HARARE, (SUNA) – Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Ambassador Mohi-Eddin Salem headed Sudan’s delegation to the 21st Meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), held today, Wednesday, in the Zimbabwean capital, Harare, with the participation of foreign ministers, heads of delegations and the organisation’s Secretary-General. In his interventions during the meeting’s sessions, the minister reaffirmed Sudan’s firm position that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) must be explicitly and accurately described as the “rebel militia” in regional documents and deliberations, in view of the grave crimes and violations it has committed against civilians and the systematic destruction it has inflicted on infrastructure. He called on COMESA foreign ministers to visit Khartoum to witness firsthand the scale of the destruction and the impact of the militia’s attacks on Sudan and its institutions. The Foreign Minister underscored the importance of strengthening coordination and joint African action through a unified regional mechanism to address security and political challenges and confront cross-border rebel movements and terrorist groups that exploit crises to smuggle goods, undermine economic stability and drive up the cost of living. He also called for concerted regional efforts to combat organised crime and drug trafficking and address threats to African communities, particularly women, young people and older persons, amid the exploitation of poverty and vulnerability. The minister stressed the close interdependence of peace, security and development, noting that stability across the region is essential to the success of economic integration, the expansion of intra-African trade, the achievement of food security and the protection of borders. He urged COMESA member states to harmonise their visions and positions on shared threats, thereby strengthening Africa’s capacity to address its crises and achieve sustainable stability. At the conclusion of the deliberations, the COMESA Council of Ministers adopted recommendations concerning the report on the state of peace and security in Sudan and the region. The recommendations reaffirmed respect for Sudan’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and the independence of its national institutions, while categorically rejecting foreign interference and military and financial supplies to armed parties and militias. They also called for coordination among COMESA, the African Union and African-led peace initiatives to avoid conflicting negotiation tracks. The recommendations further emphasised the strategic importance of Sudan’s stability to regional security, intra-African trade, food security and border security. The recommendations also included support for the technical and logistical arrangements required to return the permanent headquarters of the COMESA Court of Justice to Khartoum. In addition, they called for the mobilisation of African development institutions and the private sector to contribute to Sudan’s recovery and reconstruction, helping restore stability and strengthen prospects for development and regional economic integration.BH/BH