Sudanese General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has refused to send a delegation to the latest round of peace talks in Geneva, aimed at ending the 16-month-long conflict that has devastated Sudan.
Despite the absence of forces loyal to General al-Burhan, known as the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), the United States, which is facilitating the discussions, has insisted on proceeding. The US emphasized the urgency of addressing the ongoing crisis, which has left millions of Sudanese citizens in dire conditions.
The conflict between the SAF and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has claimed thousands of lives and displaced approximately 10 million people from their homes, leading to widespread suffering across the country.
Hopes for a potential ceasefire were dashed when the SAF announced its decision to boycott the talks scheduled for Wednesday. The SAF accused the RSF of failing to implement key agreements made during peace negotiations in Saudi Arabia last year. Specifically, the SAF pointed to the RSF’s non-compliance with the Jeddah Declaration, which included the withdrawal of RSF fighters from civilian homes and public facilities.
In contrast, the RSF confirmed its participation in the Geneva talks through a statement on the social media platform X, urging the SAF to commit to the democratic aspirations of the Sudanese people.
The SAF also expressed objections to the presence of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as an observer at the talks, accusing the UAE of supporting the RSF. Alongside the UAE, representatives from the United States, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the African Union, and the United Nations are attending the discussions.
The United Nations’ migration agency has issued a grave warning, cautioning that tens of thousands of preventable deaths could occur in Sudan if the conflict persists and restrictions on humanitarian aid continue.
The United States described the crisis as reaching an unprecedented level of severity, with millions of people facing hunger, displacement, and severe hardship.