The statement followed Sudan’s decision to recall its ambassador to Kenya, Kamal Jabara, in protest against Nairobi’s hosting of talks involving the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and its allies.
Sudan’s foreign ministry accused Kenyan President William Ruto of “encouraging the partition of Sudan” by facilitating the RSF-led meetings, calling it a “hostile step” that undermines Sudanese sovereignty.
The talks, held on Tuesday, brought together around 30 political factions, civil organizations, and armed movements seeking to establish a parallel government in RSF-controlled areas. During the event, the RSF announced plans to sign a founding charter for a “peace and unity government” in Sudan.
RSF officials reportedly delayed the signing by three days to finalize negotiations with another Sudanese rebel leader attending the meeting. Originally scheduled for Tuesday at Nairobi’s state-owned Kenyatta International Convention Centre, the signing was postponed to Friday, RSF sources told AFP.
Regional backlash, sovereignty concerns
Sudan welcomed international opposition to threats against its sovereignty, thanking nations that have taken a stand, including UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who rejected forming a parallel government. Khartoum urged Kenya to reconsider its position, warning that it had already begun taking measures to safeguard its national security.
Egypt has repeatedly affirmed its commitment to Sudan’s territorial integrity and reiterated its support for the country's sovereignty. Last month, Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty visited Port Sudan to strengthen ties and discuss the latest developments.
Khartoum has accused Kenya of providing political, financial, and logistical support to the RSF, turning Nairobi into a hub for the group’s activities. It also cited recent RSF atrocities, including the killing of 433 civilians in Al-Qatranah, as evidence of an ongoing campaign of ethnic cleansing.
Kenya’s response
Kenya defended the meetings, saying they aimed to “accelerate an end to the war and secure an agreement among Sudanese parties.” Nairobi added that “the ongoing conflict is destroying a country that was on a positive path towards stability and democracy.”
Sudan rejected Kenya’s justification, arguing that the meetings bolster the RSF’s attempts to undermine the internationally recognized government — represented by the army and led by Sovereign Council Chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. It also dismissed comparisons to past peace talks, such as the 2002 Machakos negotiations, insisting that those had taken place with government approval and under international mediation.
In a statement late on Tuesday, Sudan warned that Kenya’s role in the talks “promotes the dismembering of African states, violates their sovereignty, and interferes in their internal affairs.”
Since April 2023, the war between the Sudanese army and the RSF, led by militia chief Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, has killed tens of thousands, displaced more than 12 million, and caused the world’s worst hunger and displacement crises.
The conflict has also divided Sudan, with the army — the country’s legitimate governing force — controlling the east and north, while the RSF holds nearly all of the western Darfur region and large parts of the south.
In recent weeks, the army has advanced through central Sudan, reclaiming key cities and much of the capital, Khartoum.
The RSF’s decision to sign a charter with allied political factions and declare a government in the areas it controls is seen as an attempt to consolidate its hold on Darfur. This move deepens the country’s fragmentation between a legitimate government backed by the army and an RSF-led administration.
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