Mediators representing Saudi Arabia, the United States, the African Union (AU) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) announced the failure to reach a ceasefire agreement between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Saudi Arabia, the United States, the AU, and the IGAD have been playing an active role in mediating to end the continuous conflict.
The Jeddah Meeting in western Saudi Arabia on Tuesday resulted in agreements on commitments by the conflicting parties in Sudan, including establishing a communication mechanism between the leadership of the SAF and the RSF.
The agreements were reached following consultations hosted by Saudi Arabia, but the parties did not reach an agreement on implementing a ceasefire resolution, according to a statement from the Saudi Foreign Ministry.
Conflicting parties commitments
The statement clarified that “Saudi Arabia, the United States, and the IGAD as a joint representative of the AU and IGAD, acting as facilitators for the discussions (Jeddah 2), announced the commitment of the SAF and the RSF to take steps to facilitate the increase of humanitarian aid and implement confidence-building measures.”
The commitments by the SAF and the RSF include:
- Participate in a joint humanitarian forum led by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs to resolve impediments to humanitarian access and deliveries of assistance.
- Identify points of contact to assist with movements of humanitarian personnel and assistance.
- Implement confidence-building measures related to the following themes:
- Establishment of communication between SAF and RSF leaders.
- Arrest of prison escapees and fugitives.
- Improvement of each side’s official media discourse, and reduction of inflammatory rhetoric.
- Actions concerning each side’s warmongers and pro-war elements.
Possibility of further talks
Saudi Arabia, the United States, and IGAD expressed “regret at the parties’ inability to reach agreements to implement a ceasefire during this initial round” without specifying the timing for the second round.
The mediators called on the SAF and the RSF to prioritize the interest of the Sudanese people, lay down their arms, and engage in negotiations to end this conflict.
On 29 October, Saudi Arabia announced the resumption of talks between the conflicting parties in Jeddah to discuss achieving a ceasefire and delivering aid.
Previous negotiations between representatives of the SAF and the RSF in Jeddah resulted in the Jeddah Declaration in May, containing humanitarian commitments and applying immediately governing terms. However, talks stalled in June due to “serious and repeated violations” of the ceasefire.
The war erupted between the Sudanese army and the RSF in mid-April, resulting in over 9,000 deaths and nearly 6 million internally and externally displaced individuals, according to the United Nations.