The Sudanese government has expressed its opposition to the decision made by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to replace President Salva Kiir Mayardit as the head of the mediation team tasked with resolving the Sudanese conflict.

The announcement came in a communique at the conclusion of the IGAD summit held in Djibouti.

During the summit, it was declared that Kenyan President William Ruto would take over the role previously held by President Kiir, who was assigned to the position immediately after the outbreak of the Sudanese conflict.

However, the Sudanese foreign ministry released a statement on Tuesday, voicing its disagreement with the regional bloc's decision and demanding that President Kiir be maintained as the head of the mediation team.

In their statement, the Sudanese delegation highlighted their objection to certain paragraphs mentioned in the draft final statement of the summit, stating that these paragraphs had not been discussed and agreed upon.

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They further called on the IGAD Secretariat to remove these paragraphs from the statement.

[Sudan] expressed its disagreement and objection to a number of paragraphs that were mentioned in the draft final statement of the summit due to the fact that they were not discussed and agreed upon, and the delegation called on the IGAD Secretariat to delete them," the statement from Sudan's foreign ministry read.

The ministry further emphasized its demand for President Salva Kiir Mayardit to continue chairing the committee and requested the deletion of any reference to the subject of mediation.

“These paragraphs relate to changing the presidency of the IGAD Committee, as the delegation demanded that the chairman be retained as Salva Kiir Mayardit to chair the committee and demanded the deletion of any reference to the subject of mediation,” the statement read further.

IGAD, which played a pivotal role in mediating South Sudan's revitalized peace agreement, is currently spearheading efforts to bring the Sudanese parties to the negotiating table.

The four-member mediation team, consisting of representatives from Ethiopia, South Sudan, Kenya, and Djibouti, is actively organizing talks between the Sudanese rivals.

The Sudanese government's objection to President Kiir's replacement raises questions about the potential impact on the mediation process.

The IGAD mediation team's role is crucial in facilitating dialogue and fostering an environment conducive to productive negotiations.

As the situation evolves, the international community will closely monitor the developments surrounding the Sudanese conflict, hoping for a peaceful and sustainable solution that addresses the concerns of all parties involved.