Kenya makes diplomatic overtures to Sudan amid tensions over alleged RSF ties

Kenya is reaching out to Sudan's military leadership in a bid to ease rising tensions, days after its leader, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, reportedly rejected a proposal for bilateral talks with President William Ruto at a high-level summit in Spain.

On Tuesday, Kenya's Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing'oei met with Sudan's Chargé d'Affaires in Nairobi, Mohamed Osman Akasha, to reaffirm Nairobi's position on regional peace and diplomacy.

"Kenya's role in Sudan has always been guided by the desire to see a peaceful and united Sudan in the spirit of solidarity and mutual respect," Korir said, adding in a post on X: "I am grateful for the willingness to engage to forge a better understanding necessary for genuine cooperation."

The outreach follows a diplomatic snub last week, when Burhan declined a proposed bilateral meeting with Ruto on the sidelines of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development held in Spain.

According to a source from the Sudanese Transitional Sovereignty Council (TSC), quoted by Madamasr, the Sudanese army chief insisted there were "currently no discussions to be had with Ruto."

The rejection reportedly stems from Sudanese military claims that Kenyan-manufactured ammunition was discovered in a warehouse seized from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the Salha area of western Khartoum in June.

The TSC source indicated that the proposal for talks had been tabled by unnamed external actors, but Burhan held firm, citing what the junta views as Kenya's compromised neutrality in the conflict.

On June 26, Sudan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a strongly worded statement accusing Nairobi of "dangerous and irresponsible" interference in its internal affairs. It warned that Kenya's actions posed a threat to the "security and stability of the region," as well as to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of African nations.

The statement reiterated allegations that Kenyan-made ammunition had been found in RSF's hands, calling on Kenya to cease what it termed "all forms of support" for the paramilitary group.

It also urged Nairobi to reaffirm its commitment to non-interference in line with the UN Charter, the African Union Constitutive Act, and regional protocols under IGAD.

President Ruto has previously been accused by Sudanese officials of offering political sanctuary to RSF leader General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti.

Nairobi has officially denied these claims, but the controversy has strained Kenya's role as a neutral mediator in the Sudanese crisis under the auspices of IGAD.