UN rejects parallel government in Sudan
The UN Security Council has rejected the announcement by Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) regarding the formation of a parallel governing authority in territories under their control.
Since April 2023, Sudan has been gripped by fierce fighting between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), with both factions vying for control amid a stalled transition to civilian rule.
“The members of the Security Council unequivocally reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Sudan,” the UN’s press service reported on Wednesday.
The UN called on both sides “to resume talks to reach a lasting ceasefire and create the necessary conditions for a political resolution on the conflict.”
The statement noted Resolution 2736 (2024), which demands that the RSF lift its siege of El Fasher and calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities in and around the city, where famine and severe food insecurity are at risk of spreading rapidly.
Wednesday’s announcement comes after a Sudanese political bloc, allied with the RSF, declared a parallel government in July. The Sudan Founding Alliance named RSF chief General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo as chairman of a 15-member presidential council that includes regional governors.
Last month, the African Union, Arab League, and Saudi Arabia also condemned the RSF for declaring a rival government. The African Union’s Peace and Security Council warned the move could deepen Sudan’s two-year civil war between the RSF and the national army, urging states and the international community not to recognize the parallel administration.
The SAF has denounced the “so-called militia government” as a ploy by the RSF to deceive its allies, while its true intent is to seize power for personal gain. The Arab League called the move a “blatant challenge” to the Sudanese people’s will and an attempt to impose a fait accompli by force, warning it posed a serious threat to regional stability.
