Sudan

Absence of Sudanese Army Weakens Ceasefire Talks

Absence of Sudanese Army Weakens Ceasefire Talks

Ceasefire talks aimed at halting the fighting in Sudan began in Geneva on Wednesday; however, the absence of the army significantly weakened the prospects for finding a solution to this crisis. A joint statement from the U.S., Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE, and African and UN representatives stated: "We are intensifying our diplomatic efforts in Switzerland to support Sudan and stop hostilities," noting that "we are working based on the results of previous meetings in Jeddah and other efforts and international humanitarian law to resolve the crisis in Sudan."

UN officials indicated that Sudan has reached "a breaking point," warning of tens of thousands of deaths due to hunger, disease, floods, and violence in the coming months, which could be prevented with a greater global response. This week, U.S. Special Envoy for Sudan Tom Perriello, who is leading the effort for talks, stated that the Rapid Support Forces, which control large areas of the country, sent a delegation to participate in the talks. However, he emphasized that direct mediation would be impossible without the army's presence. The army explained its absence from the talks was due to the failure to implement previous commitments to withdraw fighters from civilian areas and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid.

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