Sudanupdated 1h ago3 min read
UN, Swiss Mediators Resume Sudan Peace Talks in Geneva as RSF Skips Meeting
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Sixth Geneva consultations bring 22 countries and five organizations to coordinate Sudan peace efforts. Talks focus on de-escalation, humanitarian access, and pathways to a ceasefire amid violence.
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Geneva talks without parties
Mediators and the United Nations convened a coordination meeting in Geneva with approximately 80 representatives from governments and organizations, while the government and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) did not attend. Swiss diplomat Tim Enderlin said, “We must work together for the good of the Sudanese people,” as the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Sudan, Pekka Haavisto, reported that the environmental destruction caused by the conflict was discussed for the first time. The meeting aimed to facilitate confidence-building measures between the parties to the conflict, including the exchange of prisoners of war.
The talks also took place against a backdrop in which the United Nations described Sudan as facing “one of the most severe humanitarian crises in the world.” The UN Human Rights Office reported that more than 1,100 people were killed in the first six months of the year, as the use of drones changed the course of the war this year.
No military solution
Pekka Haavisto told reporters after an international meeting under UN auspices in Geneva that the conflict “could not be resolved militarily, but only through negotiations and diplomatic efforts.” Haavisto added, “The solution must be found through diplomatic negotiations and discussions,” as the sixth Consultative Meeting on Strengthening the Coordination of Peace Initiatives and Efforts in Sudan was held behind closed doors at the Palais des Nations. The meeting included participation by the Quad, made up of the United States, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia, as well as the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and neighboring Sudanese countries such as Ethiopia and Chad.
The UN envoy’s office and the Swiss government issued a joint statement expressing deep concern over reports of atrocities and the intensification of drone use, which “causes immense suffering for civilians.” The UN also said the conflict has killed more than 200,000 people since April 2023, according to humanitarian workers’ estimates, as the country faces famine and waves of population displacement.
Humanitarian stakes and next steps
Alexandre Fasel said the war in Sudan “has become a drone war; it kills mostly civilians,” as delegates met in Geneva to discuss a pathway to a ceasefire and transition to peaceful governance that represents all Sudanese people. Fasel warned that “Famine-like conditions persist in Darfur, the Kordofan state and elsewhere in the country,” and he said the protection of civilians and humanitarian access must not wait for a ceasefire and a political solution. The UN aid coordination office, OCHA, said almost 34 million people need humanitarian support, as UN Children’s Fund alerts reported eight million Sudanese children are out of school today.
Pekka Haavisto said the talks were expected to consider a Sudanese-led “transitional political phase that reflects the aspirations” of the country’s people through an “inclusive and credible dialogue.” The UN Personal Envoy was also expected to engage on the margins of the meeting with partners from the “Quad” mechanism and the “Quintet” mechanism, while the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Sudan INGO Forum participated in humanitarian-focused discussions earlier at UN Geneva.