Sudan's warring parties meet in Geneva for UN-brokered ceasefire talks
The civil war in Sudan between the Sudanese Army and Rapid Support Forces has been going on since April 2023, and has displaced almost 10 million people as well as caused a risk of famine.
Sudanese refugees collect water from a borehole at the Gorom Refugee camp, near Juba, in South Sudan January 26, 2024. / Photo: Reuters Archive
Sudan's warring parties have arrived in Geneva, Switzerland, for UN-brokered talks aimed at "possible local ceasefires" to facilitate humanitarian aid and protect civilians, a United Nations spokesperson said.
The civil war in Sudan, which erupted in April 2023, has forced almost 10 million people from their homes, sparked warnings of famine and waves of ethnically driven violence blamed largely on the Rapid Support Forces.
Talks in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, between the army and RSF sponsored by the United States and Saudi Arabia broke down at the end of last year.
"The discussions seek to identify avenues for advancement of the identified humanitarian and protection of civilian measures through possible local ceasefires, as requested by the Security Council," a UN spokesperson said in response to Reuters' questions, noting that the talks that began on Thursday were convened by UN Envoy for Sudan Ramtane Lamamra from Algeria.
The Sudanese army and RSF will negotiate via mediators in the "proximity talks" instead of meeting face to face, she said.
US ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield told CBS News that US Special Envoy for Sudan Tom Perriello was also involved in the Geneva talks aimed at "how to address the humanitarian situation, how to get assistance to those in need, and how to find a political solution to bring the two parties together."
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