By Brian Okoth
The Kenyan government has shut its embassy in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, as fighting between two rival groups enters the second month.
Kenya’s Foreign Affairs minister Alfred Mutua has told TRT Afrika that the consulate will only open after normalcy is restored in Khartoum.
“We will reopen the embassy upon return of calm in the country,” said Mutua.
“We hope to come up with good solutions for Sudan’s peace and development during the forthcoming IGAD Summit in Djibouti on June 12. Sudan is a member of IGAD,” he added.
The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), which is headquartered in Djibouti, is a body of eight member states. They are Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Eritrea and Uganda.
Its mission is to complement the efforts of its member states in peace, security, agriculture, environment, economic cooperation and social development.
Kenya’s decision to shut its embassy in Khartoum comes on the back of possible attacks as fighting rages on between Sudan’s army and paramilitary forces.
“The embassy will, however, remain open to supporting the evacuation of Kenyan citizens,” said Mutua.
Clashes erupted in Sudan on April 15 after weeks of heightened tensions between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, and the military, headed by Lieutenant-General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.
The two generals have disagreed over a proposed transition to civilian rule in Sudan after former president, Omar al-Bashir, was overthrown by military generals following a countrywide uprising against the head of state.
More than 600 people have so far died and at least 700,000 displaced as a result of the ongoing fight in Sudan.
Despite the two rivaling generals agreeing to protect civilians against harm, the fighting continues to cause injuries, damage and displacements in Khartoum.
Kenya now joins the United States, Canada, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Japan and France in closing embassies in Sudan.
