Sudan’s Port Sudan-based authorities have urged the Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD) to designate the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) as a terrorist organisation and prevent the movement of weapons, fighters and logistical supplies through member countries.
The appeal was made during the regional bloc’s 22nd Executive Council meeting, held in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, on Saturday.
Sudan’s delegation was led by Deputy Foreign Minister Muawiya Osman Khalid, who accused the RSF of carrying out widespread abuses and threatening the country’s stability.
According to the state-run Sudan News Agency (SUNA), Khalid told delegates that Sudan was facing what he described as an existential threat arising from the conflict, accusing unnamed regional powers of providing military and logistical support to the RSF.
He alleged that the fighting had resulted in the destruction of vital infrastructure and cultural heritage sites, while accusing RSF forces and foreign fighters of ethnic cleansing and deliberately restricting access to food.
The Sudanese official called on CEN-SAD member states to condemn the alleged violations and prevent their territories from being used to transport weapons, military supplies or foreign fighters into Sudan.
Khalid also welcomed efforts to revive the regional organisation following a prolonged period of inactivity, stressing the importance of strengthening cooperation and improving the effectiveness of its institutions.
He said closer coordination among member states was essential to addressing security challenges across the Sahel and Sahara regions.
The meeting brought together foreign ministers, senior diplomats and representatives of member countries to discuss regional security, economic cooperation and the future of the organisation.
The council concluded by adopting several resolutions aimed at strengthening regional cooperation and revitalising CEN-SAD’s institutions.
However, the bloc’s publicly reported final decisions did not announce any agreement to designate the RSF as a terrorist organisation.
The gathering also marked renewed efforts to restore the organisation’s institutional presence in Tripoli and strengthen coordination among African member states.
