BY ESTHER MUTURI
Kenya has unfortunately shut down its embassy in Khartoum, Sudan to protect their staff, and in a devastating report closed its doors on any further evacuation for Kenyan diplomats and civilians.
According to Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei, Nairobi’s diplomats in Khartoum are facing great safety risks, forcing the government to close the embassy, and upending Kenya’s initial policy of staying around to help pursue peace.
He wrote on his Twitter account that they still receive disturbing news of diplomatic officials being targetted by armed groups in Khartoum, Sudan, and that The Kenya Mission in Khartoum which was open to facilitate the evacuation of Kenyans still in Sudan is closed.
So far 900 nationals have been rescued since the war started on April 15.
Kenya’s decision to shut its embassy in Khartoum comes on the back of possible attacks as fighting escalates between Sudan’s army and paramilitary forces.
The embassy will, however, remain open to supporting the evacuation of Kenyan citizens according to Foreign Affairs and Diaspora Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua.
Mutua said that solutions are being sought for Sudan. Organizations such as The African Union and The Intergovernmental Authority on Development are coming together to help Sudan. But Kenya is not shutting down their diplomatic offices because they would like to be present as they negotiate.
About a week ago, the Jeddah Talks, a mediation project pursued by Saudi Arabia and the US, got suspended after the US labeled the parties impractical to the ongoing war however, the mediators in Jeddah still engaged in parties to see how they would resume.
Despite the formal pause on 3rd June about the five-day ceasefire agreement, a statement from Jeddah said, “Facilitators continue to engage them daily.”
The discussions are focused on facilitating humanitarian assistance and reaching an agreement on near-term steps the parties must take before the Jeddah talks resume.
“Facilitators stand ready to resume formal talks and remind the parties that they must implement their obligations under the May 11 Jeddah Declaration of Commitment to Protect the Civilians of Sudan.”
Back on 24th April, Dr. Mutua said he was concerned that some Middle East countries took sides, hence fueling the war. He also expressed how important Sudan meant to Kenya and as part of the African Union, they want gun violence to stop and find solutions to stop the war but can’t happen if some groups only believe that there should be wars till the end.
The African Union recently launched its ‘roadmap’ to attempt peace in Sudan by involving more political and civilian movements.