Following several cases of violence in Sudan, Ethiopia’s Abiy Ahmed has embarked on a journey to Khartoum to mediate talks between military rulers and the opposition group. In a one-day visit by the Prime Minister, Abiy reached out inviting leaders of parties involved, hoping to resolve the ongoing crisis.

“Alliance for Freedom and Change has received an invitation for a meeting with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed who will visit the country on Friday. The agenda of the invitation is only related to the talks over the political crisis in Sudan,” a source told ​the ​East African​.  

The Sudan crisis which has claimed ​more than 90 lives has also cost the African country its seat on the African Union (AU) table. Until the situation is resolved and military rulers hand power to a civilian-led authority, Sudan is suspended from all bloc meetings.  

“The AU Peace and Security Council has with immediate effect suspended the participation of the Republic of Sudan in all AU activities, until the effective establishment of a Civilian-led Transitional Authority, as the only way to allow Sudan to exit from the current crisis,” the AU ​posted​ on its official Twitter page.

The decision by the African body is coming after attempts by other international bodies such as the United Nations (UN) have proved abortive. Efforts by the UN Security Council was faced with opposition from China and Russia who objected the proposal, describing it as “unbalanced,” averring that the situation is critical and thus should be treated with caution.

Meanwhile, countries like the United States, Britain, and Norway have intervened in the situation. In a statement issued earlier this week, they jointly refuted a proposal by the Transitional Military Council (TMC) in Sudan to hold elections within nine months, calling for a due process involving all parties before any transfer of power can occur.

As negotiations keep going back and forth with protests mounting, Abiy’s influence may be a good intervention in the uproaring conflict. While the outcome of the peace meeting to ascertain, it is hoped that both parties can reach a compromise peacefully without endangering or claiming more lives.