Bashir seeks Mugabe's mediation in peace process talks with South Sudan

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Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir. FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has dispatched a top-level envoy to Harare in a bid to persuade his Zimbabwe counterpart Robert Mugabe to mediate in peace talks with South Sudan.


According to Zimbabwe’s state television, Sudan’s Vice President Ali Bosman delivered the message on Tuesday to Vice-President Joice Mujuru, who is the acting president as Mugabe is away.

The President is on annual leave until the end of the month and is said to be spending his vacation in the Far East.

Mr Bosman requested the veteran Zimbabwe ruler to “mediate between his country and South Sudan and come up with peaceful solutions to disagreements between the two nations.”
“Comrade Robert Mugabe should mediate between the two countries and we want him to come up with peaceful solutions that are not influenced by any foreign nationals,” he said.

That comment is a pointer why Khartoum would favour mediation by Mugabe, who has cut a figure of fierce independence from the West.

Ms Mujuru said they discussed the peace process in Sudan and ways to enhance development cooperation between the two countries.

“We discussed issues to do with peace in his country and how they want President Mugabe to mediate using methods that are not influenced by any foreign nationals,” she said.
Former South African president Thabo Mbeki chairs the African Union panel that is mediating between South Sudan and Sudan.

Sudan had last year sent another delegation to urge President Mugabe to be involved in the peace process.

The Zimbabwean leader has over the years supported calls for South Sudanese independence and Zimbabwe has hosted high profile political exiles from that country.

South Sudan gained its independence from Sudan in July 2011 following a referendum earlier that year.