Sudan peace talks resume in Geneva without the government or the Rapid Support Forces, as almost 34 million need aid

Nearly two dozen countries met in Geneva on Wednesday to continue talks on a ceasefire in Sudan and a transition to peaceful governance, UN News reported. Neither the Sudanese government nor the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces was represented. UN News said the mechanism was set up for mediators to coordinate their actions.

The United Nations co-hosts the meeting with Switzerland, so the UN is a party to the event it describes. The Arabic edition of UN News said high-level representatives of 22 countries attended, along with the UN, the African Union, the European Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development and the League of Arab States. It called this the sixth meeting of its kind. It added that the two warring sides are consulted before each meeting and told of its results afterwards.

Pekka Haavisto, the Secretary-General's Personal Envoy for Sudan, told delegates: “Our first session, devoted to de-escalation, will offer an opportunity to explore practical ways forward,” according to UN News. He asked them to use their channels of engagement to build confidence. Delegates were also expected to consider a Sudanese-led transitional political phase and “an inclusive and credible dialogue”. UN News reported that Mr. Haavisto said, as April 2027 approaches, the date should mark a turning point toward peace and not the start of another year of war.

Alexandre Fasel, State Secretary of Switzerland, gave the figures on need. He said the UN aid coordination office had counted almost 34 million people in Sudan who need humanitarian support. He also cited alerts from the UN Children’s Fund that eight million Sudanese children are out of school. UN News did not say how either figure was gathered.

Mr. Fasel said: “The war in Sudan has become a drone war; it kills mostly civilians.” He added: “Famine-like conditions persist in Darfur, the Kordofan state and elsewhere in the country; it is the war that drives this hunger.” He also said conflict-related sexual violence has re-emerged as a tactic against civilians. According to the Arabic edition, he said that after 1285 days the war had become far more complex and much deadlier.

Mr. Fasel said the Geneva Conventions “are very clear: the protection of civilians and humanitarian access must not wait for a ceasefire and a political solution. Civilians are suffering and dying today.” He said the parties to the conflict must protect civilians at all times. The Arabic edition reported that he saw general agreement among participants that there is no military solution.

The war is in its fourth year. It began in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, former allies who jointly seized power in a 2021 coup. UN News said drone attacks on civilians and public infrastructure have been a feature of the war and have often been condemned by humanitarian and human rights officials.

On the margins, Mr. Haavisto was expected to meet partners from two groupings. The first is the “Quad”, made up of the United States, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt. The second is the “Quintet” of the African Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, the UN, the European Union and the League of Arab States. The talks followed a day of humanitarian discussions in Geneva with delegations, senior UN officials and aid groups, including the International Committee of the Red Cross.

The sources do not report any agreement, ceasefire date or outcome from the meeting. They do not say whether the Sudanese Armed Forces or the Rapid Support Forces have accepted any proposal.