The Truth Face: The Russian–African Partnership and the Diplomacy of Competence

Ibrahim Shaglawi

The Egyptian capital, Cairo, witnessed the convening of the Second Ministerial Conference of the Russian–African Partnership, with Sudan participating through a high-level delegation headed by the Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Dr. Lamya Abdel Ghaffar. This participation came as an important milestone marking a shift in the way Sudan manages its international presence, after nearly three years of war that redefined the state’s position and the boundaries of its external movement.

The weight of the participation stemmed from the nature of the international platform and the level of representation. The minister attended with mature international experience, which was reflected during the conference in political and diplomatic effectiveness, coupled with a precise awareness of the complexities of the international system. This presence was grounded in accumulated practical experience within regional and international organizations, granting the Sudanese delegation a substance that went beyond mere attendance and participation toward the practice of effective, influential diplomacy.

In her address to the conference, the minister restored Sudan to its natural position as a state concerned with reforming the international system, rather than merely being affected by its imbalances. The intelligent linkage between the duality of international standards, the expansion of conflicts, and the recycling of armed mercenarism formed a conscious political framework that situates the Sudanese war within a broader international context and dismantles attempts to reduce it to misleading narratives. Accordingly, Sudan called for moral and legal consistency in regional and international positions.

Notably, the characterization of the rebellion of the Rapid Support Forces militia came clear and decisive, away from ambiguous language, with an explicit call to classify it as a terrorist group and to hold its supporters accountable regionally and internationally. This boldness in presentation was an expression of a precise understanding of the limits of what is possible within multilateral forums, where impact is measured by the precision of wording and the timeliness of delivery, not by the loudness of rhetoric.

During the conference proceedings, the Sudanese delegation succeeded in conveying the state’s narrative to more than fifty participating countries, by shifting the war from a discourse of complaint to one of binding political and legal accountability, and from a defensive position to one of legal and moral action. This transformation reflects maturity in managing the diplomatic battle and reintroduces Sudan as a responsible party and a reliable partner seeking to recalibrate its position within a multipolar international system of balances.

At the African level, the minister was able to open direct channels of dialogue with the foreign ministers of Algeria, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea, in addition to members of the African Peace and Security Council. This calculated step emphasized the importance of reinstating the issue of lifting the suspension of Sudan’s membership to its natural course, away from exceptional approaches, political pressures, or the organization’s ambiguous positions.

As for the meeting with the Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Badr Abdel Aty, it reflected a highly significant regional dimension, where Egyptian support for Sudan’s unity was presented within the language of shared interests and a common regional destiny, while maintaining a delicate balance between strategic coordination and respect for national sovereignty.

In this context, the announcement of a forthcoming African mission to Port Sudan during the coming period to evaluate the performance of the civilian government and review its work represents a positive development. The success of this approach, based on meeting stipulated conditions, affirms Sudan’s confidence in its administrative and political steps and also confirms Sudan’s return to the African fold as a fully sovereign state.

It is noteworthy that the minister’s statements to Al-Muhaqqiq website revealed broader political and diplomatic movement in the making, including the possibility of negotiations with the United Arab Emirates, which appears to be managed cautiously away from media attention. In addition, her remarks about the Prime Minister’s intention to launch a peace initiative from within the United Nations Security Council reveal that, alongside executive work, the minister is closely engaged with crisis-management files and contributes to efforts to engineer the political landscape.

Abdel Ghaffar also referred to an anticipated international initiative coordinated between U.S. President Donald Trump and both Saudi Arabia and Egypt, within a framework building on the international quartet, reflecting Sudan’s return to a balanced sphere of international attention based on multiple tracks and the pursuit of peace opportunities rather than unilateral guardianship.

Conversely, her description of the Nairobi meeting of some political forces as a “futile attempt” carried a clear political message that legitimacy is no longer forged in foreign capitals, but within recognized international institutions.

The first external participation of the Minister of Cabinet Affairs revealed a qualitative shift in the pattern of Sudanese diplomacy: from reactionary diplomacy to proactive, impactful diplomacy grounded in national competence. A presence that combined professional rigor with political clarity, addressing the domestic audience while reassuring the external one, confirming that charisma, when supported by experience and competence, transforms into real influence capable of impact and of seizing opportunities that enable the making of the future.

In conclusion, and according to The Truth Face, Sudan’s participation in the Second Ministerial Conference of the Russian–African Partnership was not merely a success, but a station for reintroducing the Sudanese state as an attentive actor, capable of shaping its discourse, building its alliances, and defending its sovereignty in a world being quietly reshaped. Sudan has begun this stage as one who is reclaiming its voice—using a language that knows when to speak, when to remain silent, and when to place the dots over the letters.

Wishing you continued well-being.

Tuesday, 23 December 2025

Shglawi55@gmail.com