Relationship dossier
Kenya
Sudan
Relationship assessment
Kenya’s mediation in Sudan’s peace process marked a cooperative relationship that has also faced political friction.
Kenya toward Sudan
+15Kenya hosted and supported the IGAD-led negotiations that produced Sudan’s 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement. In 2010, Kenya received Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir despite an International Criminal Court arrest warrant, a decision that drew criticism and added political friction.
Sudan toward Kenya
+15Sudan participated in the peace process hosted and mediated by Kenya, culminating in the signing of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement in Nairobi. Sudanese objections to Kenya’s 2010 reception of Omar al-Bashir contributed to bilateral friction.
Overall relationship
+10The relationship has included consequential Kenyan involvement in Sudan’s peace negotiations, alongside political tension surrounding the ICC warrant for Omar al-Bashir. These features point to episodic cooperation and friction rather than a consistently close partnership; the broader pattern of bilateral engagement is less clear.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Kenya played a central role in the IGAD-led peace process that produced Sudan’s 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement, hosting negotiations and participating in its signing. The relationship also faced friction over Kenya’s decision to receive Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir in 2010 despite the International Criminal Court warrant. These concrete episodes indicate cooperation alongside political tension, though the breadth of other bilateral government activity is unclear.
Areas of tension
- Kenya’s 2010 reception of Omar al-Bashir despite the International Criminal Court arrest warrant
Key developments
The Comprehensive Peace Agreement between Sudan’s government and the SPLM/A was signed in Nairobi after an IGAD-led peace process in which Kenya played a central mediating role.
Kenya received Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir despite an International Criminal Court arrest warrant, prompting criticism and political friction.
Major uncertainties
- The scope of bilateral cooperation beyond the IGAD peace process is unclear.
- The extent and persistence of political and security disagreements are uncertain.