Sudan reactivates IGAD membership after 2-year hiatus

ISTANBUL

Sudan’s Foreign Ministry announced Monday it has resumed full participation in the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), two years after freezing its membership in the East African regional bloc.

The Sudanese government decided to reactivate its role in IGAD, citing a “positive statement” from the organization’s secretariat that reaffirmed its commitment to the founding frameworks governing regional cooperation, the ministry said.

The statement added that “the organization pledged noninterference in the internal affairs of member states, including full recognition of Sudan’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, national unity and the safety of its existing state institutions.”

Sudan also said international peace and security remain among its “top priorities” and that it is making every effort to safeguard them at both the regional and international levels, adding that it views regional cooperation as the cornerstone of broader international engagement.

Khartoum froze its membership in the IGAD after it announced the decision on Jan. 20, 2024, citing what it described as oversteps by the organization, including placing Sudan’s situation on the agenda of the bloc’s 42nd summit without prior consultation.

*Writing by Lina Altawell