The United Nations says Sudan’s warring parties have established committees to examine the release of detainees and possible prisoner exchanges, although no agreement on carrying out the releases has been announced.
Addressing the UN Security Council on Friday, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo said UN envoy Pekka Haavisto remained in regular contact with Sudan’s military and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to advance confidence-building measures.
“Both parties have now established committees to look into unilateral releases of detainees and negotiated exchanges of prisoners,” DiCarlo told the council.
However, she announced no timetable, agreed exchange arrangements or number of prisoners expected to be released.
The announcement follows earlier discussions between Haavisto and representatives of both sides, during which the Sudan Founding Alliance (TASIS) denied reports that a formal prisoner-exchange agreement had been reached.
TASIS spokesperson Ahmed Tugod Lisan previously said the issue had been discussed with alliance leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, but insisted that negotiations had not progressed beyond preliminary contacts.
He said TASIS had requested lists identifying detainees held by Sudan’s military, including confirmation of their status, before substantive negotiations could proceed.
DiCarlo also disclosed that Haavisto was working with UNICEF to secure access to a single nationally recognised secondary-school examination for Sudanese students, regardless of which party controlled their area.
Separate discussions with Chad are continuing to facilitate examination arrangements for Sudanese refugee students living there.
The UN official cautioned that diplomatic initiatives had produced little progress towards ending the war, with both sides continuing to pursue military gains despite mounting civilian casualties.
She urged the parties to turn preliminary discussions into concrete commitments, while calling on international actors to support efforts to secure a humanitarian truce.
The United Nations is also coordinating with regional and international mediators ahead of consultations in Geneva next week aimed at strengthening diplomatic efforts to end Sudan’s conflict.
