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July 29, 2025Eritrean President Afwerki Blames Foreign Powers for Sudan Crisis, Urges Regional Action and UN Withdrawal
Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki stated that what is happening in Sudan is not a conflict between two generals or two sides, but rather an external aggression.
In an interview aired on Eritrean state television on Wednesday, Afwerki pointed to the flow of weapons and military equipment into Sudan via Libya and Chad.
He emphasized that the current war in Sudan broke out to obstruct the transfer of power to the people. He said the army was entrusted with the responsibility of governance temporarily and should hand over power once the crisis is over. Afwerki added that Sudan has become a target and claimed that those opposing Abdel Fattah al-Burhan now have been “bought with money.”
Foreign Interventions
In another part of the interview, Afwerki expressed surprise at the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) involvement in Sudan, accusing it of being a proxy for other powers, and said it is active in Libya, Chad, Sudan, the Red Sea, and ports.
He also called on the United Nations to pull back from Sudan and refrain from “negative interference under the guise of humanitarian aid.”
Afwerki criticized the UN’s involvement, saying it only complicates the crisis in Sudan, and expressed skepticism about its calls for peace and dialogue, asking, “Reconciliation between whom and whom?”
He urged the Sudanese people to resolve their own crises without foreign interference.
Roots of the Crisis
Afwerki said the roots of the current Sudanese crisis go back to the period following Sudan’s independence in 1956, continuing through the governments of Ibrahim Abboud and Jaafar Nimeiry, and culminating in the Islamist takeover. He noted that a working paper had been prepared on this issue.
He asserted that Sudan’s political traditions were more advanced than other countries in the region until the Islamists came to power in 1989, following their earlier movements in 1983 under Nimeiry. Afwerki stressed that the Islamists never enjoyed broad acceptance in Sudan.
He attributed the secession of South Sudan to the Islamists’ policies, which emphasized Arab and Islamic identity at the expense of African-Islamic identity. He said separation was not initially on the agenda of southerners, but the Islamists’ actions—splitting the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement and fueling conflict between the Dinka and Nuer—led to secession.
Afwerki noted that the crises in Darfur, Kordofan, and Blue Nile worsened after the south seceded.
He described the Islamists’ rise to power as a disaster, accusing them of pursuing a policy of “empowering the oppressed,” hosting Osama bin Laden, and pushing for regime change while allowing financial corruption to spread. He stated that this corruption led to the popular uprising and economic hardship.
A Call to Action
Afwerki urged everyone not to remain silent and to express their views on what is happening in Sudan, stressing that stability in Sudan is essential for regional stability and that the situation cannot be observed passively.
He concluded: “We are doing our utmost to help resolve the crisis in Sudan.“
