established.

“The AU’s position is constant: zero tolerance for unconstitutional coups,” said AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Bankole Adeoye, during the 15th annual consultative meeting between the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC) and the European Union Political and Security Committee (EU PSC) in Addis Ababa on Friday.

Adeoye emphasized that resolving Sudan’s crisis requires civilian and political actors’ active involvement, rejecting a military-only solution. “We believe that a military solution to the crisis cannot be achieved without the participation of active civilian and political actors,” he stated.

The AU has proposed a roadmap for peace in Sudan, prioritizing a ceasefire and humanitarian access. However, Sudan’s military leadership has demanded its AU membership be reinstated before accepting the plan. Adeoye highlighted external interference as a key factor fueling the conflict between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which has displaced millions and triggered a severe humanitarian crisis.

The AU is collaborating with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the United Nations to craft a practical resolution to the crisis. However, Adeoye made clear that deploying a proposed AU mission to Sudan depends on achieving a durable ceasefire agreement.

The AU-EU meeting also tackled other pressing regional issues, including the security challenges in Somalia and the Sahel.