Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Melanie Joly, is in Kenya for the next few days to gather information that will help Canada respond to the crisis in Sudan. The purpose of the visit is to meet with people evacuated from the East African country, including diplomatic staff who worked there until violence broke out earlier this month. Joly will also be meeting with humanitarian groups to assess the needs of the people in Sudan and those who have fled to neighbouring countries.
Joly’s visit will also include a meeting with former Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, who was deposed in a coup in 2021. Kenya has been instrumental in trying to find a mediated solution to the conflict in Sudan and is home to the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, a group focused on peace and prosperity in East African countries.
The minister hopes to learn from Kenya as a significant player on the continent. “Kenya has played a key leadership role throughout this crisis,” said Joly in an emailed statement on Saturday. “Canada is here to support Kenya and regional actors tackle this crisis. We will take concrete steps to help regional actors in their mediation efforts and respond to humanitarian needs.”
Canada’s embassy in Khartoum, Sudan’s capital, was relocated to Nairobi, Kenya, when violence erupted. The Sudanese armed forces and its paramilitary were set to merge, but negotiations broke down last month, creating widespread conflict that has killed hundreds of civilians.
Joly’s trip to Kenya is similar to her visit to Poland after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as Ottawa sees a role in resolving crises beyond Europe. During her visit, Joly will also meet with her counterpart, Dr. Alfred N. Mutua, and the Kenyan cabinet secretary for defence. Canada is set to release an Africa strategy this year, after the proposal was delayed.