Tensions between Kenya and Sudan have intensified following meetings hosted in Nairobi by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a Sudanese paramilitary group.
The RSF, along with allied factions, signed a “political charter” to establish a rival governing authority in areas under its control, prompting a sharp rebuke from Sudan’s government.
On February 26, Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) welcomed UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ expression of “deep concern” over the charter, with Guterres warning that it could deepen Sudan’s crisis and fracture the nation.
Sudan’s MFA accused Kenya of unjustifiably hosting the RSF and condemned President William Ruto’s support for the group. The ministry urged the international and regional community to denounce Kenya’s “dangerous behavior,” arguing that it undermines regional stability and violates Sudan’s sovereignty.
“The Kenyan leadership’s actions threaten peace and security while flagrantly disrespecting Sudan’s sovereignty,” the statement read.
The UN has emphasized that preserving Sudan’s unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity is essential for resolving the crisis and ensuring long-term stability.
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Guterres condemned the ongoing violence by both the RSF and Sudan’s regular army, including ethnically driven attacks on civilians, noting that “Sudanese women, children, and men are bearing the brunt of relentless military offensives.”
The UN statement noted the charter’s intent to create a governing body in RSF-controlled areas as a significant concern.
Sudan’s MFA praised the League of Arab States for opposing actions that could fragment Sudan and thanked nations like Egypt, Qatar, and Somalia for their steadfast support.
Meanwhile, the RSF’s charter, signed on Saturday in Nairobi, involved groups like a faction of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), led by Abdelaziz al-Hilu, and RSF deputy commander Abdel Rahim Dagalo, brother of leader Mohamed Hamdan “Hemedti” Dagalo.
The agreement seeks to establish a parallel government, end the nearly two-year war with Sudan’s army, deliver humanitarian aid, and unify armed factions into a single national force.
The conflict has displaced over 12 million people and triggered what the UN calls the world’s worst hunger and displacement crises.
