Monrovia When the aircraft carrying Liberia’s Foreign Minister, Sara Beysolow Nyanti, landed Thursday at Khartoum International Airport, she became the first African official to arrive at the city’s airport since it resumed operations about two months ago.
By Gerald C. Koinyeneh
Minister Nyanti and her accompanying delegation proceeded, together with Sudan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ambassador Mohi El-Din Salem, to meet the Chairman of the Transitional Sovereignty Council, Abdel Fattah al‑Burhan.
Following the meeting, Minister Nyanti, in a video released said the a memoranda of understanding was signed between the two countries, and this opens broad prospects for consultations on various issues.
Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti and Sudanese counterpart Mohi El-Din Salem signing an agreement Khartoum.
She explained that the visa exemption for diplomatic and special passport holders would allow free travel between the two countries and help deepen ties between Sudan and Liberia.
She added that her meeting with the chairman of the Sovereignty Council also addressed the importance of a peaceful settlement and dialogue to end the conflict in Sudan, ensure the protection of civilians, and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance to those in need.
Nyanti said she would convey everything she witnessed and the information she gathered during the visit to the Liberian president so that he would have a full understanding of the situation in Sudan.
According to the Sudanhorizon, Foreign Minister Salam said that his ministry signed two memoranda of understanding with its Liberian counterpart concerning political consultations between the two countries and visa exemptions for diplomatic and special passport holders.
The foreign minister explained that the visit of Liberia’s top diplomat to Sudan carries particular importance as Liberia is currently a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. He added that Liberia had experienced a situation similar to Sudan’s ongoing war but successfully recovered and conducted four successful elections.
Salem said the visit represents the first high-level African official to land in Khartoum since the airport resumed operations, describing it as a message to friends and partners that the capital has become safe and that the government is carrying out its duties from there efficiently.
He added that the government welcomes all visitors to witness the destruction caused by what he described as the rebel militia against the state and its institutions, which led to the displacement of millions of citizens from their homes. He noted that the improving services and stability in Khartoum are encouraging citizens to return voluntarily.
Salem also expressed his appreciation to the Liberian foreign minister for visiting Sudan as the first African official to arrive in the capital through its airport.
Background of Susan’s war
Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti meets the Chairman of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council, Abdel Fattah al‑Burhan./Credit: Sudanhorizon
Sudan has been engulfed in a deadly civil war since April 2023, a conflict that has evolved into one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
The fighting is primarily between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), commanded by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.
The two groups were once allies within Sudan’s military-led government but turned against each other in a struggle for power after plans for a transition to civilian rule collapsed.
The war has spread across major regions, including Khartoum, Darfur, and Kordofan. While the Sudanese army has regained parts of Khartoum—allowing the government to begin returning to the capital after operating from Port Sudan—intense fighting continues in other areas, particularly in Darfur and Kordofan, where RSF forces still control territory and continue launching attacks.
Analysts say Liberia’s Foreign Minister, Sara Beysolow Nyanti’s visit to Sudan carries significant diplomatic weight, especially given Liberia’s current role as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council and the ongoing conflict in the country.
