French President Emmanuel Macron has called on parties to the conflict in Sudan to ‘lay down arms’ and for a ‘ceasefire’, emphasizing that the only possible path is a ceasefire and negotiations.After meeting with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Saturday, Macron called on parties to conflict in Sudan to lay down arms, and on all regional actors who can play a role, to do so in a positive way for the interest of the people who have suffered greatly.He added that the only possible process in Sudan is a ceasefire and negotiations, and for civil society, which was admirable during the revolution, to regain its position, referring to the popular mobilization that ousted former President Omar al-Bashir in 2019 and sparked great optimism.On the other hand, the French President expressed full support for Ethiopia's debt restructuring efforts, emphasizing the need for a swift resolution ‘in the coming weeks’.The backing from Macron comes after Ethiopia and International Monetary Fund reached an agreement last month on the second review of a $3.4 billion financing program.’Thanks to your commitment to the reform program you are leading, we aim to complete the restructuring of this 3 billion-euro debt in the next few weeks,’ Macron said during a joint press conference with the Ethiopian Prime Minister.Since April 2023, armed clashes have erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), resulting in tens of thousands of deaths and the displacement of more than 11 million people.Around 26 million people in Sudan are facing severe food insecurity, according to the United Nations which has once again raised alarms on Thursday about the situation in the country, which may face the worst food crisis in contemporary history.
