Fresh peace talks aimed at ending Sudan’s 16-month war have begun, despite a major setback: the Sudanese national army’s refusal to participate. The United States, which is facilitating the discussions, insisted that the talks proceed as planned, emphasizing that the millions suffering in Sudan “cannot afford for us to wait.”
The conflict between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has claimed thousands of lives and forced approximately 10 million people from their homes. Hopes for a ceasefire deal were dashed when the army announced it would not attend the talks, citing the RSF’s failure to implement key conditions of the Jeddah Declaration, agreed upon in Saudi Arabia last year. The army accused the RSF of not withdrawing its fighters from civilian houses and public facilities, as required by the agreement.
In response, the RSF issued a statement on social media, confirming its arrival in Geneva for the talks and urging the army to “commit to fulfilling the democratic aspirations of the Sudanese people.”
The army also rejected the talks due to the presence of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as an observer, accusing the UAE of backing the RSF. Despite the army’s absence, delegates from the US, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the African Union, and the United Nations are participating in the talks.
The humanitarian situation in Sudan remains dire, with the UN’s migration agency warning of tens of thousands of preventable deaths if the conflict and restrictions on aid continue. The United States has described the crisis as reaching an unprecedented level of severity, with millions facing hunger and displacement.
