Ahmad 
Talks aimed at ending the nearly 16-month-old conflict in Sudan began in Geneva, in the absence of the Sudanese army, which stressed the need to implement the “Jeddah Declaration”.
The negotiations witnessed the participation of a delegation from the Rapid Support Forces, where the U..S. Special Envoy to Sudan, Tom Perriello, expressed tangible progress in implementing the declaration, noting the parties’ commitment to previous agreements.
The session was held in the presence of international and regional partners, including the United States, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE, the African Union and the United Nations, and addressed ways to enhance support for Sudan, facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid and stop hostilities. The speakers expressed their concerns about the absence of the army from the sessions, stressing that the dialogue will continue regardless of the obstacles.
For his part, the Chairman of the Sudanese Sovereignty Council, Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, issued a statement in which he confirmed the existence of red lines related to the implementation of the outcomes of the “Jeddah Declaration”, stressing the need to fully respect the concluded agreements and not to exceed them, while the Sudanese government expressed its commitment to the agreement and opened the door for further dialogue to ensure its full implementation.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken had called Burhan by phone as the talks began to urge him to join the talks.
Patel added that Blinken told him of the “urgent need” for both sides “to end the war and ensure humanitarian assistance reaches millions of suffering Sudanese.”
The Sudanese government has conditions for participation, including the withdrawal of the Rapid Support Forces from citizens’ homes, the evacuation of official institutions, and the non-participation of some parties that Sudan considers a party to the war.
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