Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan reiterated his country’s commitment to mediating the ongoing Sudan conflict during a statement at an end-of-year event at the Turkish Foreign Ministry in Ankara on Friday. Fidan’s remarks followed his recent discussions with officials in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) aimed at finding a resolution to the violence in Sudan.
Fidan revealed that during a visit to the UAE last week, he met with President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, where the two leaders focused on efforts to end the ongoing war in Sudan, which has escalated since April 2023. The conflict has devastated the country, triggering a severe humanitarian crisis marked by widespread displacement and food insecurity.
“The discussions were centered on mediation efforts between Sudanese parties, not on any dispute between Sudan and the UAE,” Fidan emphasized, underlining Turkey’s role in facilitating dialogue between Sudan’s warring factions.
He referred to existing diplomatic efforts, such as the Saudi-US-backed Jeddah process, aimed at brokering a ceasefire. Despite these efforts, Fidan noted that the conflict continues, and there has been little progress in ending the violence.
“The human cost of this war is staggering,” Fidan stated, highlighting the growing death toll and humanitarian emergency. He urged the international community to increase aid to Sudan, stressing that the situation could deteriorate further without a swift resolution.
Fidan also drew comparisons to ongoing international efforts to address conflicts in other regions, like Ukraine, stressing that addressing the political differences between Sudan’s warring factions was crucial to restoring peace.
“Millions of people have been displaced, and food security is a dire issue. The international community must act urgently to mitigate the suffering,” Fidan concluded.
Since the outbreak of the war in April 2023, Sudan has been divided between the forces of General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan’s Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The conflict has created a severe humanitarian catastrophe, with millions displaced and thousands killed.