The United Nations has called on the Sudanese army and Rapid Support Forces to hold indirect negotiations next week to discuss facilitating aid access for those affected by the fighting and protecting civilians. The UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy, Ramtan Lamamra, sent a letter to the head of the Sovereignty Council and Commander of the Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, on June 26, suggesting the dispatch of a small high-level delegation to Geneva on July 10 to initiate discussions with the Rapid Support Forces under UN auspices.
According to the letter, the negotiations will focus on actions required to ensure humanitarian aid distribution to all Sudanese populations in need, alongside exploring options to guarantee civilian protection, as reported by the "Sudan Tribune" website. The aim of these discussions is to identify ways to advance specific humanitarian measures and protect civilians through a potential ceasefire.
This initiative by Lamamra is based on his assignment from the Security Council, according to resolution 2740, to use his good offices to halt the fighting in Sudan. The Security Council, in resolution 2736, also urged the parties to de-escalate in Al-Fasher and to allow humanitarian aid to pass unhindered throughout the country while ensuring the protection of civilians. It requested the Secretary-General to consult with Sudanese authorities and regional stakeholders to present additional recommendations for civilian protection based on existing mediation and good offices mechanisms. The council urged the conflict parties to seek an immediate cessation of hostilities leading to a sustainable resolution through dialogue.
### War and Deep Humanitarian Crisis
Since April 15, 2023, Sudan has been experiencing a bloody war between the army led by Al-Burhan and the Rapid Support Forces led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemeti, followed by a deep humanitarian crisis. The war has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands, including up to 15,000 people in Geneina, the capital of West Darfur, according to UN experts. However, the death toll from the war remains unclear, with some estimates suggesting it could reach 150,000, according to the U.S. Special Envoy for Sudan, Tom Periello. Additionally, Sudan has recorded nearly 10 million internally displaced persons and refugees since the outbreak of hostilities, according to United Nations statistics.
