Sudanese General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has refused to send a delegation to the latest round of peace talks in Geneva, aiming to end the 16-month war in Sudan.
Despite the absence of General Burhan’s forces (SAF), the US, which is facilitating the discussions, insisted on proceeding, citing the urgency of the crisis that has left millions suffering across the country.
The conflict between SAF and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has resulted in thousands of deaths and displaced approximately 10 million people from their homes.
Hopes for a ceasefire were dashed when SAF announced its decision to boycott Wednesday’s talks, claiming that the RSF had failed to implement agreements made in Saudi Arabia last year.
Specifically, SAF accused the RSF of not meeting key conditions of the Jeddah Declaration, including the withdrawal of its fighters from civilian homes and public facilities.
The RSF, in a statement on the social media platform X, confirmed its arrival in Geneva for the talks and urged SAF to commit to fulfilling the democratic aspirations of the Sudanese people.
The SAF also cited objections to the presence of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as an observer at the talks, accusing the UAE of supporting the RSF.
Alongside the UAE, representatives from the US, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the African Union, and the United Nations are attending the discussions.
The United Nations’ migration agency has warned of tens of thousands of preventable deaths in Sudan if the conflict continues and restrictions on humanitarian aid persist.
The United States described the crisis as reaching an unprecedented level of severity, with millions facing hunger and displacement.
