United Nations officials are set to meet Sudan’s warring parties in Geneva, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Thursday.
General Abdel Fattah al Burhan’s army (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces have fought since April 2023, leaving tens of thousands dead. The conflict has displaced 12 million people, creating one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises in decades.
Guterres confirmed the Geneva meetings in an interview with Saudi broadcaster Al Arabiya, without specifying when they would occur. Global attention surged in October after the RSF captured El-Fasher, Burhan’s last stronghold in western Darfur.
The 18-month siege saw mass atrocities reported, prompting international condemnation and fears of escalating violence across Sudan.
UN spokesman Farhan Haq described planned “technical-level talks” as a first step to more productive negotiations. “These talks aim to pave the ground for something more constructive down the line,” Haq added from New York.
Guterres met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh on Wednesday to discuss efforts to end Sudan’s war. Hopes for a breakthrough were reignited last month when US President Donald Trump offered to mediate after the prince’s appeal.
Saudi Arabia, along with the US, Egypt, and the UAE, forms a Quad mediating group seeking peace in Sudan. The four nations are seen as holding significant influence over both the SAF and RSF, crucial for any lasting resolution.
