Story by Wellington Makonese
THE President of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) Chief Fortune Charumbira has implored the African Union (AU) and other stakeholders to harmonise their mediation efforts in Sudan to ensure a lasting solution to the ongoing conflict.
Speaking at the Political Meeting of the AGA-APSA Platform in Ethiopia this Tuesday, under the theme: “Sudan’s Costly War towards a Peaceful Resolution,” Chief Charumbira criticised the fragmented approaches being taken by various intervention initiatives.
He highlighted the need for a structured governance framework to align all peace efforts, warning that disjointed interventions often work at cross-purposes.
“One high-level intervention is established today, another emerges tomorrow, and some even conflict with each other. Without a coordinated framework, these efforts will fail to yield meaningful results,” he stated.
The PAP President identified external interference as a key obstacle to peace, urging the AU to confront external actors fueling the crisis, emphasising that their influence is well known.
Chief Charumbira also voiced concern over PAP’s exclusion from peacekeeping efforts, despite Article 3(5) of the PAP Protocol mandating the institution to “promote peace, security, and stability on the continent.
He emphasised that PAP could play a pivotal role in conflict resolution through Parliamentary Diplomacy and called on the AU Commission to involve all relevant organs in Sudan’s mediation process.
Despite this sidelining, PAP has taken independent steps to provide a platform for Sudanese citizens, including refugees in South Africa, to share their perspectives on the crisis.
Chief Charumbira is leading the PAP Bureau in a series of pre-session meetings ahead of the 46th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council (12th–13th February 2025) and the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government (15th–16th February 2025).
The 38th AU Summit will focus on “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations,” addressing reparatory justice and racial healing. Senior leadership elections will also be a key agenda item at the Summit.
