The recently appointed US Special Envoy to Sudan, Tom Perriello, has embarked on a diplomatic tour across East Africa and the Gulf region. This initiative comes just ahead of the first anniversary of Sudan’s civil war and follows the UN Security Council’s call for a ceasefire during the holy month of Ramadan.
Perriello’s itinerary includes visits to Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya, Uganda, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The latter has faced accusations of supporting and arming the Sudanese Rapid Support Forces (RSF), allegations it vehemently denies.
Sudan currently grapples with the world’s largest displacement crisis, prompting concerns from aid agencies about the potential escalation into the world’s most extensive hunger crisis.
The primary focus of the US envoy’s trip is addressing the pressing need to halt the ongoing conflict and ensure humanitarian access for all Sudanese people.
However, even before his departure, reports surfaced indicating a senior Sudanese army general’s rejection of a Ramadan ceasefire, stipulating the condition that the RSF must vacate civilian and public sites.
In parallel, American efforts also include advocating for the opening of additional land routes for aid from Chad. The closure of access points by the Sudanese army, citing RSF’s alleged use of the routes for transporting weapons, has raised complications in the aid delivery process.
