By Adedeji Fathia Bamidele (Siwes student, Ogun State Institute of Technology Igbesa OGITECH)
Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, the leader of Sudanese paramilitary forces engaged in conflict with the national army, held discussions with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in Pretoria on Thursday.
This meeting is part of Daglo’s tour of African capitals, including Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Djibouti since late December—the first visits abroad since the conflict began in mid-April.
Daglo, updating on X (formerly Twitter), briefed President Ramaphosa on the root causes of the war and emphasized their commitment to cease hostilities despite challenges arising from the opposing force’s reluctance.
The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) is actively working to facilitate a meeting between Daglo and Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of the Sudanese army, who have not met since the conflict began.
With Sudan facing a humanitarian crisis, President Ramaphosa expressed South Africa’s support for imminent face-to-face dialogue between Daglo and Burhan, emphasizing the urgent need for a ceasefire and permanent cessation of hostilities.
Despite Daglo’s openness to ending the fighting during his overseas visits, earlier mediations have resulted in short-term truces that were not respected. Recently, the conflict has expanded to Al-Jazira state in the east, previously a refuge for half a million people.
