The UAE, United States, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the African Union, and the United Nations have issued a joint statement cessation of hostilities in Sudan during the first day of peace talks in Geneva, Switzerland on Wednesday.
“We are hard at work in Switzerland on the first day of intensive diplomatic efforts for Sudan to support humanitarian access, cessation of hostilities, and compliance in accordance with previous Jeddah outcomes, other efforts, and international humanitarian law,” the statement said.
The talks are the latest in several international efforts to bring an end to the 16-month conflict, aiming for a cessation of violence, broader humanitarian access, and a mechanism to monitor and ensure implementation.
Sudanese-American talks over two days in Saudi Arabia failed to secure the army’s participation in the Geneva talks, with the Sudanese government insisting on the implementation of a previous agreement with the RSF signed in Jeddah in May last year, which calls for the protection of civilians and safe passage out of conflict zones. Both sides have accused each other of violating the agreement.
Sudan’s army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan added the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) must withdraw from occupied cities.
Failure of efforts to bring the war to an end would exacerbate a conflict that has created the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. More than 15,000 have been killed, over 7.7 million have been internally displaced, and more than 2.1 million others have fled the country as refugees.
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