Nigeria, Aug. 17 -- The African Union's (AU) decision to reopen its Sudan liaison office signals a commitment to resolving the war that has ravaged the country for over three years. It also shows that the organisation is unwilling to cede ground in the crisis to external actors.

The AU and many international and regional organisations withdrew their staff in April 2023 when fighting erupted in Khartoum. AU personnel were relocated to its headquarters in Addis Ababa, forcing the organisation to conduct virtual shuttle diplomacy with Sudan's warring parties.

While AU liaison offices typically focus on conflict prevention, peacebuilding, regional integration and advocacy, the key objective now is to provide on-the-ground technical support ...