Y oussef received a briefing on Monday from Mohamed Belaiche, the special representative of the AU Commission chairperson and head of the liaison office in Sudan, regarding the political situation and ongoing mediation efforts. The two officials discussed arrangements for resuming operations at the Khartoum office at the earliest opportunity, according to an African Union statement. Youssef emphasized that the continental body needs to re-establish its physical presence in the Sudanese capital to effectively guide the transition. “A timely AU presence in Khartoum would be instrumental in enhancing engagement with Sudanese stakeholders & supporting efforts toward an inclusive national political process,” Youssef said in the statement. The move follows talks on April 5 between Belaiche and Sudanese Foreign Minister Mohieddin Salem to coordinate the steps for reopening the mission. The African Union leads efforts to end the conflict as part of a five-party mechanism that also includes the United Nations, the European Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), and the Arab League. This mechanism has been facilitating meetings among Sudanese factions to pave the way for an inclusive political process to determine the country’s future governance. While these mediation efforts enjoy broad international backing and political groups have agreed to form a joint committee to organize the transition, disagreements remain over the participation of the Islamist movement and the “Tasis” coalition. The African Union previously rejected requests to reinstate Sudan’s membership, which was suspended following the October 2021 coup against the civilian-led government. The bloc maintains that the suspension will be lifted only upon the restoration of legitimate civilian authority