The first day of U.S.-led peace talks aimed at resolving Sudan’s devastating conflict concluded on Wednesday in Geneva, marked by the notable absence of the country’s military and uncertainty regarding the participation of the opposing faction. The negotiations occur as Sudan grapples with one of the most severe humanitarian crises globally. Despite the significance of the talks, the military did not send representatives, and it remains unclear whether delegates from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the other warring party, were present at Wednesday’s session. Diplomats from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, the African Union, and the United Nations attended the talks.
Sudan, a nation in northeastern Africa, descended into chaos in April of last year when rising tensions between the military and the RSF escalated into open conflict in the capital, Khartoum, subsequently spreading across the country.
“We are hard at work in Switzerland on the first day of intensive diplomatic efforts for Sudan to support humanitarian access, cessation of hostilities,” read a joint statement issued on behalf of the United States, Switzerland, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, the African Union, and the United Nations. The statement was posted on X by U.S. Special Envoy for Sudan, Tom Perriello, along with photos of the day’s discussions. While RSF representatives were not visible in the images, the RSF had stated on Tuesday that a delegation from the paramilitary force had arrived in Switzerland. An RSF spokesman declined to comment on the talks or confirm the group’s presence at Wednesday’s session.
The Rapid Support Forces were formed from Janjaweed fighters, a militia created under former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who ruled Sudan for three decades before being ousted during a popular uprising in 2019. Al-Bashir is wanted by the International Criminal Court on charges of genocide and other crimes committed during the Darfur conflict in the 2000s.
Officials have continued to urge the military to join the negotiations. “Obviously, we would want to see all sides participate so that the talks can be as successful as possible,” U.N. Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters.
However, Sudan’s military leader, Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, stated on Tuesday that the military would not discuss a ceasefire until the RSF ceases its occupation of civilian homes. He accused the RSF of “falsely claiming peace” while continuing acts of war. Burhan recently survived a drone attack that killed five people during an army graduation ceremony in eastern Sudan, though the RSF did not claim responsibility.
“There is no peace while the rebel militia occupies our homes, cities, and villages and besieges them,” Burhan said in a speech on Tuesday to mark the national military’s founding. “There is no cessation of hostilities without the withdrawal and exit of the last militia from the cities and villages that they have plundered and colonized.”
The conflict in Sudan has claimed thousands of lives and pushed many into starvation. Atrocities, including mass rape and ethnically motivated killings, have been documented by the U.N. and international rights groups, which classify them as war crimes and crimes against humanity. Sudan’s war has also led to the world’s largest displacement crisis, with over 10.7 million people forced to flee their homes since the fighting began, according to the International Organization for Migration. More than 2 million of these displaced individuals have sought refuge in neighboring countries.
Last month, global experts confirmed that the situation in a massive displacement camp in Darfur has deteriorated into famine, with widespread starvation. The Famine Review Committee warned that approximately 25.6 million people—over half of Sudan’s population—will face acute hunger.
(AP)
