Sudan refuses to participate in Uganda’s retreat for lack of institutional process.

Sudan has stated that it would not participate in a scheduled meeting in Uganda to examine the country’s political situation.

Sudan has been invited to the March summit by the Executive Secretary of the regional Intergovernmental Authority on Development, Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu.

Sudanese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Ambassador Khalid Farah, revealed on Monday that the invitation was declined owing to a lack of suitable institutional mechanisms.

“Sudan, as the chair of IGAD, is the one who has called for such a meeting. The proper institutional processes were not followed. Following discussions with member states, we will soon convene for a summit and determine the agenda “He said.

Sudan is now the head of IGAD, despite the fact that Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, who was elected chairman of IGAD, resigned from his office due to political unrest in Sudan.

Workneh Ghebeyehu, an ex-Ethiopian Foreign Affairs Minister, presently heads the IGAD Secretariat.

The Horn of Africa (Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia, and Eritrea), the Nile Valley (Sudan and South Sudan), and the African Great Lakes area are all represented in IGAD (Kenya and Uganda).