Khartoum — Hereunder the Sudan News Agency (SUNA) publishes the statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the Quartet's final statement. Ministry of Foreign Affairs Media and Spokesperson Department

GoS's Statement on the meeting of the Quartet Committee emanating from IGAD regarding Sudan

The presence of the Sudanese delegation to Addis Ababa before the start of the meeting and, its prior contact with the organiser of the meeting, confirmed Sudan's genuine desire to engage in finding solutions to the current crisis; and that what was stated in the Quartet's final statement regarding the absence of our delegation is sheer inaccurate and unrealistic. For the sake of credibility it was expected that the Quartet's statement indicates that the non-participation of the delegation of the Government of Sudan is due to its clear objection to President William Ruto's presidency of the Quartet. The Quartet's final statement included a call for a summit meeting of the East African Emergency Forces (EAEF) to consider the possibility of deploying forces to protect the civilians and ensure the flow of humanitarian aid. In this regard, the Government of Sudan affirms that humanitarian aid provided by international bodies flows and reaches those in need, and the Government of Sudan remains keen to alleviate the suffering of its people and to overcome all constraints in this respect. The Government of Sudan affirms hereby its refusal to deploy any foreign troops to Sudan and will consider them aggressors. The Government of Sudan welcomes the summit of neighboring countries, which will be hosted by the Arab Republic of Egypt on July 13, 2023, for the purpose of discussing the crisis in Sudan, in line with its position that welcomed the Jeddah initiative. The Government of Sudan condemns and rejects the previous statements of the Kenyan President William Ruto, which he repeated in the press conference following the Quartet meetings. It also expresses its surprise at the statements of the Ethiopian Prime Minister that there is a vacuum in the leadership of the state, which is interpreted as a lack of recognition of the current leadership of the state, and denounces his call for an air embargo and disarmament of heavy artillery, contrary to his existing direct positions and understandings with the President of the Transitional Sovereignty Council and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. The Government of Sudan considers the above statements as unacceptable infringement on the sovereignty of the Sudanese state The Government of Sudan informs IGAD that the lack of respect for the opinions of the member states will cause the Government of Sudan to reconsider the feasibility of its membership in the organization.

Issued in Khartoum Tuesday, July 11, 2023 AD BH/BH