Ramaphosa said the conflict should be ended through dialogue and negotiations.
“It should be subjected to negotiations and we would be looking to the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (Igad) to give the lead in this matter so that Igad and the AU, together as they are besieged with this matter to ensure the safety of life, that there is a ceasefire and an immediate process of negotiations.
“It is clearly, and truly not necessary, for two armed forces in one country to engage in a conflict that could soon grow to be a civil war that could engulf the entire country. That should be avoided and if there is a place where the guns must be silenced, it is in Sudan, now, and that is why we are calling for a ceasefire,” Ramaphosa said.
Geingob said: “When diplomacy fails and dialogue is not pursued, countries go to war. One does not make peace with a friend, you make peace with your enemies.”
It was a terrible situation unfolding in Sudan that could not be resolved by outsiders.
“If some groups feel excluded, there is going to be war, so we don’t necessarily know what caused this war in Sudan and if it is being handled by other institutions we would just say, talk to one another, it is not the outsiders that are going to end this.”
Geingob said outsiders can facilitate, but it takes “two warring factions to hold one another's hands”.
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Ramaphosa and Namibia’s Geingob concerned about 'unnecessary conflict' in Sudan
President Cyril Ramaphosa and Namibian President Hage Geingob have called for an immediate ceasefire in Sudan.
The two heads of state met at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Thursday where they discussed regional, continental and global affairs.
Addressing media afterwards, Ramaphosa said: “The situation in Sudan is most concerning and in our view is the most unnecessary conflict and we have called for an immediate ceasefire so that conflict is brought to an end.”
The two presidents echoed former president Thabo Mbeki’s stance, who this week appealed to the Sudanese military rivals to end the “unacceptable violent conflict”.
“I appeal to Generals Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo immediately to end the fighting, which among other things, is imposing negative consequences on the civilian population,” he said through the Thabo Mbeki Foundation on Tuesday.
Reuters reported the military and the Rapid Support Forces, which analysts say is 100,000-strong, have been competing for power as political factions negotiate forming a transitional government after a 2021 military coup.
Ramaphosa said the conflict should be ended through dialogue and negotiations.
“It should be subjected to negotiations and we would be looking to the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (Igad) to give the lead in this matter so that Igad and the AU, together as they are besieged with this matter to ensure the safety of life, that there is a ceasefire and an immediate process of negotiations.
“It is clearly, and truly not necessary, for two armed forces in one country to engage in a conflict that could soon grow to be a civil war that could engulf the entire country. That should be avoided and if there is a place where the guns must be silenced, it is in Sudan, now, and that is why we are calling for a ceasefire,” Ramaphosa said.
Geingob said: “When diplomacy fails and dialogue is not pursued, countries go to war. One does not make peace with a friend, you make peace with your enemies.”
It was a terrible situation unfolding in Sudan that could not be resolved by outsiders.
“If some groups feel excluded, there is going to be war, so we don’t necessarily know what caused this war in Sudan and if it is being handled by other institutions we would just say, talk to one another, it is not the outsiders that are going to end this.”
Geingob said outsiders can facilitate, but it takes “two warring factions to hold one another's hands”.
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
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