The Umma Party, a pro-army Sudanese political group, has strongly condemned the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) for opting out of the upcoming U.S.-Saudi-led peace talks in Geneva.
The party, which has been a staunch supporter of the SAF since the conflict erupted in April of the previous year, labeled the decision a “significant diplomatic failure” that could jeopardize efforts to end Sudan’s protracted conflict.
Led by Mubarak al-Mahdi, the Umma Party expressed disappointment following the announcement by Sudan’s acting information minister, Graham Abdelqader, who revealed that the SAF would not participate in the Geneva talks. The decision comes after preliminary discussions between U.S. mediators and a Sudanese delegation in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, collapsed.
Abdelqader attributed the SAF’s withdrawal to disagreements over the inclusion of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as an observer in the Geneva talks, a condition the Sudanese government opposes. He also accused the U.S. of failing to secure the Rapid Support Forces’ (RSF) commitment to the Jeddah Agreement, a crucial framework that remains unimplemented by both parties.
In response, Ibrahim Shalaih Hibani, head of the Umma Party’s Political Bureau, argued that the UAE’s presence is crucial for the success of the Geneva negotiations. Hibani emphasized the UAE’s significant influence over the RSF and noted that previous secret talks involving the UAE, held in Bahrain and Oman, further justified its role as an observer.
“The Umma Party believes that the UAE’s involvement is essential for the success of the talks and the effective implementation of the Jeddah Agreement,” Hibani stated. “The UAE’s influence over the RSF cannot be overlooked.”
The Umma Party also criticized the SAF for undermining the importance of the Geneva talks, which are backed by key international actors including the United Nations, the African Union, and Egypt.
They rejected claims by the army-led government that the shift of peace talks from Jeddah to Geneva lacked justification, arguing instead that the move represents a necessary escalation of international involvement in light of the war’s expansion and its severe humanitarian impact.
With over 18,800 reported deaths and at least 33,000 injuries in the past 16 months, the UN has recently warned that Sudan is nearing a “cataclysmic breaking point.”
The Umma Party’s statement underscored the urgent need for higher levels of international intervention to address the crisis affecting millions of civilians.