ANTALYA, TÜRKIYE – Kenya has called for the reinforcement of African-led processes through institutions established by African States to find solutions for peace and stability.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has said Africa needs sustainable conflict resolution mechanisms to advance peace initiatives that will bring normalcy to conflict-prone nations.
Mudavadi emphasized that Kenya will continue to be actively involved in the continental peace processes as part of its pivotal role as a neutral arbiter.
“Africans want to engage meaningfully amongst themselves and the rest of the world. We must be careful not to create a new scramble for Africa, which can generate more problems like in the past. The institutions created by the African nations must be respected.” Noted Mudavadi.
“Kenya continues to play a key facilitative role for South Sudan, we are ready to support Sudan, we are engaged in the eastern DRC process, we have been at the centre of conversations for Somalia, and so many other areas that have had challenges, Nairobi remains a base for positive dialogue,” said Mudavadi.
Speaking in Antalya, Turkiye at the 4th Antalya Diplomacy Forum, the Prime CS said Kenya’s contribution to Africa’s peace processes is anchored on dialogue and mutual understanding of the challenges that must be resolved.
He emphasized that Kenya remains a respecter of the African institutions, including the African Union and the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development, IGAD, calling on African States to remain steadfast and encourage processes that will result in win-win solutions.
“Kenya hosts the United Nations headquarters for the global south in Nairobi, where it will shortly be upgraded to be the regional logistics and humanitarian hub.
This is very significant, keeping in mind the role the UN plays in conflict resolution and humanitarian interventions. We want to ensure that symbolically, Nairobi continues to play its role as a centre for progressive conflict resolution,” explained Mudavadi.
“Resources are scarce, and in particular, resources channeled to conflict interventions are so limited, even from the international community. Africa should therefore mainstream its efforts through recognized institutions that have structures for us to have a more coordinated approach to conflict resolution,” urged Mudavadi.
Mudavadi participated in a panel discussion on the “Horn of Africa: Risks and Opportunities” where he reiterated that Kenya stands for a unified Sudan and its appeal is to encourage dialogue for all parties to be brought to the negotiating table in resolving the crisis.
He said Kenya will continue to support the humanitarian initiatives in Sudan, noting that Nairobi’s significance in the supply of essentials that are helping the people of Sudan cannot be underestimated.
“At no time has Kenya facilitated the formation of a parallel government or a government in exile for the people of Sudan. At no time has Kenya said that it will be supporting a divided Sudan. We have hosted both sides at one time or the other and what happened in Nairobi was a conversation by a section of the Sudanese civil society and civilian population including political parties that are aligned to the RSF and they had their own conversation, came up with their charter and if you look at the charter there is nowhere a parallel government is formed.” explained Mudavadi.
“We are encouraging to have a platform where the civilian component of Sudan and the civil society of Sudan, can also have space to sit on the table and be involved in the talks to bring peace in their own country.” he noted.
The Prime CS said Kenya is helping to facilitate dialogue in Sudan in a similar manner other countries are engaging the warring factions in the Sudan conflict.
He said the ultimate goal is to enable the Sudanese people to form their government through their own mechanisms and institutional order.
“There were talks in Paris a year ago about Sudan, you cannot say that France was dismembering Sudan, as we speak there is a meeting being planned in the UK on Sudan, you cannot say that is to dismember Sudan through London talks, we stand for one Sudan, we want the people to dialogue and Kenya is encouraging a process that will result into a win-win solution because largely it has been seen that the military solution will not work,” warned Mudavadi.
On the eastern DRC crisis, Mudavadi, also the Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Cabinet Secretary, lauded the merging of the Luanda and Nairobi processes, saying this will help have a targeted approach towards resolving the conflict.
He explained that the Luanda process under President João Lourenço focused on inter-state mediation between Rwanda and DRC Congo, while the Nairobi process under retired President Uhuru Kenyatta was an intra-DRC conversation to bring all factions within the Democratic Republic of Cong,o including the M23 and other groups, to the dialogue table.
He said the adopted joint approach between the East African Community, EAC and the Southern African Development Community, SADC, is a one initiative with a common goal towards bringing normalcy to the eastern DRC.
“The resolutions passed by all the Heads of State, including the Head of State for Rwanda and the one for the Democratic Republic of Congo, are that we want an immediate ceasefire and all parties to be at the table to talk. This includes discussions with all groups that are inside DRC and are having challenges,” noted Mudavadi.
He defended the mission that Kenyan troops were involved in, saying it was under the sanctions of the EAC, of which Kenya is a member state.
“The mission was an EAC process sanctioned even by the DRC government itself, so the East African Community Regional Force (EACRF) was not a Kenyan force; it was an East African Community Force in DRC, and DRC is a member of EAC, the same way Kenya is a member. Kenya has not violated anything; it is a distortion that we need to correct,” said Mudavadi.
“Kenya is a peace builder and peace initiator. We are not peace breakers and whoever is trying to distort Kenya’s position is mischievous and Kenya does not support any division in DRC or any other country,” he added.
Mudavadi also revealed at the summit that Kenya played a critical role in the Somalia peace process, cautioning parties that are reluctant to embrace regionally-led peace processes and agreements as a setback to the advancements of peace initiatives within Africa.
