GENEVA: The US special envoy for Sudan, Tom Perriello, on Thursday said he wanted “tangible results” from ongoing ceasefire talks aimed at ending the devastating war in the country despite the Sudanese government staying away.
The talks, brokered by the United States and taking place in an undisclosed location in Switzerland, began on Wednesday and have been marked by significant diplomatic tension.
Since April 2023, Sudan has been embroiled in a devastating war between the Sudanese army, led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), commanded by his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo.
The RSF is actively participating in the US-brokered talks, but the Sudanese armed forces (SAF) have opted out, expressing dissatisfaction with the negotiation format arranged by Washington.
Perriello, who is leading the US diplomatic efforts, stated on X (formerly Twitter) that the second day of the talks was progressing as planned. “We continue our relentless work with international partners to save lives and ensure we achieve tangible results,” he said.
The Sudanese government’s absence from the talks has been a significant hurdle. Sudan’s Finance Minister Gibril Ibrahim publicly criticized the process, stating, “It is the nature of Sudanese people to reject threats and intimidation.”
He accused the mediation efforts of attempting to “legalize the criminal militia’s occupation of civilian facilities” and criticized the negotiations for potentially legitimizing the RSF’s role in Sudan’s political and security future.
The ongoing talks are co-hosted by Switzerland, with the African Union, Egypt, UAE, and the United Nations serving as part of the steering group. Despite the extensive international involvement, previous negotiations failed to produce any substantive agreements.
The current round of talks aims to achieve several key objectives: establishing a ceasefire, improving humanitarian access, and setting up enforcement mechanisms to ensure compliance.
The brutal conflict has resulted in one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with more than half of the Sudanese population facing acute hunger. The fighting has displaced one in five people, and led to tens of thousands of deaths.
